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Executive consultant salary
Average executive consultant salary
$131,331
Average Executive Consultant Salary
The average salary for an Executive Consultant in the United States is approximately $131,331 annually or $63 per hour. Salaries can differ based on various factors including location, years of experience, and the industry in which one works. For instance, Executive Consultants in California and New York often command higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for specialized skills.
Where Can an Executive Consultant Earn More?
Executive Consultants in high-demand industries such as technology and finance may earn significantly more than the average. Top-paying states include Washington and Massachusetts, where businesses are eager to invest in strategic consulting services. Exploring job opportunities in these regions can lead to enhanced compensation and career growth.
Salary Estimates and Industry Insights
For those considering a career as an Executive Consultant, understanding the salary landscape is crucial. Research shows that as experience increases, so does earning potential. Entry-level consultants may start at lower rates, but seasoned professionals can see salaries exceeding $150,000 annually. By continuously developing skills and seeking new challenges, Executive Consultants can maximize their value in the job market.
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Where can an Executive Consultant earn more?
Executive consultant salary estimates from across the web
Average executive consultant salary by state
The average executive consultant salary in Washington, Arizona, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average executive consultant salary states are Nebraska, Iowa, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for executive consultants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $138,213 | $66.45 |
| 2 | Arizona | $142,908 | $68.71 |
| 3 | Washington | $145,229 | $69.82 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $129,983 | $62.49 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $128,605 | $61.83 |
| 6 | South Carolina | $128,607 | $61.83 |
| 7 | Illinois | $125,856 | $60.51 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $132,579 | $63.74 |
| 9 | Idaho | $123,637 | $59.44 |
| 10 | Vermont | $123,426 | $59.34 |
| 11 | Delaware | $129,050 | $62.04 |
| 12 | Nevada | $123,960 | $59.60 |
| 13 | Maine | $130,365 | $62.68 |
| 14 | California | $142,684 | $68.60 |
| 15 | Ohio | $125,207 | $60.20 |
| 16 | Michigan | $124,381 | $59.80 |
| 17 | Florida | $121,655 | $58.49 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $123,180 | $59.22 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $119,980 | $57.68 |
| 20 | New York | $132,895 | $63.89 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $118,894 | $57.16 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $119,811 | $57.60 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $112,923 | $54.29 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $126,880 | $61.00 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $121,029 | $58.19 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $106,286 | $51.10 |
| 27 | Texas | $116,265 | $55.90 |
| 28 | Alabama | $107,620 | $51.74 |
| 29 | Oregon | $122,460 | $58.88 |
| 30 | Utah | $107,166 | $51.52 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $112,646 | $54.16 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $113,623 | $54.63 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $106,836 | $51.36 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $108,236 | $52.04 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $103,317 | $49.67 |
| 36 | Virginia | $108,585 | $52.20 |
| 37 | Montana | $101,025 | $48.57 |
| 38 | Alaska | $114,597 | $55.09 |
| 39 | Kansas | $104,686 | $50.33 |
| 40 | Indiana | $105,334 | $50.64 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $105,513 | $50.73 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $102,909 | $49.48 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $97,811 | $47.02 |
| 44 | Maryland | $107,362 | $51.62 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $95,047 | $45.70 |
| 46 | Georgia | $98,724 | $47.46 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $95,042 | $45.69 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $97,527 | $46.89 |
| 49 | Missouri | $91,174 | $43.83 |
| 50 | Colorado | $93,436 | $44.92 |
| 51 | Iowa | $96,047 | $46.18 |
Highest paying cities for executive consultants
The highest-paying cities for executive consultants are South San Francisco, CA, Phoenix, AZ, and Cambridge, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South San Francisco, CA | $148,382 | $71.34 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $144,621 | $69.53 |
| 3 | Cambridge, MA | $138,525 | $66.60 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $133,121 | $64.00 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $129,126 | $62.08 |
| 6 | Farmington Hills, MI | $124,681 | $59.94 |
| 7 | Edison, NJ | $123,115 | $59.19 |
| 8 | Menomonee Falls, WI | $119,957 | $57.67 |
| 9 | Round Rock, TX | $118,981 | $57.20 |
| 10 | Jacksonville, FL | $115,999 | $55.77 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $109,304 | $52.55 |
| 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | $108,953 | $52.38 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $98,359 | $47.29 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $93,278 | $44.85 |
Executive consultant salary details
An executive consultant's salary ranges from $90,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $190,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an executive consultant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $190,000 | $15,833 | $91 |
| 75th Percentile | $159,000 | $13,250 | $76 |
| Average | $131,331 | $10,944 | $63 |
| 25th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 10th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
Highest paying executive consultant jobs
The highest paying types of executive consultants are senior management consultant, principal consultant, and strategy consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consultant/Marketing Director | $111,827 | $9,319 | $53.76 | 122,157 |
| Consultant/Project Manager | $100,754 | $8,396 | $48.44 | 213,963 |
| Program Management Consultant | $101,157 | $8,430 | $48.63 | 177,578 |
| Business Development Consultant | $85,153 | $7,096 | $40.94 | 168,111 |
| Manager And Consultant | $112,992 | $9,416 | $54.32 | 158,178 |
| Contractor/Consultant | $84,811 | $7,068 | $40.77 | 64,573 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for executive consultants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Angela Grotto Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management, Manhattan College
- In general, the starting salaries for business graduates are outstanding. Still, they can vary greatly, depending on major (e.g., finance vs. marketing), location (higher in metro areas), industry (e.g., tech vs. retail), and experience (think internships). Do your homework - use sites such as Salary.com or Payscale to learn the starting salaries for jobs you are interested in, and then use it when you get to the negotiation stage.
- Even if you start on the low end of a salary range for a job, there is always the potential to increase your salary in any industry. You can improve your salary through vertical advancement (i.e., promotions) and lateral advancement and development (e.g., more years of experience, obtaining an MBA, developing new skill sets, expatriate assignments, etc.).
- Remember that your starting salary sets the trajectory for your future salary prospects, so do your homework to determine appropriate compensation for the job, given your experience, education, and location. Then, hone your negotiation skills - especially if you do not feel comfortable or confident negotiating - to get the salary you deserve right from the start, and it sets you on the right path.
Top companies hiring executive consultants now:
Which companies pay executive consultants the most?
Executive consultant salaries at Mayo Clinic and IBM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average executive consultant salary at companies like Kaiser Permanente and SAP are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayo Clinic | $170,065 | $81.76 |
| 2 | IBM | $156,543 | $75.26 |
| 3 | Kaiser Permanente | $150,691 | $72.45 |
| 4 | SAP | $149,096 | $71.68 |
| 5 | Cumberland | $137,060 | $65.89 |
| 6 | Graebel Companies | $131,184 | $63.07 |
| 7 | Harvard University | $128,077 | $61.58 |
| 8 | North States Ind | $128,056 | $61.57 |
| 9 | Grandbridge Real Estate Capital | $126,748 | $60.94 |
| 10 | Intergraph | $124,477 | $59.84 |
| 11 | Cleveland Clinic | $124,072 | $59.65 |
| 12 | Elevance Health | $116,038 | $55.79 |
| 13 | ABB | $113,158 | $54.40 |
| 14 | SIRVA Worldwide | $108,649 | $52.24 |
| 15 | Liberty Healthcare | $91,567 | $44.02 |
| 16 | State of Arizona | $59,120 | $28.42 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Executive Consultant salary by industry
The average executive consultant salary varies across industries:
- The average executive consultant salary in the technology industry is $139,883, the highest of any industry.
- The average executive consultant salary in the finance industry is $130,843.
- Executive consultants in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $125,136, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for executive consultants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $139,883 | $67.25 |
| 2 | Health Care | $130,843 | $62.91 |
| 3 | Professional | $129,746 | $62.38 |
| 4 | Finance | $129,202 | $62.12 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $125,136 | $60.16 |
High paying executive consultant jobs
Executive consultant salary trends
The average executive consultant salary has risen by $24,166 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average executive consultant earned $107,165 annually, but today, they earn $131,331 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for executive consultants over the last decade.
Compare executive consultant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average executive consultant salary over time
Compare executive consultant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Executive consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $131,000 | $63.14 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $126,000 | $60.78 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $124,000 | $59.64 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $122,000 | $58.73 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | $121,000 | $58.26 | +1.9% |
Recently added executive consultant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | Fleet Consulting Executive | Schaumburg, IL | 06/30/2025 | $85,200 |
| Evoke Consulting | Government Technology Enablement Advisor | Executive Consultant/Sme III [Ncdpc0025024] | Norristown, PA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Tullett Prebon | Head of Execution Consulting, Americas | New York, NY | 06/09/2025 | $200,000 |
| Nuharborsecurity | Security Services Executive Consultant | Colchester, VT | 06/09/2025 | $129,000 |
| Wheels | Fleet Consulting Executive | Des Plaines, IL | 05/27/2025 | $85,200 |
| Nuharborsecurity | Security Services Executive Consultant | Colchester, VT | 05/26/2025 | $129,000 |
| Nuharbor Security | Security Services Executive Consultant | Colchester, VT | 05/24/2025 | $129,000 |
| Job Listingsallied Universal | Executive Protection Consultant | Louisville, KY | 05/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| Allied Universal | Executive Protection Consultant | Louisville, KY | 05/10/2025 | $90,000 |
| Security Director In San Diego, California | Executive Protection Consultant | Louisville, KY | 05/10/2025 | $90,000 |
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