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Strategic consultant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a strategic consultant. Strategic consultants usually study business, finance, or marketing. 65% of strategic consultants hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,436 real strategic consultant resumes to see exactly what strategic consultant education sections show.
The most common colleges for strategic consultants are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online strategic consultant courses to help get the education required to be a strategic consultant.
There are certain strategic consultant certifications that you should consider. These strategic consultant certifications include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Master Project Manager (MPM).
What education do you need to become a strategic consultant?
What degree do you need to be a strategic consultant?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 28%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a strategic consultant?
Most common colleges for strategic consultants
| Strategic consultant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 7.81% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.29% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6.77% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.25% |
| Northwestern University | 5.73% |
Best majors for strategic consultants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 30.5% |
| 2 | Finance | 8.1% |
| 3 | Marketing | 7.9% |
| 4 | Political Science | 6.3% |
| 5 | Management | 4.6% |
Best colleges for strategic consultants
The best colleges for strategic consultants are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A strategic 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 strategic 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 strategic 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
7. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,909
Enrollment
6,348
20 best online courses for strategic consultants
Advertising disclosure
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Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries...
2. Data Analytics (Part Time)
Harness Excel, SQL, and Tableau to drive powerful analysis and insights. Build confidence and credibility to apply this versatile skill set to countless jobs. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Data Analyst
Use Python, SQL and Statistics to advance your programming skills and refine your ability to work with messy, complex datasets...
4. Data Structures and Algorithms
Get hands-on practice with over 80 data structures and algorithm exercises and guidance from a dedicated mentor to help prepare you for interviews and on-the-job scenarios...
5. Strategic Analysis with Financial Competitive Profile Matrix
By the end of this guided project, you will be able to use the Financial Competitive Profile Matrix (FCPM) to analyze your industry and identify your competitive advantage with key financial indicators. FCPM is a strategic management tool that enables you to benchmark your company in relation to competition and then identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of all the competitors based on some Financial Critical Success Factors (FCSFs) analysis. The FCSFs are assigned weight based on their...
6. Strategic Technology Management
The success of modern companies depends critically on their manager’s ability to generate strategic innovationwhich leverages technological and market changes. A key part of the equation is delivering new products that deliver exceptional customer value. Another essential element is implementing innovation initiatives effectively. The Strategic Technology Management specialization is targeted towards aspiring managers, managers at all levels, and entrepreneurs who lookto gaina well-rounded...
7. Strategic Planning Skills
Strategic Planning Skills...
8. Sales Analysis for Management Consultants
A practical guide on how to improve sales and marketing of your customers during consulting projects like Mc Kinsey, BCG,...
9. Intro to Data Analytics
Discover if data is a career fit for you Regardless of your industry or role, fluency in the language of data analytics will allow you to contribute to data driven decision making. In this free, two-hour livestream, you’ll learn to understand, analyze, and interpret data so you too can join the data conversation. We’ll cover how to ask the right questions of your data and basic analytic functionality. Then you’ll apply your new found data analytic skills to a real-world dataset, allowing you...
10. Data Visualization
You will start by building data visualizations and dashboards, considering your audiences to be as effective as possible. Then, you’ll move into drafting presentations using storytelling techniques, visualizations, and animations to provide data-driven recommendations...
11. Intro to Data Analysis
Start your data science journey right with this hands-on introduction to the discipline of data analysis. In this course you'll learn the 5 key stages of the data analysis process and apply them to real data sets using Python libraries NumPy, pandas, and Matplotlib...
12. Strategic Sales Management
This Specialization is intended for sales professionals who seek to improve their sales planning and management competencies and skills. Through five courses, you will cover Effective Sales overview, Sales Strategy, Models and Frameworks to Support Sales Planning, Sales & Marketing Alignment, and you will develop a Final Project.\n\nBy the end of this specialization, you'll have improved your knowledge, competencies, and skills regarding the sales planning process. And you will be able to apply...
13. Financial Analysis for Management Consultants & Analysts
A practical guide with case studies and examples of financial analyses done during consulting projects...
14. Performance Improvement Projects for Management Consultants
A practical guide on how to conduct consulting projects on the level of Mc Kinsey, Bain, BCG, Pw C...
15. Data Visualization
Discover how data visualization can communicate insights far more effectively than text or tables. In this course, you’ll learn how to build data visualizations programmatically using Python, and how you can use visualization to both discover and convey trends in your data...
16. Experimental Design & Recommendations
Learn two of the most in-demand skills in the entire field of data science! By the end of this course, you’ll know how to generate personalized recommendations based on user data, as well as run statistically valid tests that produce clean, interpretable results...
17. Business Analysis Fundamentals for Management Consultants
A practical guide for Business Analysts and Management Consultants with exercises in Excel...
18. Strategy for Management Consultants & Business Analysts
Top advices from consulting practice with examples and case studies...
19. Supply Chain for Management Consultants & Business Analysts
A practical guide how to improve supply chain in a firm and analyze potential savings in Excel during consulting project...
20. Management Consulting Skills Mastery
Problem solving, communication, corporate strategy, financial analysis, operations analysis. Everything is included!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for strategic consultants
The most affordable schools for strategic consultants are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for strategic 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 strategic 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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for strategic consultants
The hardest universities for strategic consultants to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for strategic 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 strategic 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
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 Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
Admissions rate
18%
SAT average
1,502
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for strategic consultants
The easiest schools for strategic consultants to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a strategic 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 strategic consultants.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
8. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
Average strategic consultant salary by education level
| Strategic consultant education level | Strategic consultant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $112,989 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $105,467 |
| Doctorate Degree | $117,402 |
Strategic consultant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025