Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant MBB salaries in 2026 are remarkably similar across the three firms: a first-year undergraduate hire at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain in the US earns approximately $140,000 total compensation, climbing to $230K-$245K as a post-MBA Associate/Consultant, $280K-$290K as an Engagement Manager / Project Leader /…
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Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The best bags for consultants are the ones that survive 80+ flights a year, look credible in front of a CFO, and fit a 16-inch laptop, charger, and a clean shirt without strain. After 5 years at McKinsey going through subpar bags before settling…
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Updated May 18, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Most consulting fit interviews test across many dimensions — leadership, conflict, achievement, motivation, intellectual depth, culture fit. Strategy& fit interviews simplify to a two-axis evaluation that maps directly to the firm’s dual identity. Axis one: how committed are you to pure strategy work…
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Updated May 18, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Strategy& runs a genuinely separate recruiting funnel from PwC general consulting despite the shared parent. Most candidates don’t realize this and either apply only through the PwC general consulting portal (missing Strategy& entirely) or apply to both without understanding they’re distinct processes. The…
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Updated May 18, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The most important fact about Strategy& salary is that it’s structurally separate from PwC general consulting compensation despite the shared parent. Strategy& consultants are paid 15-40% above PwC Advisory consultants at equivalent levels — a meaningful premium that exists because Strategy& competes with…
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Florian spent five years at McKinsey as a Senior Consultant and is a highly experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach. Having conducted interviews with hundreds of candidates, he understands exactly what top-tier firms look for in successful applicants.
He founded StrategyCase.com to make top consulting careers more accessible by providing tailored, up-to-date insights into the recruiting process. Recognized as the most successful case and fit interview coach, Florian has helped his clients secure 700+ offers at MBB, Tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms over the past four years.
He is the author of “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview,” “The 1%: Case Interview Workbook,” and “Consulting Career Secrets”, all available on Amazon.
