Considering starting a consultancy career and wondering which business schools are best for helping grads launch careers in the sector? These are the 10 best MBAs for consulting to apply to
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 was still 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 at 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.
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 themselves of the school’s unique global networking opportunities to walk 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 some of the greatest thinkers for well over three centuries.
Harvard Business School's top-ranked...
ld 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, 29.2% of its immersive MBA program entered into the consulting industry, which is down from the previous year (36.3%), but still a significant proportion of the class. 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 amid the famed southern hospitality of Charlottesville, Virginia? With over 19,000 alumni in more than 90 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, and earning impressive median base salaries of $190,000. 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 are few places more scenic than Northwestern to get your MBA degree.
As well as core leadership modules, students have access to more than 120 student-led clubs and organizations, where they can develop their soft skills in real-time. As a testament to the program’s opportunities, last year 158 graduates (40% of the cohort) landed high-flying consulting roles, earning median base salaries of $190,000.
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 the University of Pennsylvania back in 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 from its business school students, too.
During the Wharton MBA program, students study a selection of core courses, including marketing and microeconomics, on top of which they can choose to further specialize in areas such as management, legal studies, and accounting.
The Class of 2024 was clearly a cohort of consultants as the school jumped 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 of its 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, with median 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. Renowned for its rich history and breathtaking architecture, the city is also 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, and the fees at ISB are considerably lower 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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