Who are the Big 4 consulting firms?

Asked by: Gilberto Marvin  |  Last update: November 7, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (59 votes)

How Do the Big 4 Fit into the Consulting Industry? The term “Big 4” refers to the 4 largest professional services firms by revenue: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Deloitte), KPMG International (KPMG), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Ernst & Young (EY).

What is Big 5 consulting?

Who are the Big 5 management consulting firms? The Big 5 management consulting firms, also known as the MBB firms (McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company) and two from the Big Four (Deloitte and PwC), are among the largest and most influential in the world.

Is McKinsey better than Big 4?

The most prestigious firms are McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. Next most prestigious are "Tier 2" firms such as Kearney, Accenture, and LEK. This tier also includes the strategy consulting arms of the Big 4 firms, including Deloitte Monitor, EY Parthenon, and PwC's Strategy&.

Is Accenture in the Big 4?

Neither Accenture nor McKinsey are Big 4. The Big 4 are PwC, EY, KPMG, and Deloitte.

Is it Big 5 or Big 4?

History of the Big 4 accounting firms

In the late 1990s, the Big 6 became the Big 5 when Price Waterhouse merged with Coopers and Lybrand to form PricewaterhouseCoopers (later stylised as PwC). Five became four in 2001 after the insolvency of Arthur Andersen due to the firm's involvement in the Enron scandal.

Who are the Big Four firms and what do they do?

38 related questions found

Which Big 4 is hardest to get into?

Deloitte and PwC are described as more competitive.

Who are the big 5 now?

The Big 5 consists of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

Which Big 4 is most prestigious?

A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE FIRMS PwC is the largest by revenue and the most prestigious of the Big Four with a strong and established audit client base.

What is the best consulting firm?

McKinsey & Company is a company that needs no introduction. The company is consistently ranked as the #1 most valued brand in the consulting industry, making it the most prestigious company on the list.

What is the acceptance rate for Deloitte?

With Deloitte's 3.7 percent acceptance rate, this is a huge achievement for Brito. “After I graduate, I want to travel and study for my CPA license during my first year of employment with Deloitte,” he shared.

Why is McKinsey so prestigious?

McKinsey has a reputation for being a trailblazer. It was the first consulting firm to enter the AI space, emphasizing its forward-thinking and innovation-driven approach.

Which Big 4 pays consultants the most?

If you want to make the most money in consulting, Deloitte pays the best. However if you want to make the most money in auditing or tax PwC is likely your best bet.

How hard is it to get a job at McKinsey?

While it's difficult to provide an exact acceptance rate for McKinsey job offers, it is estimated to be around 1-2% of applicants. However, the acceptance rate can vary significantly based on individual performance and the specific office and role being applied for.

Which consulting firm has the best culture?

Boston Consulting Group

The business has an excellent firm culture, which means they're sure to serve your company's needs well. Boston Consulting Group works to ensure your culture aligns with your goals, even using the behavior change app Amethyst to help you accomplish your workplace structure goals effectively.

What are the Big 8 CPA firms?

This book focuses on the firms that make up of the Big Eight – Arthur Andersen; Arthur Young; Coopers & Lybrand; Deloitte Haskins & Sells; Ernst & Whitney; Peat, Marwick, Mitchell; Price Waterhouse; and Touche Ross.

What are the top 3 consulting firms?

  • McKinsey & Company.
  • Boston Consulting Group.
  • Bain & Company.

What is the hardest consulting firm to get into?

The website dug through more than 170,000 interview ratings and reviews shared throughout the past year to uncover the list. According to reviews on the Glassdoor site, the company with the toughest interview process for a second consecutive year is the prestigious consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

Which is the highest paying consulting firm?

Below is a summary of the top 10 consulting firms by US entry-level analyst pay in 2023:
  • Investor Group Services (IGS)
  • Bain & Company.
  • Avencore.
  • Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
  • Oliver Wyman.
  • Accenture Strategy.
  • McKinsey & Company.
  • Alvarez & Marsal.

What is a Tier 1 consulting firm?

Tier 1 consulting firms are the top players in consulting. They work with big companies worldwide on important projects. They are well-known for their tough hiring and big impact on business.

Who is Deloitte owned by?

Deloitte Consulting is a brand name owned by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd (DTTL), which is a UK limited company. DTTL has a network of member firms (which it doesn't own) that are independent of each other in terms of capital structure and liabilities, and are typically limited liability partnerships.

What does KPMG stand for?

While the origin of the name KPMG is based on the abbreviation of the names of some of the principal founding members; Klynveld, Peat, Marwick, Goerdeler, today the name is simply 'KPMG'. When asked what it means we often simply say "business".

Which Big 4 has the best culture?

KPMG Work Culture

Though the smallest of the Big 4 firms, KPMG is known to have the best work-life balance amongst its employees.

Who is the king of the Big 5?

The Lion. The lion is arguably the most sought-after of the Big Five because it is synonymous with an African safari. Charismatic, powerful and beautiful, everybody wants to see the appropriately named 'King of the Beasts'.

Who bought Big 5?

Miller and his son Steven G. Miller bought Big 5 back from Leonard Green & Partners, owners since 1992, by acquiring a majority take.

Why is the Big 5 so special?

The larger and more unpredictable the beast, the better – which is how the Big Five became famous. The Big Five may be dangerous, but they aren't invincible. African lions, leopards, and elephants are all classed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.