As diverse as master's degrees can be, yours and your background make you unique. Find out how you would fit into McKinsey and what a career with us would hold for you.
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How do consultants with master’s degrees fit in at McKinsey? Where would I start?
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Consultants with master’s degrees represent a broad spectrum of experience. Your role upon beginning your career at McKinsey depends on your academic and professional background. Generally, if you earned an undergraduate degree fewer than four years ago, you’ll be considered for a business analyst position; if you earned your undergraduate degree more than four years ago, you’ll be considered for an associate position.
We understand that the additional training you received and the expertise you developed by attaining a master’s degree add value to your work as a McKinsey consultant. McKinsey was the first consulting firm to systematically hire consultants with advanced professional degrees outside of business, and currently, more than 3,000 of our consultants worldwide hold master’s degrees in fields other than business.
Often, because of their professional experience, business analysts with master’s degrees show promise immediately, putting them on a fast track for promotion to associate. At McKinsey, consultants advance based on performance—not background or tenure—so if you perform well, you’ll be considered for early promotion.
Here are some example scenarios for possible entry points to a career at McKinsey:
- If you are interested in the German office and hold a bachelor’s degree and completed a one-year master’s program, you will join as a fellow.
- If you are interested in joining the U.K.&Ireland office with a master's degree, you will typically join as a business analyst.
- If you are interested in a North American office and hold a bachelor’s degree and have work experience or completed a three- to four-year master’s program/PhD track, you will join as an associate.
Learn more about business analyst opportunities at McKinsey
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Gretchen, Engagement Manager, Washington, D.C., and New York
Master's, International Development |
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 "Coming out of graduate school, I was worried I’d get boxed in at a job. Most job descriptions are pretty narrow, and you don’t necessarily get a lot of responsibility right away. Coming to McKinsey from a non-M.B.A. background, I had a tremendous amount of faith and confidence in the firm. They have every incentive to train me and invest in me and make sure I integrate well into the business space. I knew this would be more challenging personally and professionally than the other options I was considering."
Read Gretchen's profile |
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What do business analysts and associates do?
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Business analysts take responsibility for one part of the larger problem-solving effort on a client engagement; associates lead a key portion of an engagement. Consultants in both roles typically begin their careers at McKinsey as generalist consultants. They contribute to every aspect of a project, from fact gathering to analysis to implementation. They also collaborate with senior consultants and client leadership, participating in brainstorming, problem solving, and client communication and working on-site with clients to implement McKinsey’s recommendations.
You might conduct market research to help a high-tech client launch a new product, manage media communications for a major corporate merger, or revamp the processes in a client’s human resources program. Your day-to-day work will vary depending on the client you’re working with and the problem you’re addressing. And with each engagement, you’ll be challenged to take on new responsibilities and master new skills.
Depending on your experience, you may consider specializing by joining one of our 18 industry practices, such as financial services or telecommunications, or one of our seven functional practices, which focus on core business disciplines such as marketing, operations, and strategy.
However you choose to shape your career at McKinsey, you’ll be recognized as a valuable team member on each client study, and your voice will be heard. All consultants, regardless of role or tenure, are expected to shape discussions, solve critical client problems, and contribute at the highest level.
Learn more about business analyst opportunities.
Learn more about the associate role.
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Ei-Mynn, Associate Principal, Singapore and New York
Master’s, Engineering |
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 "I think in some organizations, the perception is that a business analyst sits in a room and creates a model and then spends four days worrying about the font size of footnotes to create a perfect document. That hasn’t been my experience at McKinsey. On one client study, we earned the trust of the client leadership to the point that we could walk into his office—the CEO of a bank—and say ‘Can I bounce an idea off of you?’ That is such a contrast with the hierarchy you see in other organizations. That is so empowering and exciting for someone who has just joined the firm."
Read Ei-Mynn's profile |
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I earned my master’s degree in a field I’m interested in, but I would be open to trying something new. Can I explore new subject areas at McKinsey?
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Whether you work in the area of your existing expertise or move beyond your discipline will be up to you.
You could be hired as a generalist consultant, or you could choose to enter one of our industry or functional practices. Generalist consultants work on projects in a variety of industries and take on responsibilities in all aspects and stages of each client study. This option gives you the widest choice, the most diverse professional experiences, and the opportunity to learn about different industries and functions. Joining one of McKinsey’s practices requires some expertise in and an affinity for a particular area—be it an industry practice such as pharmaceuticals or a functional practice such as corporate finance. You’ll spend most of your time on projects in your chosen area, but you’ll also have the opportunity to apply your skills in others.
McKinsey’s clients come from a wide array of industries, and we serve them as experts in a variety of core business functions. As a McKinsey consultant, you might advise one of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies in developing a new product, devise a growth strategy for a new biotech firm, or work on a merger integration between two industrial goods companies. With each engagement, you’ll have the chance to apply your skills and expertise in new ways to solve critical problems for the world’s top organizations.
Learn more about our industries and functions
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Felipe, Associate, Orange County
Master’s, Chemical Engineering |
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 "I have a background in manufacturing and operations, so when I was interviewing, the interviewers asked if I would be interested in joining McKinsey’s operations practice. I’m now part of the operations practice, and specifically, manufacturing. On a recent project, I worked in a plant where they make big trucks and parts for big trucks. Most of my work has involved transforming programs, such as improving a company’s supply chain. I also have a strong interest in media, and I was able to broaden my experience a little by joining a project working with a client in television. I like the opportunity to learn about many different topics in a short amount of time, and I’ve been able to apply many of the elements I had seen work in a typical manufacturing environment to other industries."
Read Felipe's profile |
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Is a master’s degree enough to ensure my success at McKinsey, or should I get my PhD before applying?
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While we value consultants with PhDs for the strong problem-solving skills and deep topic expertise they bring to the firm, a consultant does not need a doctorate to succeed. In fact, more than one-third of our consultants hold master’s degrees in fields other than business as their highest degrees.
The same qualities that led you to earn your master’s degree—critical problem solving, intellectual rigor, and the desire to delve deeper into a subject of interest—will help you succeed as a consultant. And, we’ll invest in your professional development. Through formal training, on-the-job learning, and our culture of mentorship, you’ll build the additional skills you need to thrive as a consultant.
Master’s candidates who have joined the firm have gone on to be just as successful as consultants with M.B.A.s and PhDs. If you choose to pursue a PhD, we support your choice and hope you’ll consider joining the firm once you’ve completed the program.
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Moliehi, Associate, New Jersey
Master’s, Health Policy and Management |
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 "I remember hearing that the firm valued the opinions of junior consultants, but I didn’t realize how true it was or how important it was to my own development. If you’re in the room with the client or with your team, you’re there to give your opinion. One thing that McKinsey emphasizes is the obligation to dissent. If you’re working on a team and you disagree with something or there is something you’re not quite comfortable with, you are obligated to say something. You can’t sit there and think ‘What do I know? I don’t have enough experience.’ If you have anything to say, even if it’s just a little nugget of information, you are obligated to speak up, no matter your tenure."
Read Moliehi's profile |
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What will my peers be like?
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McKinsey consultants come from all backgrounds and education levels, from new graduates with bachelor’s degrees to consultants with advanced professional degrees to experienced professionals. Diverse backgrounds help create dynamic client study teams.
Joining as a business analyst is a two-year commitment, and during that time, you’ll become close to your fellow business analysts. Each business analyst class is generally active socially, with plenty of opportunities to bond as a group through training programs and class events. At the end of the two-year program, you and your peers will decide how to proceed—some stay with the firm, some choose to pursue another academic degree, some find jobs in industries that interest them, and some choose to participate in McKinsey’s Global Rotation Program, which allows them to join McKinsey offices abroad temporarily.
If you join as an associate, you’ll be part of the community of McKinsey consultants who hold advanced professional degrees, including Ph.D.s, J.D.s, M.D.s and nonbusiness master’s degrees. Special training programs and business education opportunities will give you the chance to spend time with your peers while you learn the core skills you need to succeed as a consultant.
Beginning with your first client engagement, you’ll learn that working on a McKinsey team involves more than work; it can be fun, too. You’ll get to know your team members—those with business backgrounds and those without—during and after working hours. Many consultants develop lasting friendships while working closely on projects. With each client engagement, you’ll add to the personal network of mentors and colleagues that you’ll rely on throughout your time at McKinsey and beyond.
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Gretchen, Engagement Manager, Washington, D.C., and New York
Master’s, International Development |
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"I worked in the Delhi office for three and a half months, and even though there was a tremendous cultural difference among peers in the office, I felt things were pretty consistent with what I’m accustomed to at McKinsey. I was surrounded by a group of smart, fun, highly motivated young people. To some extent, that transcends culture. The types of things we talked about, the clothes we wore, and the language we spoke might be different. But once we got to know each other, we realized that at the core, we were all fun, interesting people. Everyone knew that I was there from Washington and that I had left my husband behind. People invited me to their homes for dinner, took me out to movies on the weekend, and did their best to make me feel welcome and feel a part of a broader McKinsey community."
Read Gretchen's profile |
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What opportunities for professional growth and development does McKinsey offer?
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There are more than 3,000 McKinsey consultants worldwide who hold master’s degrees in fields other than business, and there are more than 13,500 in our global network of alumni. Some consultants stay to become partners; some join clients in an area they’ve become passionate about; and some go on to become leaders in organizations they became familiar with while working at McKinsey.
As a consultant, you’ll benefit from an accelerated career path. You’ll be constantly challenged to expand your skill set and take on new leadership roles, and you’ll be promoted based on your performance. This merit-based system means advancement happens much faster than in academia or the corporate world.
It also means that, while expectations are high, you won’t be competing against your fellow consultants. With our emphasis on informal mentorship and our firmwide culture of support, you’ll get the help and advice you need to step confidently into roles with new and greater responsibilities.
Whether you choose to stay with the firm or move on, you’ll find that joining McKinsey expands your career options and creates new possibilities for growth. Alumni with master’s degrees are now working in fields such as private equity, high tech, IT, investment and wholesale banking, telecommunications, and education as well as for nonprofit organizations around the world.
Learn more about where a career with McKinsey can take you
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Marco, Associate Principal, Singapore, Seoul, Zurich, and Athens
Master’s, Economics |
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 "The biggest thing McKinsey has done for me is open up my horizons. It has allowed me to work in an incredible number of different situations with many, many different people around the world. Truly around the world, from Russia to the U.S. to every part of Asia and Latin America. Professionally, it has immensely enriched what I learned at university and broadened my skill set. I’ll be able to apply what I’ve learned in different situations throughout my life."
Read Marco's profile |
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Laurent, Partner, Brussels
Master’s, Economics |
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 "The system is thought through so well that basically everybody has an incentive to help you be successful. It’s just amazing in terms of the opportunities you get and also the care and support you get for your own growth. You know you can push open anyone’s door and have a chat about your development and your goals and talk very openly about the options you have."
Read Laurent's profile |
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How can I build the business knowledge I need to be a successful consultant?
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Most consultants have an interest in some aspect of business, but you don’t need a business degree to succeed at McKinsey. More than one-third of McKinsey consultants don’t have business degrees, and they come from more than 400 different disciplines. Consultants with master’s degrees have a proven record of success at the firm.
We’ll provide the business knowledge to help you do your best work and perform comfortably and confidently in the business world. We offer structured training programs to teach you the basic consulting skills and fundamental business concepts to prepare you for client studies. Formal training programs for business analysts include these:
- Business Bridge Online, an online course taken before joining the firm that covers finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, and economics
- Basic Consulting Readiness, a weeklong course that will teach you McKinsey’s problem-solving approach, knowledge management techniques, values, and guiding principles
- Business Analyst Training, a weeklong course in advanced problem-solving and communications skills, which you’ll attend within 6 to 12 months of joining the firm
Depending on your needs, you can also take advantage of other training programs to help you build specific skills or to provide industry and functional knowledge. Along with the informal mentors you’ll find on client engagements, you’ll be assigned a development group leader, a senior member of the firm who will offer valuable insight and guidance on your career and engagement assignments.
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Hyunjung, Associate, Seoul
Master’s, Fashion Marketing |
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 "On a client study with a commercial bank in Korea, I was responsible for revamping the bank’s human resources program. Coming from a fashion background, obviously, I was not going to be able to tackle a huge human resources issue on my own. My engagement managers and engagement directors in particular—and really all of my team members—helped me. They guided me through the McKinsey way of solving problems, showing me how to do things and the tricks of the trade. And they were there to support me. They understood the difficulties I was going through because they went through the same thing. I learned a lot from them about how to do the work, how to work efficiently, and how to handle the stress."
Read Hyunjung's profile |
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