AI is rapidly changing white-collar work.
At many companies, it's reducing the grunt work that employees — especially entry-level employees — have to do. At the same time, it is breeding anxiety among younger workers as they enter the workforce. Just look at the recent wave of commencement speakers booed for praising the power of technology.
The consulting industry is no different. AI is rapidly changing the way these firms operate, pushing them to hire more strategically as they automate entry-level work, said Namaan Mian, the COO of Management Consulted, a company that trains and prepares students and others for careers in consulting.
"We continue to see high demand for talent in AI implementation, digital transformation, and data, while salary growth for traditional generalist roles remains relatively muted," Mian said.
Consulting firms are hiring more specialists, those with considerable experience, and candidates from schools not typically targeted by the industry, Management Consulted said in a recent report.
Gert De Geyter, a former AI lead at Deloitte US, told Business Insider in December that instead of the "pure traditional consultant," firms are now looking for a blend of "generalists and technical experts."
EY, for example, was once solely made up of accountants, but it's now widened the pool of candidates it recruits to include engineers, creatives, technologists, candidates without degrees, and neurodiverse professionals, Ginnie Carlier, EY Americas' chief talent and culture officer, told Business Insider in April.
The big question likely on any job seekers mind is how that all translates into pay. At the entry-level, at least, not much has changed, Mian said.
Management Consulted recently compiled the salary, bonus, and other benefits offered by the major consulting firms to new graduates. The data is based on written job offers received by its interview-prep clients, as well as information provided directly by firm representatives.
Here's what they found:
Bain & Company
The smallest of the Big Three, Bain has about 19,000 employees with offices in 65 cities around the world.
Bain is helmed by Christophe De Vusser, who serves as the worldwide managing partner and CEO.
Base: $112,000
Performance Bonus: up to $22,500
Housing Allowance: up to $5,000
Relocation: up to $5,000; up to $10,000 for NYC
Signing Bonus: $5,000
Boston Consulting Group
BCG was founded in Boston in 1963, where it is still headquartered. The company had 32,000 employees as of 2023 and 128 offices worldwide.
BCG is led by Christoph Schweizer, who has served as CEO since 2021, and its North America practice is led by Mel Wolfgang.
Base: $110,000
Performance Bonus: up to $22,000
Profit Sharing: up to $4,400
Relocation: up to $6,000
Signing Bonus: $5,000
McKinsey & Company
Headquartered in New York City, McKinsey is also the largest of the MBBs, with more than 45,000 employees across 130 offices worldwide.
The firm is led by Bob Sternfels, who serves as the firm's global managing partner and chair of the board of directors.
Base: $112,000
Performance Bonus: up to $18,000
Housing Allowance: up to $5,000
Relocation: up to $10,000
Signing Bonus: $5,000
Deloitte Consulting
With over 181,000 employees across the US, Deloitte is one of the "Big Four." The firm pulled in about $36 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ending in May 2025 and has 122 offices across the country.
Base: $84,000-$95,000
Performance Bonus: up to $26,250 for MBA-hires
Relocation: up to $2,500
Signing Bonus: up to $12,500
EY
EY employs close to 400,000 people worldwide, and brought in about $53 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2025.
Base: $100,000
Performance Bonus: Only after 3rd year
Signing Bonus: $12,500
KPMG
With about 276,000 people worldwide across 138 countries and territories, KPMG reported almost $40 billion in global revenue for the fiscal year ending in September 2025.
The firm also opened a 450,000-square-foot office in New York to promote in-person work.
Base: up to $90,000
Performance Bonus: Real-time bonuses
Relocation: up to $2,000
Signing Bonus: up to $7,500
PwC
PwC has about 365,000 employees and reported a revenue of about $60 billion for the fiscal year ending in 2025.
Base: up to $90,000
Signing Bonus: up to $7,500
Accenture
Accenture employs about 786,000 people worldwide and reported revenue of $69.67 billion for fiscal year 2025.
Base: $105,000
Performance Bonus: up to $30,000
Relocation: up to $2,500
Signing Bonus: $12,500 (Canada: C$10,000)
