Management Analysts: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Business and Financial Operations · SOC 13-1111 · O*NET 13-1111.00
Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies, and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.
Management Analysts fall under the Business and Financial Operations category in the U.S. occupational classification. Management Analysts earn a median salary of $101,190 per year, ranking in the top 12% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +8.8% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What parents should know about management analysts right now
Management analysts, often called management consultants, advise organizations on how to improve efficiency, cut costs, restructure teams, enter new markets, or deploy new technology. They work at large firms such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, and Accenture, at boutique specialty shops, inside corporate strategy departments, and as independent consultants. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 98,100 openings each year over the decade. The median annual wage was $101,190 in May 2024; the top 10 percent earned more than $174,140, and elite consulting firms pay considerably more than the median. The standard entry point is a bachelor's degree, often in business, economics, finance, or a STEM field; an MBA is common for promotion into senior consulting and partner-track roles. Some consultants pursue the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation, but it is not legally required. The current trend reshaping the field is AI and digital transformation work: the U.S. management consulting market is projected to grow from about $111 billion in 2025 to $160 billion by 2034, with the fastest-growing engagements in AI implementation, cloud and ERP transformation, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. Firms increasingly want consultants with deep domain expertise on top of strong analytical skills. Teens who like solving puzzles, presenting ideas clearly, and thrive in team settings tend to do well; debate, model UN, case-competition clubs, and a strong quantitative GPA are excellent preparation.
What do management analysts earn?
The median annual wage for management analysts is $101,190. That puts management analysts at #101 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $59,720 |
| 25th percentile | $76,770 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $101,190 |
| 75th percentile | $133,140 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $174,140 |
| Median hourly wage | $48.65/hr |
Is management analysts a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for management analysts is +8.8%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 1.1M positions in 2024 to 1.2M in 2034, a net change of 94K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.
What do management analysts do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working management analysts, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Develop and implement records management program for filing, protection, and retrieval of records, and assure compliance with program.
- 2.Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures.
- 3.Design, evaluate, recommend, and approve changes of forms and reports.
- 4.Analyze data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding.
- 5.Interview personnel and conduct on-site observation to ascertain unit functions, work performed, and methods, equipment, and personnel used.
- 6.Gather and organize information on problems or procedures.
- 7.Document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems, procedures, or organizational changes.
- 8.Plan study of work problems and procedures, such as organizational change, communications, information flow, integrated production methods, inventory control, or cost analysis.
Top skills for management analysts
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become management analyst?
The standard path into management analysts begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about management analysts
What is the median salary for management analysts?
The median annual salary for management analysts is $101,190 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is management analysts a growing career?
BLS projects +8.8% growth for management analysts from 2024 through 2034, which is fast growth projected to grow faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become management analyst?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to management analysts?
Related occupations within the Business and Financial Operations category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.