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The differences between principal consultants and executive consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an executive consultant has an average salary of $131,331, which is higher than the $116,478 average annual salary of a principal consultant.
The top three skills for a principal consultant include cloud, business development and C #. The most important skills for an executive consultant are healthcare, business development, and financial services.
| Principal Consultant | Executive Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $116,478 | $131,331 |
| Hourly rate | $56.00 | $63.14 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 143,753 | 118,432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 10 |
A principal consultant is responsible for evaluating business' needs and opportunities, identifying potential leads to create project proposals, and maintaining strong business relationships that would generate revenues and increase the organization's profitability. Principal consultants must be up-to-date with the current market trends to ensure that the business adapts to the industry's changes. They also initiate new product development to expand its brand image, working closely with the marketing team for marketing strategies and promotions.
An executive consultant gives support and guidance to the company's management team. Their duties may vary depending on each client's needs. Other companies hire consultants to solve a particular problem or assist with operations, employees, or strategic planning. They advise partner companies in business development opportunities to pursue financial goals and financial growth. They can also provide consulting services for non-profit organizations to act as an executive member.
Principal consultants and executive consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Consultant | Executive Consultant | |
| Average salary | $116,478 | $131,331 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $150,000 | Between $90,000 And $190,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Washington |
| Best paying company | Pure Storage | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal consultant and an executive consultant in terms of educational background:
| Principal Consultant | Executive Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between principal consultants' and executive consultants' demographics:
| Principal Consultant | Executive Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |