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 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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Updated May 18, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Strategy& is two firms operating in one corporate structure. On one side, a strategy boutique with 110+ years of heritage tracing back to Edwin Booz’s 1914 Chicago founding — a firm that built the deals, defense, and corporate strategy practices candidates target. On…
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Updated May 11, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The standard L.E.K. salary article gives you base, bonus, signing, and a level-by-level table. All of that exists below. But the more honest analysis — the one that affects whether L.E.K. is the right firm for you — runs the comp numbers per…
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Updated May 11, 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant L.E.K. Consulting isn’t really competing in the same race as McKinsey, BCG, or Bain. The MBB business model runs on long-cycle strategy engagements measured in months. L.E.K.’s flagship work runs on private equity deal cycles measured in 2-4 weeks per engagement, with hard…
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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.
