According to Bloomberg, consulting remained the most popular career path among MBA grads in 2024, with 4,126 hires reported across the top-ranked business schools.
Despite a broader slowdown in the industry—partly driven by inflation, rising interest rates, and a shift in corporate spending toward generative AI infrastructure—consulting still accounted for the largest employer of MBA graduates in 2024. Considering its mix of high salaries, diverse specializations, and top-tier employers, the appeal of the consulting field is clear.
Whether you're passionate about strategy or eager to dive into a niche area, consulting offers a way to exercise your skillset across numerous fields. Interested in ESG and corporate responsibility? Sustainability consulting might be your calling. More of a people-person? HR or organizational consulting could be the perfect fit.
Even amid market uncertainty, consulting firms continue to offer some of the most lucrative starting packages for new grads. At the top firms—McKinsey, BCG, and Bain—base salaries start around $190,000, not including bonuses and perks, making consulting one of the most financially rewarding post-MBA paths.
So, with that in mind, what are the best MBAs for consulting careers in 2025? From INSEAD in Europe—where 326 grads landed consulting roles—to Chicago Booth in the US, which placed 192 MBAs in the industry, here are the schools that stood out in 2024.
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Best MBAs For Consulting In 2024
10. London Business School
As a school situated in the center of Europe’s most populated city—home to almost nine million people—and surrounded by many of the world’s top companies, graduates of the esteemed London Business School MBA program are spoilt for choice when it comes to jobhunting.
In 2024, 139 graduates—almost 40% of the class—from the prestigious program were able to avail of the school’s unique global networking opportunities by walking into consultancy roles. Many were high-paying jobs with the Big Three firms, ensuring LBS consulting grads earned median salaries of over $134,690.
=9. Harvard Business School
It’s one of the most famous business schools in the world—and for good reason. Part of the US' oldest university, founded back in 1636 by John Harvard in the New England colony of Boston, Harvard has been cultivating...
Harvard Business School's top-ranked MBA program is no exception. With a strong focus on dynamic, real-world learning through immersive class projects and internships, graduates of the course are left more than ready for the challenges of a fast-paced business environment.
Earning it a place among the best MBAs for consulting careers in 2025: last year, 140 Harvard MBA students were hired by top consulting firms. They went on to earn eye-watering median salaries of $192,000.
=9. Columbia Business School
Currently ranked as the second best MBA in the world according to the Financial Times, Columbia University is a prime location for MBA talent. Not only do you get to study in the beating heart of New York City, the school attracts a multitude of top, cutting-edge business leaders who come to deliver talks, share advice, and make connections.
Last year, a total of 140 graduates of its immersive MBA program entered into consulting roles, this is a down from the previous year but is still a significant portion of the class (24.3%). With a range of companies among the recruiters—including the Big Three—Columbia consulting MBAs earned median salaries of a whopping $190,000.
7. University of Virginia Darden School of Business
Where better to learn the intricacies of business networking than in the famed southern hospitality of Charlottesville, Virginia? With over 19,000 alumni in more than 90 different countries, MBA students can make the connections necessary to advance their careers—including in the field of consulting.
Beating out stiff competition from M7 business schools like Harvard and Columbia, Darden ranks higher among the list of the best MBAs for a consulting career in 2025. That's because of its impressive placement statistics: 145 Darden MBA grads—almost half of the class of 2024—went on to work in consulting, earning large median salaries of $190,000.
6. Duke Fuqua School of Business
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business has built its reputation on the power of collaboration—so it’s no surprise that its MBA program is a standout choice for students eyeing a career in consulting. Located in the thriving job market town of Durham, North Carolina, Fuqua connects students to a global alumni network of more than 29,000, opening doors to opportunities around the world.
Consulting continues to be a popular path for Fuqua grads, with around 43% of the class of 2024 entering the industry. They reported impressive median base salaries of $190,000—placing With a strong emphasis on teamwork and real-world learning, Fuqua equips students with the skills top consulting firms are looking for.
5. Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management
Located in a town close to the shores of Lake Michigan, there’s few places more scenic than Northwestern to get your MBA degree.
While studying the program, students can take part in not only core leadership modules but also have access to over 120 student-led clubs and organizations, where they can develop their soft skills in real-time. As a testament to the program’s opportunities, 158 graduates last year (40% of the cohort) landed high-flying consulting roles, earning median base salaries of $190,000.
READ: Top 25 Best Consulting Firms To Work For
4. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
If you’re reading this on a laptop right now, then look no further. The very first general-purpose computer was created in Pennsylvania University back 1946 by the tech whizzes John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. With a legacy like that, it only follows that the university expects great things out of its business school students, too.
During the Wharton MBA program, students study a selection of core courses which includes marketing and microeconomics, on top of which they can choose to further specialize in areas like management, legal studies, and accounting.
The Class of 2024 was clearly a cohort of consultants as the school jumper three places from the previous year.
So, if you're looking to launch a career in consultancy, this prestigious consulting target school is among the best options. Last year, 183 graduates went into consulting careers, earning salaries of around $190,000.
3. University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Coming in third on this list is the US News top-ranked MBA program at Chicago Booth. With one of the world’s most iconic skylines, and known for its architecture, food, and thriving music scene, Chicago is perhaps the perfect place to kickstart a consulting career.
With 14 different concentrations available in anything from economics to behavioral science, MBA students are provided with an unparalleled opportunity to take risks and flesh out their skillsets.
Earning it a place among the best MBAs for consulting in 2025: last year, 192 students landed top consulting roles, averaging salaries of around $192,000.
2. Indian School of Business
In second place and the only Indian school on this list, is the prestigious Indian School of Business (ISB), situated in the ancient city of Hyderabad. Not only known for its rich history and breathtaking architecture, but the city is also renowned for being a center of tech and innovation.
In the Post Graduate Program in Management (an equivalent to the Global MBA), students can benefit from ISB’s collaboration with top b-schools such as London Business School and MIT to access cutting-edge research and teaching methods.
Last year, 282 graduates found jobs in consulting, earning a median salary of around $47,440.
Though this may seem lower than other MBA programs on this list, it’s important to remember that average salaries in India are substantially lower than in the US and Europe due to a range of factors, while the fees at ISB are considerably less than most other top-ranked programs, costing just $48,915 for the year-long course.
1. INSEAD
Coming in at number one is INSEAD, the world’s number two MBA program according to the Financial Times. With campuses in both France and Singapore, students at INSEAD have the unique opportunity to study a global degree as well as make connections all over the world.
While on the course, they are placed in carefully selected, diverse study groups, which encourages them to communicate with and solve problems together as part of a team. Last year, a staggering 326 graduates—61% of the class—entered the consulting industry, earning median salaries of $134,775.
So, if you’re planning to start a lucrative consulting career, why not consider applying to these top MBAs in 2025.
MBA Programs With The Most Consulting Hires In 2024
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All hiring data is sourced from Bloomberg.
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