Best Jobs in America

CNNMoney/PayScale's top 100 careers with big growth, great pay and satisfying work.

5. Management Consultant
Management Consultant
5
"I work all over North and South America and a little bit in Europe … across a variety of industries," says Loraine Huchler, owner of an engineering consulting firm in Lawrenceville, N.J. "That diversity and commitment to learning is really thrilling."
Median pay: $110,000
Top pay: $199,000
10-year job growth: 21.9%
Total jobs*: 718,800

What they do all day? When organizations run into problems they can't fix on their own, they turn to these crack problem-solvers. Consultants use their analytical skills and deep industry knowledge to devise strategies on all types of issues -- from managing risk to cutting costs and creating value.

How to get the job? Razor-sharp analytical skills, an ability to see problems from multiple perspectives and fluid communication skills are essential. An MBA isn't required, but it's helpful for professionals who don't already have broad business experience.

What's great? What's not? The work is diverse and can take you around the world, but working on-site with clients can be intense and tough on the home life -- consultants live and breathe a project until it's completed. --G.W.

What they do all day? When organizations run into problems they can't fix on their own, they turn to these crack problem-solvers. Consultants use their analytical skills and deep industry knowledge to devise strategies on all types of issues -- from managing risk to cutting costs and creating value. --G.W.

Quality of life ratings:
  • Personal satisfaction: B
  • Benefit to society: B
  • Flexibility: A
  • Low stress: B
Subscribe to Money Magazine

*Total jobs is estimated number of people working in broader BLS 'job family.'

Sources: PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research

Do Management Consultants have great jobs, or what? Are these great jobs, or what?
It's still a tough job market, so when CNNMoney, in partnership with data from PayScale.com, set out to find America's Best Jobs this year, first and foremost we looked for professions that offer great growth opportunities.

Other big factors: pay (how strong it is now, and how fast it's growing), overall job satisfaction, and how many jobs are in the field overall.
More

Comments? E-mail the editors

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.