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Internal consultant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an internal consultant. Internal consultants usually study business, accounting, or finance. 65% of internal consultants hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,117 real internal consultant resumes to see exactly what internal consultant education sections show.

The most common colleges for internal consultants are the Ohio State University and the Ohio State University.

There are also many online internal consultant courses to help get the education required to be an internal consultant.

There are certain internal consultant certifications that you should consider. These internal consultant certifications include Internal Medicine and Six Sigma Green Belt.

What education do you need to become an internal consultant?

What degree do you need to be an internal consultant?

The most common degree for internal consultants is bachelor's degree, with 65% of internal consultants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 25% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 65%
  • Master's, 25%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an internal consultant?

You should major in business to become an internal consultant. 30% of internal consultants major in business. Other common majors for an internal consultant include accounting and finance.

Most common colleges for internal consultants

Internal consultants often get their degrees at Ohio State University, University of Southern California, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for internal consultants in the US based on their resumes.
Internal consultant common collegePercentages
Ohio State University6.92%
University of Southern California6.92%
University of Phoenix6.92%
University of Illinois at Chicago6.92%
University of Houston6.15%

Best majors for internal consultants

RankMajorPercentages
1Business29.5%
2Accounting9.3%
3Finance8.7%
4Economics5.3%
5Psychology4.8%

Best colleges for internal consultants

The best colleges for internal consultants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

An internal consultant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for internal consultants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become internal consultants.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

9. University of Georgia

Athens, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,830

Enrollment

29,474

10. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

20 best online courses for internal consultants

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15. Consulting Business Masterclass: Start A Consulting Business

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16. Internal Auditing Part I

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17. Performance Improvement Projects for Management Consultants

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18. Lead Auditor Tools for a Professional Internal Audit

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19. Sales Analysis for Management Consultants

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20. Management Consulting Essential Training

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Top 10 most affordable universities for internal consultants

The most affordable schools for internal consultants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for internal consultants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for internal consultants.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

10. University of Houston - Victoria

Victoria, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$6,491

Cost of attendance

19,075

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for internal consultants

The hardest universities for internal consultants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for internal consultants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for internal consultants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for internal consultants

The easiest schools for internal consultants to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, wayland baptist university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an internal consultant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for internal consultants.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

9. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

10. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

Average internal consultant salary by education level

Internal consultants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $103,627 annually. With a Master's degree, internal consultants earn a median annual income of $99,211 compared to $91,736 for internal consultants with an Bachelor's degree.
Internal consultant education levelInternal consultant salary
Master's Degree$99,211
Bachelor's Degree$91,736
Doctorate Degree$103,627

Internal consultant education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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