I think this report really sheds light on why so many go into consulting post MBA. 3-5 years at MBB leads to senior manager or director level positions that are paying above 200k all in. Clearly there's going to be a ceiling somewhere for a lot of people, but making 300k by 40 working 50-60 hours a week in a desirable location wouldn't be a bad gig by any standards.

 
iConsult:

I think this report really sheds light on why so many go into consulting post MBA. 3-5 years at MBB leads to senior manager or director level positions that are paying above 200k all in. Clearly there's going to be a ceiling somewhere for a lot of people, but making 300k by 40 working 50-60 hours a week in a desirable location wouldn't be a bad gig by any standards.

My thoughts exactly - even if you aren't planinng on doing it forever you will have leaped ahead of your peers who went straight to f500 likely in both title and comp

 

This looks fishy. The MBA 2007 offer that they show (Sr. Director at a Corporation) has consulting base+bonus of $288 which is impossibly low for something who's been in consulting post-MBA for 7 years. They should be a partner at that point making at least 2x that in cash at minimum.

 
Starpoints:

This looks fishy. The MBA 2007 offer that they show (Sr. Director at a Corporation) has consulting base+bonus of $288 which is impossibly low for something who's been in consulting post-MBA for 7 years. They should be a partner at that point making at least 2x that in cash at minimum.

The study doesn't include partner data, probably because there's just too much variation at that level.

 
Starpoints:

That's still low even if you assume they are pre-partner (e.g., AP at McKinsey).

No, it's not. It's a bit on the low side for MBB but as many have pointed out, there are non-MBB points in there. And the comp trajectory flattens quite a bit before partner; it's how they get people to stick around and try and make partner. A bit over $300k (say $350 all in) is pretty reasonable for someone 1-2 years away from making partner at an MBB firm.
 

Starpoints, a combination of factors may pull it down.

  1. Only 2/3 of data points are from MBB. The other 1/3 (LEK etc.) pull it down.

  2. At MBB, maybe "up or out" is enforced more rigidly so among the 7-year AP data points, MBB might be an even lower percentage.

  3. If they haven't made partner by this late stage, they might be low performers so bonus is accordingly lower.

  4. It might include developing countries where local compensation is lower (probably not, looks US-only).

  5. Perhaps AP comp really is lower than we think (WSO tends to be optimistic about these things).

 

Combination of number 1 and number 5. If you look on Glassdoor (I know, not 100% accurate but good ballpark), the average McK AP is at ~400k (40+ data points), but there are some who definitely make less. If you look at AT Kearney (just a sample T2 firm), Principal comp averages ~300k (25+ data points).

 
Marche:

5. Perhaps AP comp really is lower than we think (WSO tends to be optimistic about these things).

The logic of WSO is that making $500K is ridiculously easy and you should be able to clear that by 30 without trying very hard. It should also be very easy to have enough money to retire by the time you're 40.

Yet, the number on this site (or anywhere really) who actually pull either of those feats off will be a laughably small number of people.

 

McKinsey has a compensation cap for APs, plus they get 1/2 share of profit sharing. $400k is a pretty reasonable all-in estimate, which varies a lot based on the profit sharing number. There is a healthy bump after making partner.

Lots of adverse selection in the data in this study for the 2007 and 2008 MBA data points. Also Charles Aris tends to place more people in F500 type corporate roles which brings down the comp averages a lot.

 

Now can you imagine, slaving everyday of your life for $350k a year, only to see the government take half of it. I'd kill my self.

That would mean, out of 40 years of work, the government will steal 20 years of your productive life via the income tax. Then if you add property tax, consumption tax, all sorts of fees and inflation, that's another 5 years gone. So, out of 40 years of productivity, you get to keep 15 years.

And then, when you're 70, thinking about retirement, the FED will come out and say that inflation is not high enough, and they'll obliterate your savings.

Enjoy the future!

 
Best Response
companion:

Now can you imagine, slaving everyday of your life for $350k a year, only to see the government take half of it. I'd kill my self.

It's not so bad. I've been a high income guy and a low income guy (8 years of grad school making less than $20k) -- take it from me, high income is far less stressful.
That would mean, out of 40 years of work, the government will steal 20 years of your productive life via the income tax. Then if you add property tax, consumption tax, all sorts of fees and inflation, that's another 5 years gone. So, out of 40 years of productivity, you get to keep 15 years.
Leaving aside what the right level of taxation is -- arguing that the government is straight-up "stealing" tax money is just stupid. You pay taxes in exchange for government services. Try going somewhere without a functioning government for a while and it will become instantly clear what your taxes are buying for you.
 

Culpa quia placeat et molestiae. Vero quia nihil harum qui ratione.

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