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Recruiting Information by Program

MBA/LGO (2-Year Program)
2025-2026 Dates

  • Check back in July for offer deadline information (for summer internships)
  • Check back in August for fall recruiting information

Career Paths in Consulting

Consulting attracts students from diverse academic disciplines who are eager to gain broad exposure to the business world and develop specialized expertise in one or more industries. This dynamic experience makes it one of the most sought-after career paths among MBA students. Students typically enter the industry through one of the five paths below:

Big 4 Consulting Firms

Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PWC; called the Big 4 because they are also the largest 4 accounting firms.

Mid-Sized + Large Consulting Firms

Examples: Accenture, Kearney, L.E.K., Oliver Wyman

These mid-sized and large consulting firms are well-respected providers of strategic advisory services and industry-specific expertise.

Boutique Consulting Firms

Examples: Bridgespan Group, Putnam, OC&C Strategy Consultants, Putnam Associates

Internal Consulting Teams

Examples: BNP Paribas, Cisco, Dell, EMC, GE, Google, Ford, Pfizer, Samsung, Siemens

Some companies have internal consulting teams that provide expert advice on business issues.


Where MIT Sloan Students Have Landed in Consulting


Consulting Hiring Trends

2025 Jobs Outlook

  • Highly competitive; qualified applicants exceed supply of jobs
  • Apply early and meet the first deadline
  • Good outlook for specialty masters graduates
  • Good outlook for internships, a key path to full-time opportunities

Market instability often drives demand for consulting work, but in the current market firms will be cautious in hiring. The best path to a full-time offer is through an internship. In addition to MBB, consider boutique firms, mid-sized firms, and internal strategy practices. For mid-career candidates, spring just-in-time hiring will be competitive.

Through the MBA/LGO Employment Surveys, we gather robust data on career outcomes that we share with the community. Below is targeted information for Consulting from that survey. Follow this link to view the complete Consulting Industry Hiring Trends.

Percent of MBA Class Accepting Opportunities in Consulting

20202021202220232024
31.2%28.3%31.2%33.7%32.1%

Consulting Offers Accepted by Years of Experience

Less than 3 Years3-5 Years5+ Years
5.5%40%54.4%

Top Locations*

  • Boston Metro
  • New York City Metro
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Chicago Metro
  • Houston Metro
  • Miami Metro
Mean Base SalaryMedian Base Salary25th-75th Percentile
Class of 2024$179,172$190,000$175,000-$190,000
Class of 2023$180,036$190,000$175,000-$190,000
Class of 2022$175,068$175,000$175,000-$190,000
3-Year Average$178,139$186,500$175,000-$190,000

*Job seekers should apply to roles and offices strategically: consider industry focus of each office and potential for opportunities based on the market.

In 2020-2023, we surveyed MBA, LGO, MSMS, MFin, MBAn, EMBA, SFMBA degree-program graduates, 5 + 10 years after graduation. You can view the complete reports for more details.

Featured Roles

  • Associate Partner/Partner
  • Director
  • Independent Consultant
  • Managing Director
  • Project Leader

Salary Summary

Mean Base SalaryMedian Base Salary25th-75th Percentile
5 Years After Grad$196,353$197,000$180,000-$215,000
10 Years After Grad$304,400$320,000$247,000-$355,000

Tools for Your Job Search


Management Consulting Club
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CDO Career Advisors/Coaches
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MIT Alumni Advisors Hub
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