When it comes to choosing an employer, there is no question that prestige is important. However, our survey data indicates time and again that many other factors come into play when weighing a choice--and even more affect employee satisfaction in the months and years after the decision has been made.

Did you know that for more than 40% of consulting firm candidates, firm culture was the most important factor in selecting an employer? Other top factors include practice strength and work-life balance, in addition to prestige and compensation.

But choosing an employer is only part of the equation--staying there over a period of time is something else entirely. And while elements like compensation and work-life balance remain important as part of that picture, other factors such as satisfaction and the ability to make career progress also emerge as critical differentiators of top employers--and these factors change over time as generations shift.

We continually monitor responses from the consultants we survey to ensure that our ranking methodology accurately reflects the concerns of the people currently employed in the industry.

In order to properly reflect a company's status as an employer within the consulting industry, the Vault Consulting 50 for 2020 is based on the following weighted formula:

30 percent prestige

15 percent firm culture

15 percent satisfaction

10 percent compensation

10 percent work/life balance

10 percent level of challenge

5 percent overall business outlook

5 percent promotion policies



As ever, our survey is only open to consultants who are currently employed at reputable firms in the industry. When rating quality of life issues, consultants are only permitted to rate their own firm. For prestige and practice area rankings, however, consultants are only allowed to rate competitors, and NOT their own firms.