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Your PwC consultant salary will undoubtedly drive your decision regarding which of the Big 4 consulting firms to pursue. Your experience, education and desired office location will impact what you can earn at this massive firm. Fortunately, PwC compensates its employees well to attract top talent.
There is a great deal of competition in the consulting industry to attract candidates. As boutique firms enter the market and large corporations rely on in-house consulting services, it has never been a better time to cash in on being a consultant.
PwC has been helping organizations solve complex problems for over 100 years. PwC formed from a merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand in 1998 and focuses on audit, tax and advisory.
Having this organization on your resume is a large asset in itself. Brand names matter as you pursue exit opportunities.
PwC Consultant Salary
Consultant salaries do vary by location and consulting firm. Overall, salaries in consulting continue to rise unabated as the industry aggressively competes with tech and banking, and as firms compete against each other. PwC has been at the forefront of this trend, raising salaries in its Consulting practice to the highest level of any of the Big 4.
Furthermore, PwC Strategy& outpaces even MBB in base salary at both the post-undergrad and post-MBA levels. It is clear that PwC has put its money where its mouth is and is serious about competing for top talent.
While management consulting salaries can be flat across a country, Big 4 firms like PwC do offer some cost of living variance in their offers. This means that even though there is little salary negotiation, you may be paid a hair more in San Francisco as opposed to Dallas. Just remember that the PwC salary structure is consistent across the board. Meaning, there’s not a lot of room for negotiating the base salary.
Your PwC consultant salary is dependent upon the level at which you enter the firm. It is also dependent upon the country in which you work. In 2020:
PwC’s entry level consultant salary for those with an undergraduate or Master’s:
Total Annual Compensation (United States): up to $113,000
PwC MBA & PhD Consultant Salary
Total Annual Compensation (United States): up to $223,400
In a development reflecting broader industry trends, salaries at the post-undergrad level have gone up, but at nowhere near the same rate as those at the post-MBA level.
PwC Consultant Salary By Role (Base Pay)
- PwC undergraduate internship salary: ~$15,600 ($39/hr; 10 week engagement; based on a 40-hour week)
- PwC Associate salary: ~ $65,000 (on average via Glassdoor)
- PwC Senior Associate salary: ~ $91,000 (on average via Glassdoor)
- PwC Manager salary: ~ $100,274 (on average)
- PwC Senior Manager salary: ~ $151,000 (on average via Glassdoor)
- PwC Director salary: ~ $206,000 (on average via Glassdoor)
- PwC Managing Director salary: ~ $331,000 (on average via Glassdoor)
- PwC Partner salary: $437,000 (on average)
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PwC Career Path
PwC does an excellent job at outlining a consulting career path with their firm. This is helpful to consider if you want a long-term consulting career. If you do what is expected and stay with the firm, you can expect it to take two to three years before you are promoted and moved to the next level.
You can expect your Career path, should you stay with PwC, to progress as follows:
- PwC Associate
- PwC Senior Associate
- PwC Manager
- PwC Senior Manager
- PwC Director
- PwC Partner
PwC Glassdoor Reviews
PwC reviews are not dissimilar to what you’ll find MBB consultants saying. Long hours and heavy travel are common complaints, which naturally leads many to reference a poor work-life balance. Still, there are those who appreciate that they are often able to work from home and value that flexibility when they are not traveling to see clients.
In addition, many feel fortunate to work for a brand-name firm and are keenly aware that working at PwC will set them up for future success. They appreciate working with intelligent and friendly people, which absolutely makes the long hours (a little) more bearable.
PwC consultants do understand that the compensation is comparable to MBB, but many don’t feel too special about it, as the higher number of hours worked makes them question whether comp shouldn’t be higher still.
PwC UK Consultant Salary vs. PwC Consultant Salary US
PwC has excellent opportunities both abroad and in the United States. Here’s how those opportunities stack up against one another, specifically in regard to UK and U.S. compensation.
To put it bluntly, you can expect your base salary to be lower in the United Kingdom. Your bonuses will also likely be lower than what you would receive in the United States. Why? The competition for talent is just not as fierce outside of the U.S.
Wrap Up
Consulting salaries remain strong and there are no signs of slowed growth. PwC consultant salaries are highly competitive in the marketplace, and higher than at other industry corporations. However, the long hours you spend on the job can make it feel like you are earning less.
As firms continue to compete with tech companies and banking, consulting salaries continue to rise, and PwC consultant salaries remain competitive in an ever-evolving marketplace.
Additional Reading:
- Management Consulting Salaries Report
- PwC Careers
- PwC Interview
- PwC Locations
- PwC Resume
- PwC internship
