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The average salary for a business management consultant is $107,407 per year, equating to approximately $52 per hour. Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific industry. For instance, experienced consultants often command higher salaries, especially in major metropolitan areas.
Entry-level consultants can expect to earn significantly less, while those with several years in the field may see salaries rise substantially. As professionals gain expertise and build their networks, they can access higher-paying positions that align with their skills.
Business management consultants in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C. frequently earn above the national average due to the high demand for their services. In addition, states such as California and New York consistently report the highest salaries for this profession.
The consulting industry is expected to grow as businesses increasingly rely on expert advice to navigate challenges and optimize operations. This growth translates into abundant job opportunities for aspiring consultants aiming to establish successful careers.
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The highest-paying states for business management consultants are Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts. The lowest average business management consultant salary states are Mississippi, Nebraska, and North Dakota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $127,572 | $61.33 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $107,635 | $51.75 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $118,764 | $57.10 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $116,844 | $56.17 |
| 5 | Colorado | $123,792 | $59.52 |
| 6 | Washington | $119,723 | $57.56 |
| 7 | Alabama | $101,315 | $48.71 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $110,463 | $53.11 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $99,039 | $47.61 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $105,110 | $50.53 |
| 11 | Oregon | $106,123 | $51.02 |
| 12 | Ohio | $99,265 | $47.72 |
| 13 | Illinois | $106,031 | $50.98 |
| 14 | Missouri | $100,116 | $48.13 |
| 15 | Texas | $106,018 | $50.97 |
| 16 | California | $112,576 | $54.12 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $98,917 | $47.56 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $102,382 | $49.22 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $106,233 | $51.07 |
| 20 | Michigan | $98,090 | $47.16 |
| 21 | Nevada | $96,302 | $46.30 |
| 22 | Alaska | $100,085 | $48.12 |
| 23 | Iowa | $98,174 | $47.20 |
| 24 | Virginia | $107,118 | $51.50 |
| 25 | Maine | $102,728 | $49.39 |
| 26 | Maryland | $109,828 | $52.80 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $98,348 | $47.28 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $93,107 | $44.76 |
| 29 | Georgia | $99,872 | $48.02 |
| 30 | New York | $98,728 | $47.47 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $92,950 | $44.69 |
| 32 | Utah | $96,945 | $46.61 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $93,106 | $44.76 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $88,345 | $42.47 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $94,867 | $45.61 |
| 36 | Delaware | $95,041 | $45.69 |
| 37 | Indiana | $89,405 | $42.98 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $92,614 | $44.53 |
| 39 | Arizona | $95,328 | $45.83 |
| 40 | Vermont | $93,882 | $45.14 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $86,987 | $41.82 |
| 42 | Montana | $86,720 | $41.69 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $83,932 | $40.35 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $84,763 | $40.75 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $79,247 | $38.10 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $87,554 | $42.09 |
| 47 | Kansas | $75,347 | $36.22 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $77,271 | $37.15 |
| 49 | Florida | $86,368 | $41.52 |
| 50 | Idaho | $87,333 | $41.99 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $80,246 | $38.58 |
The highest-paying cities for business management consultants are Washington, DC, Denver, CO, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $127,668 | $61.38 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $123,528 | $59.39 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $120,480 | $57.92 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $120,156 | $57.77 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $118,876 | $57.15 |
| 6 | Hartford, CT | $117,151 | $56.32 |
| 7 | McLean, VA | $108,484 | $52.16 |
| 8 | Eagan, MN | $107,678 | $51.77 |
| 9 | Des Plaines, IL | $106,613 | $51.26 |
| 10 | Jersey City, NJ | $106,408 | $51.16 |
| 11 | Grapevine, TX | $106,333 | $51.12 |
| 12 | Charlotte, NC | $101,759 | $48.92 |
| 13 | Saint Louis, MO | $100,598 | $48.36 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $100,453 | $48.29 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $99,667 | $47.92 |
| 16 | Fond du Lac, WI | $99,214 | $47.70 |
| 17 | Plainview, NY | $99,055 | $47.62 |
| 18 | Allentown, PA | $98,782 | $47.49 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $98,216 | $47.22 |
| 20 | Des Moines, IA | $97,525 | $46.89 |
A business management consultant's salary ranges from $80,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $143,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $107,407 | $8,951 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
The highest paying types of business management consultants are executive consultant, senior management consultant, and principal consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Advisor | $96,469 | $8,039 | $46.38 | 125,154 |
| Consultant | $78,912 | $6,576 | $37.94 | 171,733 |
| Solutions Consultant | $94,839 | $7,903 | $45.60 | 103,093 |
| Strategy Consultant | $115,244 | $9,604 | $55.41 | 70,241 |
| Project Consultant | $86,654 | $7,221 | $41.66 | 113,013 |
| Principal Consultant | $116,478 | $9,706 | $56.00 | 143,753 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for business management consultants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Joel Stevenson
Founding Director USC Columbia Technology Incubator, Associate Director Faber Entrepreneurship Center, Senior Lecturer Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management, University of South Carolina
Top companies hiring business management consultants now:
Business management consultant salaries at Applied Materials and Barnes & Thornburg are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average business management consultant salary at companies like Dell and Adobe are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Applied Materials | $131,067 | $63.01 |
| 2 | Barnes & Thornburg | $126,562 | $60.85 |
| 3 | Dell | $123,273 | $59.27 |
| 4 | Adobe | $121,238 | $58.29 |
| 5 | Capgemini | $114,748 | $55.17 |
| 6 | Northern Trust | $112,842 | $54.25 |
| 7 | Brillio | $112,764 | $54.21 |
| 8 | Arizona Public Service | $112,087 | $53.89 |
| 9 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $111,279 | $53.50 |
| 10 | IBM | $110,096 | $52.93 |
| 11 | Wipro Limited | $109,041 | $52.42 |
| 12 | Velocity Partners | $108,965 | $52.39 |
| 13 | Lyons Consulting Group | $108,826 | $52.32 |
| 14 | CVS Health | $107,695 | $51.78 |
| 15 | Mastercard | $107,277 | $51.58 |
| 16 | Fujitsu | $106,555 | $51.23 |
| 17 | EGR International | $106,007 | $50.96 |
| 18 | Synechron | $105,997 | $50.96 |
| 19 | EPAM Systems | $105,199 | $50.58 |
| 20 | Guidehouse | $104,604 | $50.29 |
The average business management consultant salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internet | $117,246 | $56.37 |
| 2 | Professional | $113,566 | $54.60 |
| 3 | Technology | $109,662 | $52.72 |
| 4 | Start-up | $103,498 | $49.76 |
| 5 | Telecommunication | $102,577 | $49.32 |
| 6 | Finance | $95,133 | $45.74 |
The average business management consultant salary has risen by $11,235 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average business management consultant earned $96,172 annually, but today, they earn $107,407 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for business management consultants over the last decade.
Compare business management consultant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare business management consultant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $107,000 | $51.64 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $104,000 | $50.22 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $102,000 | $49.25 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $101,000 | $48.57 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $99,700 | $47.91 | +0.0% |
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