From job title to geographical location, explore the array of factors that can impact your income as a technology consultant.
Emerging technologies prompt companies to reevaluate their processes to stay competitive. A 2023 survey by Statista found that nearly 92 percent of global businesses have adopted cloud infrastructure and technology to some degree. In addition, 23 percent of companies reported testing out artificial intelligence or machine learning technology through pilot projects [1].
As organizations continue to explore and integrate advanced technologies, the role of technology consultants becomes increasingly vital. Technology consultants help businesses navigate the complexities of designing, building, implementing, and managing modern technologies.
Read on to learn more about the average technology consultant salary and explore the job responsibilities and career prospects of a technology consultant.
A technology consultant advises businesses on the selection and integration of new technologies. Technology consultants range from generalists, such as IT advisors, to specialists with extensive knowledge in niche areas like cloud computing and cybersecurity. Contracts with technology consultants can extend anywhere from a few weeks to several years depending on the project. Common work responsibilities of a technology consultant include:
Evaluating risks associated with new technologies
Facilitating the development and implementation of new technology and software
Planning necessary infrastructure updates
Conducting assessments of rival technologies
Identifying automation possibilities within processes
The average annual pay for a technology consultant in the United States ranges from $88,414 to $103,437, according to multiple job listing sites. The following table lists the average technology consultant base salary provided by Zippia, Indeed, Salary.com, and Glassdoor [2,3,4,5].
Zippia | Indeed | Salary.com | Glassdoor |
---|---|---|---|
$88,414 | $91,666 | $103,491 | $104,655 |
*All salary data as of January 2025
A range of factors can impact your compensation as a technology consultant. Discover how your education, experience, job title, industry, location, and employer can play a role in determining your annual income.
As a technology consultant with a bachelor’s degree, you can expect to earn an average annual salary of $89,049 [6]. With a master’s degree, your salary can rise to $96,488, and with a doctorate, you may earn as much as $100,889 annually [6].
About 69 percent of technology consultants have a bachelor’s degree, making it the most prevalent qualification in the industry [6]. Popular fields of study include business, computer science, and computer information systems.
A solid grasp of both technology and industry trends is key to success in technology consulting. You can gain this insight over time through practical experience. Essentially, the more experience you gain as a technology consultant, the more you can expect to earn. Below is a breakdown of technology consultants' average earnings by experience level, according to Glassdoor [5]:
0–1 year: $89,309
1–3 years: $99,240
4–6 years: $104,838
7–9 years: $106,448
10–14 years: $112,782
15 or more years: $131,331
The role you take on in technology consulting can have a direct impact on your yearly earnings. Listed below are common job titles in technology consulting and the potential salaries they may offer.
Software consultant: $121,941 [7]
Digital transformation consultant: $123,528 [8]
IT consultant: $92,998 [9]
Business technology advisor: $125,858 [10]
Cybersecurity consultant: $132,551 [11]
The demand for technology consultants can differ across industries. Glassdoor ranks the following industries as the highest-paying for technology consultants in the US based on median total pay [5]:
Transportation and logistics: $149,229
Insurance: $139,106
Manufacturing: $129,639
Information technology: $129,447
Health care: $126,272
Globally, the technology industry held the largest share of remote workers in 2023 [12]. With remote work becoming more common, your location may have less impact on your salary. However, if you plan to work full-time, be sure to factor in location-based salaries to make an informed decision.
Among the top-paying cities for technology consultants in the US are [3]:
Princeton, NJ: $148,256
Houston, TX: $110,561
Chicago, IL: $98,733
Kansas City, MO: $98,726
St. Louis, MO: $98,058
Knoxville, TN: $97,014
Atlanta, GA: $96,733
Dallas, TX: $91,796
While your skills and experience matter the most, the company you work for can also play a part in determining your overall technology consultant salary. Factors such as the size, sector, and financial standing of a company may affect not just your base pay but also your bonuses, benefits, and opportunities for career advancement.
The following list highlights the highest-paying employers for technology consultants in the US, according to Glassdoor [5]:
Meta: $178,000–$263,000
Adobe: $174,000–$270,000
McKinsey & Company: $182,000–$241,000
AbbVie: $164,000–$264,000
Eli Lilly: $162,000–$264,000
Cisco: $167,000–$250,000
Google: $167,000–$244,000
Microsoft: $159,000–$232,000
With the demand for technology consultants steadily rising, it’s a good time to consider a career in technology consulting. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer and information technology jobs are expected to grow much faster than the average growth for all occupations between 2023 and 2033, with an average of 356,700 job openings per year [13].
In line with the trend, Grand View Research forecasts that the global software consulting market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1 percent between 2023 and 2030 [14]. The increasing demand for digital transformation across industries largely drives this burgeoning growth.
Technology consultants provide expert advice on how to select, implement, and manage new technologies within a company. If you’re just starting out, earning industry-recognized certifications can help you develop specialized technology skills and maximize your technology consultant salary.
The AWS Cloud Technology Consultant Professional Certificate on Coursera offers valuable insights into mapping business goals to appropriate cloud technology solutions. Beginner-friendly, this nine-course program also offers guidance on crafting the conceptual, logical, and physical design for cloud-based solutions.
The SAP Technology Consultant Professional Certificate, also intended for beginners, centers on global SAP business solutions, products, and ecosystems. In addition to solution design, the program covers key consulting practices, such as requirements gathering and client analysis.
Statista. “Adoption rate of emerging technologies in organizations worldwide in 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/661164/worldwide-cio-survey-operational-priorities/.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Zippia. “Business Technology Consultant salary, https://www.zippia.com/salaries/business-technology-consultant/.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Indeed. “Technology consultant salary in United States, https://www.indeed.com/career/technology-consultant/salaries.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Salary.com. “Technology Consultant Salary in the United States, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/listing/technology-consultant-salary.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Technology Consultant Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/technology-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Zippia. “Business Technology Consultant Education Requirements, https://www.zippia.com/business-technology-consultant-jobs/education/.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Software Consultant Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/software-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Digital Transformation Consultant Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/digital-transformation-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,33.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “It Consultant Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/it-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Business Technology Advisor Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/business-technology-advisor-salary-SRCH_KO0,27.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Glassdoor. “Cybersecurity Consultant Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cybersecurity-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,24.htm.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Statista. “Percentage of employees who work fully or mostly remote worldwide in 2023, by industry, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1451594/remote-work-share-by-industry-globally/.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Computer and Information Technology Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
Grand View Research. “Software Consulting Market Size & Trends, https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/software-consulting-market.” Accessed January 29, 2025.
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