Consulting Consultants Adds Up Fast

The cost of consulting a consultant climbed last year, as consulting firm partners charged more than $270 an hour, a study said.

That represented an 8.3 percent increase over the previous year, according to the study by Kennedy Information’s Research Group.

The survey suggests another 8 percent rise is expected for this year as well, said Tim Bourgeois, director of research for Fitzwilliam, N.H.-based Kennedy. “The consulting marketplace is growing quickly, because in many areas the demand for consulting services is bigger than supply,” he said.

Fees varied according to the consultants’ specialties, with “strategy consultants” charging the highest last year, an average of $320 an hour for partners. Top strategy firms can charge up to $750 per partner-hour.

In 1996, the average partner in a consulting firm billed out $310,000 in revenue, according to the study.