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The differences between engagement managers and consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become an engagement manager, becoming a consultant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engagement manager has an average salary of $112,413, which is higher than the $78,912 average annual salary of a consultant.
The top three skills for an engagement manager include project management, analytics and customer service. The most important skills for a consultant are customer service, strong analytical, and project management.
| Engagement Manager | Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $112,413 | $78,912 |
| Hourly rate | $54.04 | $37.94 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 166,237 | 171,733 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
The role of engagement managers is to build and maintain strong relations with clients. They are responsible for managing a portfolio of client accounts and assisting clients with existing projects. Other duties include assisting clients in resolving their problems, managing bills and invoices for assigned customers, and addressing customer issues efficiently and timely. Additionally, engagement managers are responsible for ensuring that company policies are being complied and ethical standards are being followed. They are also expected to manage and meet client expectations.
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Engagement managers and consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engagement Manager | Consultant | |
| Average salary | $112,413 | $78,912 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $150,000 | Between $58,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | L.E.K. Consulting | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engagement manager and a consultant in terms of educational background:
| Engagement Manager | Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between engagement managers' and consultants' demographics:
| Engagement Manager | Consultant | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7% | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 15.4% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |