Case Interview Hub Blog

How much do consultants at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain actually earn? We break down salaries from fresh business analyst to senior partner — in both the US and Germany — and explain the "MBB salary trap" that makes it so hard to leave consulting.

How do you actually get staffed on projects at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain? We break down the official models, the four factors that really determine where you end up, the "staffing black market" nobody talks about, and how it all changes as you get more senior.

Many people wonder what the difference in corporate culture at McKinsey, BCG and Bain. There are many wild claims out there that each MBB firm hires specific types of people. Or that they uses certain approaches unique to their: for example BCG uses adaptive problem solving and McKinsey is more structured. But this is all nonsense. In reality, the culture at McKinsey, BCG and Bain is very similar. This is driven by the fact that the MBB firms serve teh same clients and hire t

The exit opportunities at the MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG & Bain) but also at Tier 2 firms (Strategy&, Oliver Wyman, Arthur D Little) are endless. The most common exit is definitely to corporates - especially to former clients. It makes perfect sense for clients to hire a consultant they worked with in the past as they have proof of their work. Other very common exits are to Private Equity and to start-ups. But there are also uncommon routes like politics or straight into retire

McKinsey, BCG, and Bain are notorious for the up-or-out principle. So the fact that people get fired if they don't progress in the career ladder. In reality, most people leave consulting on their own terms and only a minority is getting laid-off. So the up-or-out principle is a thing but it is rarely executed.