How much does an IT consultant get paid in the United States?
You might be thinking about it if you want to make a career in the IT field.
IT consulting has grown exponentially in the last few decades, with Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) floating around 2.5%. According to reports, global IT consulting will be valued at $383 billion by 2026. It hints that the career scope of an IT professional is immense.
Since the IT industry is rapidly expanding, the IT consultant is paid handsomely. Here we will try to give an in-depth idea about IT consultant salary by answering the frequently asked questions related to IT consultant salary.
- What does the IT consultant do?
- How much do top IT consultants make?
- What is the detailed breakdown of the IT consultant salary?
- What factors affect IT consultant salary?
- How much does an entry-level IT consultant make?
- What is the pay by experience level for Information Technology (IT) consultants?
- How can I increase my IT Consultant Salary?
- What are some top IT Consultant salary provider firms in the US?
- Which are the highest paying cities for IT Consultants in the United States?
What Does the IT Consultant Do?
The IT consultants offer technological solutions and collaborate with in-house technical staff to support new technology implementations. The digitized experience that we enjoy from most of the products has contributions from IT consultants.
IT Consultant Roles and Responsibilities
Some common roles and responsibilities of an IT consultant are mentioned below:
- Analyzing the IT system and infrastructure of an organization.
- Implementing the most incredible technology solution to satisfy the company's demands.
- Monitoring and analyzing security threats while diagnosing issues of IT systems.
- Collaborating with the in-house technical staff and providing strategic advice.
- Implementing new or better IT systems to improve productivity.
How Much Do Consultants Make?
An IT consultant job is a well-paid job. Since businesses worldwide rely on IT consultants to keep up with technological advancements in a cost-effective way, the pay matrix of IT Consultants is high due to their technical skills.
- According to Payscale.com, the salary of an IT consultant is $80,909 per year.
- Indeed.com says the salary of an IT consultant is $106,025 per year.
- According to Salary.com, the salary of an IT consultant is between $84,905 to $99,924 per year.
- Salaryexpert.com mentions that the average base pay of an IT consultant is $130,806 per year.
Also Read: How to draft an eye-catching IT Consultant resume?
What Is the Detailed Breakdown of the IT Consultant's Salary?
IT consultants are one of the most trending and highest-paying career options in the United States. A detailed breakdown of the IT consultant salary, including the base pay, cash bonus, and hourly salary according to Payscale, is given below.
| Details | IT Consultant Salary |
|---|---|
| Base Pay | $51k-$128k |
| Hourly Pay | $15k-93k |
| Bonus | $1k-$16k |
| Profit Sharing | $734-$16k |
| Commission | $2k-$50k |
| Total Pay | $48k-$142k |
Factors Affecting IT Consultant Salary
The IT consultant's salary also depends upon whether you are an entry level employee or have years of experience. It also relies on the skills, geography, experience, and company size you possess. Let us look at each one of them.
Skills Required to Become an IT Consultant
Besides a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science or a related field, you also need some IT skills. These skills will help you stand out from the crowd and make the hiring managers notice you when you apply for the job.
Some common IT consultant skills include:
- Proficiency with the database language
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Time management
- Organizational skills
Certain skills can affect IT consultant salaries. Below are the most popular skills and their impact on an IT Consultant’s salary.
| IT Consultant Skills | Effect on Salary in % |
|---|---|
| Enterprise Application Integration | 70% |
| Identity Management | 64% |
| Big Data Analytics | 60% |
| Microsoft BizTalk Server | 60% |
| IP Network | 54% |
| Program Management | 53% |
| Customer Relations | 51% |
| Information Architecture | 48% |
| PegaRules BPM | 48% |
| Content Management | 45% |
Geography
The salary of IT consultants largely depends upon the location where they are working. For example, the chances are high that big cities will pay more than their counterparts. IT consultants in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Salt Lake City will earn more than Tulsa, Tempe, and Lansing.
Experience
With experience comes expertise. As per Payscale, while an entry level IT consultant’s salary is $64,743 annually, a senior IT consultant with 10+ years of experience earns $102,210 per year. It is thus evident that the pay of an experienced IT consultant will be more than a novice.
Company size
The IT consultant salary also varies depending on the company size. It is imperative that the big companies will pay more than the small ones.
- Enterprise-level companies pay their employees $250-$850 per hour.
- Large-sized consulting companies pay $200-$300 hourly to their IT consultants.
- Medium-sized companies pay $125-$175 per hour.
- Small companies pay IT consultants $75-$175 per hour.
Education
Education plays a vital role in getting a high salary for IT consultants. The minimum qualification required to become an IT consultant is a bachelor’s degree in information technology or any relevant field. If you have completed it from a reputed university, you stand a better chance to work for a top organization and get well paid.
Entry level IT Consultant Salary
An entry-level IT Consultant does not have much experience in the IT field; therefore, the salary that they would receive would be around $64,743 annually, according to Payscale. An entry-level IT consultant's salary will grow to $72,413 with a minimum of one year of experience.
Pay by Experience for IT Consultants
As mentioned earlier, dedicating years to a profession empowers you with the required skills and knowledge, eventually translating into expertise. That is why an experienced IT consultant's pay is more than an entry-level IT consultant's.
The data from Payscale gives an overall idea about the pay by experience level for IT consultant.
| Experience Level | Average IT Consultant Salary |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | USD 64,743 |
| 1-4 years | USD 72,413 |
| 5-9 years | USD 87,983 |
| 10-19 years | USD 102,210 |
| 20+ years | USD 115,510 |
Top Certifications to Do for IT Consultant Profile
The most crucial step to increasing your IT consultant salary is to get certified with the latest certifications.
You can acquire specific certifications to enhance your performance, knowledge, and, consequently, pay matrix.
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional Cloud Architect
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- PMI – Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
What Are Some Top IT Consultant Salary Provider Firms in the US?
Companies in the US pay a good amount to IT consultants. You can look at the top-paying companies and strive to be a part of their team. The data given below is collected from Payscale.com:
| Company | Average IT Consultant Salary |
|---|---|
| Deloitte | USD 95, 959 |
| HP Enterprise Services | USD 97,000 |
| Microsoft Corp. | USD 114,894 |
| IBM Global Services | USD 114,650 |
| Avanade Corporation | USD 100,177 |
| Kaiser Permanente | USD 107,200 |
| HCL America Inc. | USD 96,421 |
| Cognizant | USD 100,190 |
| Captech Ventures | USD 92,432 |
| TCS America | USD 105,000 |
| Thoughtworks Inc. | USD 140,499 |
| TEK Systems Inc. | USD 102,000 |
| Elli Lilly and Company | USD 105,000 |
| Dell | USD 105,450 |
| Bank of America Corp. | USD 100,000 |
| Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | USD 100,796 |
| Wipro Technologies | USD 95,665 |
| Verizon Communications | USD 102,498 |
| Sirius Computer Solutions | USD 122,952 |
| HSBC | USD 114,000 |
| Computer Sciences Corporation | USD 112,000 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | USD 97,500 |
| Red Hat Inc. | USD 99,497 |
| Guidehouse | USD 97,436 |
| Grant Thornton LLP | USD 98,000 |
| Manhattan Associates | USD 105,000 |
| Massmutual Financial Group | USD 105,000 |
| Genpact | USD 95,240 |
Highest Paying US Regions for IT Consultants
As we discussed before, the location of your desired company will also affect your salary as an IT Consultant. Here you can check out the highest-paying cities in the United States:
| US Region Name | Average IT Consultant Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | USD 88, 320 |
| New York | USD 89,455 |
| Chicago | USD 82,558 |
| Houston | USD 84,582 |
| San Francisco | USD 84,582 |
| Seattle | USD 90,617 |
| Los Angeles | USD 93,439 |
| Boston | USD 85,000 |
| Columbus | USD 86,081 |
| Pittsburgh | USD 89,875 |
| Fairfax | USD 92,809 |
| San Jose | USD 112,272 |
| Sacramento | USD 95,666 |
| Richmond | USD 93,481 |
| Pleasanton | USD 140,000 |
| Princeton | USD 94,000 |
| Santa Clara | USD 101,736 |
| Durham | USD 101,500 |
| Manassas | USD 107,442 |
| Jersey City | USD 99,995 |
| Hartford | USD 104,295 |
| Irvine | USD 126,132 |
| Allentown | USD 130,000 |
| Huntsville | USD 115,446 |
| Framingham | USD 105,128 |
| Bentonville | USD 129,700 |
| Cambridge | USD 102,000 |
| Fremont | USD 107,000 |
| California City | USD 90,000 |
| Falls Church | USD 112,444 |
| Naperville | USD 90,250 |
| Herndon | USD 95,000 |
| Redmond | USD 102,439 |
With some years of experience, you can become a Senior IT consultant. The salary, in that case, will vary in different US cities. As per Indeed, the highest paying cities for IT consultants in the US is given below.
| US Region Name | Average IT Consultant Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | USD 122, 808 |
| Boston | USD 121,358 |
| Los Angeles | USD 116,530 |
| Atlanta | USD 111,005 |
| Austin | USD 110,238 |
| Dallas | USD 110,209 |
| Charlotte | USD 108,135 |
| Gratiot | USD 107,712 |
| Miami | USD 104,487 |
Key Takeaways
An IT consultant plans, manages, and provides solutions to an organization’s data and software systems. The key takeaways that can be kept in mind while looking for a good-paying IT consultant job are given below.
- How much do IT consultants make will largely depend on their skills, education, location, and experience.
- The IT consulting salary can be increased by gaining the right skillset, certificates, and experience.
- Upgrading the skills can increase the IT consultants’ salary and help in landing the job in top companies.
- Popular companies like Dell, Kaiser, IBM, and TCS America offer high salaries to IT consultants.
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