How much do technical consultants make?

Technical consultants make $81,000 a year, on average ($39.30 an hour). However, there is a lot of variability in how much a technical consultant can make, which can range from as low as $63,000 a year to as high as $104,000 a year. Factors such as location and industry impact how much a technical consultant can make.

What do you need to become a tech consultant?

To become a tech consultant, you need to have the right combination of educational credentials, technical knowledge, and industry experience. This includes a bachelor's degree in computer science or information technology and up to seven years of technical experience in the field.

What qualifications do you need to be a consultant?

The qualification to be a sales consultant is a bachelor's degree in a business-related degree. Common bachelor's degrees for sales consultants to hold include: Business Administration Business Management Marketing Advertisement Communications

What is a technical consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Robin Cormier,

Christian Hansen Ph.D.

A technical consultant provides clients with expert advice and support on technical matters. They use knowledge and experience to recommend solutions that meet the client's needs. Technical consultants work in industries including IT, engineering, and management consulting. They analyze complex data, troubleshoot problems, and design strategies. A technical consultant may also manage projects, communicate with stakeholders, and train staff. They have strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work well under pressure.

What general advice would you give to a technical consultant?

Robin Cormier

Assistant Professor, Montana State University - Billings

While college graduates begin to launch their careers, they also face uncertainty about job opportunities. This can be a daunting time in their life. First and foremost, they should be proud of their achievements. There are many steps they can take to prepare for a future career, such as developing a network and building a strong resume. However, in my opinion, the most important advice I would offer new graduates is to pursue their passion. When you are passionate about your career, your life is more fulfilling, and you are more determined to achieve success. Passion shows through how you communicate, develop working relationships, and your level of career investment.

ScoreTechnical ConsultantUS Average

Salary

7.0

Avg. Salary $89,290

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.3

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.19%

Asian 15.29%

Black or African American 10.17%

Hispanic or Latino 11.23%

Unknown 5.02%

White 58.10%

Gender

female 20.89%

male 79.11%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

5.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a technical consultant?

Pros

High demand for technical consultants
Potential for high income and bonuses
Ability to work remotely or travel frequently
Flexibility in work hours and schedule
Possibility of international assignments

Cons

Need for continuous self-promotion to secure contracts
Lack of job security due to project-based work
Inconsistent workload and potential for gaps in employment
Difficulty in balancing work-life balance
Heavy travel requirements that can cause burnout

Key steps to become a technical consultant

Explore technical consultant education requirements

Most common technical consultant degrees

Bachelor's

66.0 %

Master's

14.5 %

Associate

12.2 %

Start to develop specific technical consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Java	9.31%
Database	5.00%
Customer Service	4.60%
Project Management	4.57%
C #	4.44%

Complete relevant technical consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical consultant resumes.

Gain additional technical consultant certifications

Technical consultant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific technical consultant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for technical consultants include Management Consultant Professional (MCP) and Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma).

More About Certifications

Research technical consultant duties and responsibilities

Develop several Unix scripts to automate routine operating system and application maintenance tasks.
Lead design, development and implementation of business intelligence and ETL solutions for client organizations.
Collaborate with developers, technical leads and management to develop technical standards for PL/SQL coding and documentation.
Create and manage several SharePoint team sites to host, communicate and collaborate about project information and documentation.

Prepare your technical consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical consultant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable technical consultant resume templates

Build a professional technical consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical consultant resume.