Hey there,

So here's something wild that happened last week. I was on a coffee chat with Sarah, a former BCG principal, and she casually drops that her new gig pays $340K.

I nearly choked on my cappuchino.

"Wait, what?" I said. "You were making like $180K at BCG, right?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "Turns out consulting skills are worth way more outside consulting. Who knew?"

Honestly? This conversation sent me down a rabbit hole. Because here's the thing that's been bugging me: most consultants have no clue what they're actually worth in the market.

We get so trapped in the consulting salary bands that we forget there's a whole world out there paying stupid money for exactly what we do every day. Strategic thinking, stakeholder management, turning chaos into frameworks – literally our Tuesday morning routine.

So I spent the weekend diving deep into salary data, exit opportunities, and community discussions. And lol, the numbers are absolutely unhinged.

Before we dive in, let's get real about something. The consulting firms have done an amazing job convincing us that $150-200K is "good money." And sure, it's not nothing. But compared to what your skills are worth in other industries?

It's honestly insulting.

(Consulting salaries stayed completely flat in 2025 – literally the third time in 15 years this has happened – while other industries are bidding up talent like crazy.)

I pulled data from private equity salary surveys, venture capital compensation reports, and had some very interesting conversations with recruiting contacts. What I found will either excite you or make you lowkey furious about all that money you've been leaving on the table.

Here are the 5 industries where ex-consultants are quietly making bank – and I mean serious, "buy a house without sweating" money.

Average Ex-Consultant Salary: $300K - $500K+ total comp

Okay, this one isn't exactly a secret. Private equity firms love ex-consultants, and they pay accordingly. But here's what might surprise you: you don't need to be a financial modeling wizard to get in.

What they actually want:

Real talk from the data: Associates at top PE firms like Blackstone and KKR are pulling $300K+ in year one. Senior associates? We're talking $400-500K. And that's before carry, which can add millions if you stick around. (According to recent private equity salary surveys, entry-level PE roles already pay $300K+ at top funds.)

The best part? Firms like Bain Capital and Advent specifically recruit from consulting. Some even prefer consultants over bankers because – and I love this – we actually understand how businesses work, not just how to model them.

The catch: Hours can be just as brutal as consulting, but the money makes it hurt less.

Average Ex-Consultant Salary: $200K - $300K+ total comp

Here's where it gets interesting. VC isn't just about the base salary (though $200K+ is nice). It's about the carry potential that can literally make you generationally wealthy.

Why consultants dominate VC:

According to recent surveys, post-MBA associates at top VC firms are earning $200-300K total comp. But here's the kicker – successful partners at top-tier funds can make $1M+ annually from carry alone. (Venture capital salary data shows total compensation for post-MBA associates ranging between $100K-$300K, with significant upside from carry.)

Pro tip: Early-stage funds often offer higher carry percentages to compensate for lower base salaries. If you can handle the uncertainty, the upside is massive.

The catch: Very relationship-driven, so your network matters. A lot.

Average Ex-Consultant Salary: $300K - $750K+ total comp

Plot twist time. This is the one you've probably never considered, but hedge funds are quietly becoming consultant recruiting machines.

Why this is happening:

The numbers are honestly ridiculous. Analysts at quantitative hedge funds like Two Sigma and Citadel start around $300K total comp. Experienced researchers? $500K+. Portfolio managers? Seven figures.

But here's the really wild part – some hedge funds specifically hire consultants for their "business development" teams (basically high-level recruiting and relationship management). These roles can pay $300K+ for what's essentially consulting but with better clients and way better pay.

Recent data point that made me do a double-take: A hedge fund recruiter just pulled $750K for "some consulting work." No, seriously. That was literally the job description.

The catch: Performance pressure is intense, and job security depends entirely on returns.

Average Ex-Consultant Salary: $280K - $450K+ total comp

Okay, you probably knew about tech. But did you know how much they're specifically paying for consulting backgrounds?

The roles where consultants crush it:

(Tech industry data shows these specialized roles consistently hitting $300K+ in 2025, with AI and cybersecurity roles seeing 44% and 37% salary increases respectively.)

Companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are actively recruiting ex-consultants for strategy roles. Why? Because we can actually talk to business stakeholders AND understand technical constraints.

Real example that'll make you rethink everything: A former Deloitte manager just landed a "Strategic Partnerships" role at Microsoft for $380K total comp. His job? Basically consulting, but for one client, with actual work-life balance, and equity that keeps going up.

The catch: Stock compensation can be volatile, but honestly, RSUs at established tech companies are basically guaranteed money at this point.

Average Ex-Consultant Salary: $250K - $400K+ total comp

This is the sleeper hit. Asset management firms desperately need people who can analyze companies, build relationships with management teams, and communicate complex ideas to clients.

Where consultants fit perfectly:

Firms like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity hire consultants for roles that combine analytical work with client management. The progression is also clearer than other industries – senior research analysts routinely make $400K+, and portfolio managers can hit seven figures.

The money multiplier: Many roles include revenue sharing or performance bonuses that can double your base salary in good years.

The catch: More relationship-focused than pure analysis, so you need to be comfortable with sales aspects.

Here's what's actually happening in the market that's driving these crazy salary numbers:

1. The Consulting Skills Premium

Companies finally realized that consultants don't just have technical skills – we have meta-skills. We can walk into any industry, understand it quickly, and drive results. That's worth paying for.

2. The Labor Market Flip

Post-COVID, talented people have options. Companies are bidding up salaries to compete for anyone who can think strategically and execute operationally.

3. The Specialization Demand

Every industry is getting more complex. They need people who can bridge business strategy with operational reality. Sound familiar?

4. The Network Effect

Ex-consultants are now in leadership positions across these industries. They know what consulting skills look like and they're willing to pay for them.

Before you start updating your LinkedIn, let's be honest about what these transitions require:

For Private Equity/VC:

For Hedge Funds:

For Tech:

For Asset Management:

The Common Thread: They all value consulting experience, but they want to see growth beyond pure consulting skills.

Here's the pattern I see from successful transitions:

Step 1: Pick Your Lane Stop being a generalist. These industries want deep expertise in something. Healthcare consulting experience? Perfect for healthcare-focused PE or biotech VC. Financial services consulting? Asset management will love you.

Step 2: Build the Bridge Skills Take some finance courses. Learn basic financial modeling. Understand how these industries actually make money. You don't need to be an expert, but you can't be clueless.

Step 3: Leverage Your Network This is where consulting alumni networks become pure gold. Find someone who made the jump and ask for 20 minutes of their time. Most people love talking about their career moves.

Step 4: Nail the Story "I want to make more money" isn't compelling. "I want to apply my strategic thinking to investment decisions" or "I want to help companies scale beyond the consulting engagement" – that resonates.

Step 5: Time It Right Don't jump too early (you need credibility) or too late (ageism is real in finance). The sweet spot is 3-7 years of consulting experience.

Look, I'm not saying consulting is terrible. But if you're staying purely for the money, you're doing it wrong. There are industries out there that will pay 50-100% more for the exact same skills you're using right now.

Sarah's $340K isn't an outlier. It's the market rate for strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and execution capability in 2025.

The question isn't whether you're worth it.

The question is: what are you going to do about it?

Cool cool cool. That's the intel for this week. Forward this to any consultant friends who think $200K is the ceiling. It's honestly not even the floor in some of these industries.

Chat soon,

San

P.S. - Look, I get it. You're probably reading this at 11 PM in a Marriott somewhere, thinking "this sounds amazing but when the hell would I have time to actually make this transition?

Trust me, I've been there. Between client calls, travel schedules, and that deck that's somehow always due tomorrow, job searching feels impossible. You can't exactly hop on LinkedIn during a client meeting or take "networking calls" while you're billing 60+ hours a week.

That's why we started doing reverse recruiting for consultants who are serious about these $300K+ transitions but don't have bandwidth to do it themselves.

Here's how it works: You tell me your background, target industry, and timeline. I handle everything else – identifying the right opportunities, leveraging my network to get warm introductions, and even prepping you for interviews. Basically, we’ll do all the legwork while you focus on not burning out at your current gig.

f this sounds helpful, check out how it works here: Reverse Recruiting for Consultants

No charge for the initial conversation – I just want to help fellow consultants realize what they're actually worth.

Want more market intelligence like this? Hit reply or leave a comment and let me know what industry you want me to research next. I'm thinking corporate development roles might be worth a deep dive...