Management consultant vs human resources consultant

The differences between management consultants and human resources consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a management consultant, becoming a human resources consultant takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a management consultant has an average salary of $99,360, which is higher than the $71,882 average annual salary of a human resources consultant.

The top three skills for a management consultant include healthcare, project management and portfolio. The most important skills for a human resources consultant are performance management, shared services, and workforce planning.

Management consultant vs human resources consultant overview

	Management Consultant	Human Resources Consultant
Yearly salary	$99,360	$71,882
Hourly rate	$47.77	$34.56
Growth rate	11%	7%
Number of jobs	153,045	52,761
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	44	47
Years of experience	4	6

What does a management consultant do?

A management consultant's responsibility focuses on conducting an in-depth analysis of a company or business, including its target market. Through their findings, they can devise strategies that will help the business grow and attain a significant profit. There are also instances when a management consultant must solve particular issues that will require them to investigate the problem, assess damages, identify risks, and recommend the best solutions to take. Furthermore, a management consultant must adhere to the company's vision, mission, and policies at all times.

What does a human resources consultant do?

A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.

Management consultant vs human resources consultant salary

Management consultants and human resources consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Management Consultant	Human Resources Consultant
Average salary	$99,360	$71,882
Salary range	Between $72,000 And $136,000	Between $53,000 And $95,000
Highest paying City	Jersey City, NJ	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Apple	Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between management consultant and human resources consultant education

There are a few differences between a management consultant and a human resources consultant in terms of educational background:

	Management Consultant	Human Resources Consultant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Management consultant vs human resources consultant demographics

Here are the differences between management consultants' and human resources consultants' demographics:

	Management Consultant	Human Resources Consultant
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1%	Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 13.6% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	18%

Differences between management consultant and human resources consultant duties and responsibilities

Management consultant example responsibilities.

Streamline and program manage operations for end-to-end creation of all assets using Smartsheet.
Lead daily agile scrum meetings towards the end of the development phase of the project.
Monitor and control project schedule for SaaS product to achieve project deliveries in at least 95th percentile.
Lead teams in implementation of value map streaming, ISO 9000 and waste reduction in manufacturing process.
Manage functional design team activities using baseline scope document information and develop process standards in line with SDLC methodologies.
Develop light-weight (fast) proprietary cloud-base licensing engine and UI to manage and track end user subscription licenses.

Human resources consultant example responsibilities.

Manage AAP plan development, modification, implementation, and reporting requirements.
Advise management on disciplinary actions, compensation, performance management, FMLA issues, and daily policy and procedural interpretation.
Handle UN employment claims, safety meetings, and key OSHA information.
Prepare cross-check system to ensure compliance with OSHA, EEOC and ADA.
Develop payroll relations with ADP and provide application training.
Conduct orientations to managers and supervisors on EEO federal/local regulations.

Management consultant vs human resources consultant skills

Common management consultant skills

Healthcare, 9%
Project Management, 7%
Portfolio, 6%
Business Process, 5%
Business Strategy, 5%
Business Development, 4%

Common human resources consultant skills

Performance Management, 9%
Shared Services, 8%
Workforce Planning, 8%
Employee Engagement, 7%
Payroll, 6%
Customer Service, 4%

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Management Consultant vs Human Resources Consultant

Updated January 8, 2025

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