Business Development Manager vs Management Consultant

Measured from each occupation's own live postings: related jobs with a real gap between them. Posted pay favors the business development manager by about $7k at the midpoint.

The short answer

$62k–$165kBusiness Development Manager
+$7kBusiness Development Manager, at the midpoint
$74k–$139kManagement Consultant

On pay, business development managers come out ahead by about $7k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $62k–$165k against $74k–$139k for management consultants. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates.

On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does. The readiness numbers further down say how far a typical profile on each side already reaches into the other, and which direction is the easier move.

Business Development Manager

Posted pay, middle half$62k–$165k
FieldBusiness
Postings read1,170
Open right now560 (196 remote)

Management Consultant

Posted pay, middle half$74k–$139k
FieldBusiness
Postings read963
Open right now420 (150 remote)

Switching, both directions

Business Development ManagerManagement Consultant

48% skill readiness

What management consultant postings ask for that business development manager profiles usually lack: Project Management, SAP, Change Management, Sustainability.

Run this direction on the instrument

Management ConsultantBusiness Development Manager

Not scored: the two sets of postings share too few skills in this direction for an honest number. Run the instrument with your own skill set for a personal read.

Open business development manager roles

See all 560 business development manager jobs

Open management consultant roles

See all 420 management consultant jobs

See the whole board for both

980 open roles across the two.

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Quick answers

Which pays more, business development manager or management consultant?

On pay, business development managers come out ahead by about $7k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $62k–$165k against $74k–$139k for management consultants. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates. By seniority and country: business development manager salary and management consultant salary.

Are business development manager and management consultant the same job?

On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does.

Can a business development manager become a management consultant?

Yes, and the numbers say how far along you already are: a typical business development manager profile covers 48% of what management consultant postings ask for. The instrument lists the exact skills that make up the rest.

How many business development manager and management consultant jobs are open right now?

Right now our board has 560 business development manager openings and 420 management consultant openings, each linking to the original posting. The board refreshes every night, so the counts move with the market. Hiring the most business development managers at the moment: Ebury (12), OpenAI (8), Shieldai (8). For management consultants: Capco (26), Veeva (24), Sia (8).

Pay is the posted middle half; readiness is how much of the other role’s skill demand a typical profile covers. Refreshed nightly.

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