How Much Do Online Consultants Make? A Salary Breakdown

The consulting industry faces significant growth with the popularity of digital platforms and online learning. Nowadays, consulting is a lucrative career path that professionals worldwide can pursue to effectively monetize their skills. 

The question, however, is how much online consultants make and whether it is worth starting a consulting business. Well, SPOILER ALERT - Yes. But this is the short answer. Let me elaborate throughout the article on the reasons behind this “Yes.” Let’s just get into it. 

Consulting market overview 

Before diving further into the article, let’s briefly review the consulting market.

This will give you some idea of what to expect. For instance, according to Statista data, the average yearly revenue per management consultant in the United States in 2023 was 212,000 USD. The average annual revenue growth is 9%, making this one of the fastest-growing niches in consulting. 

Speaking of consulting as a whole industry. 

According to the research, the consulting market in 2025 will be valued at 371.04 billion USD and is expected to reach 469.28 billion USD by 2025. The CAGR growth rate per year is at 4.81%. One of the fastest-growing markets now is Asia Pacific, and the dominating market is North America. 

These stats alone are enough to argue why starting a consulting business is worth it. But I know you're here for more than statistics, so it’s time to move on to the next section. 

Average online consulting salaries by industry

Here is how much salary you can make as a consultant in the US, depending on your industry.  All the salary data comes from Indeed and is presented per day. 

• Management Consulting: $465/ day on average
• IT/Tech Consulting: $366/day on average
• Marketing Consulting: $200/day on average
• Financial Consulting: $293/day on average
• Legal Consulting: $373/day on average
• Engineering Consulting: $1000/day on average
• SEO Consulting: $50 – $304/day on average

Even though these numbers per day are quite promising, this does not mean you can charge top dollar. There are lots of factors that will affect your prices. 

Factors that affect online consulting salaries

As an online consultant, your salary and income potential will be affected by several factors. These factors range from niche and expertise to market demand and pricing. 

The choice of the industry and niche 

The consulting niche you specialize in will play a significant role in your earning potential. Some industries tend to pay more than others. We will, in fact, talk about these a bit later. 

So, why do industry and niche play a huge role in your income potential? Well, first of all, because high-demand industries always tend to pay more. Sectors like management and IT consulting are more complicated but offer better compensation rates. 

Consultants who focus on a specific niche within an industry (e.g., cybersecurity consulting in IT) can charge premium rates due to their unique expertise. Overall, industries experiencing rapid growth, such as AI consulting or cybersecurity, allow consultants to charge premium prices. 

Also, your competition affects the prices. In saturated markets like marketing consulting, rates may be lower unless you offer a highly specialized service that sets you apart.

Your experience and expertise 

It is quite certain that your experience and expertise also play a huge role in your earning potential as a consultant. 

Consultants with a proven track record of success and impact (case studies with clients) can charge more. What do you mean can? 

I can charge more, too. Yes, you can, but it is about the willingness of the client to pay.

Clients are willing to pay more if you offer greater value, and in consultancy, they often evaluate this value in terms of your expertise and successful cases. 

Results drive pricing. Demonstrated success, such as case studies or testimonials from past clients, enables consultants to negotiate higher rates. 

Another thing about expertise is your qualifications. If you have certain industry-specific certifications, it will add more value. Industry-recognized certifications (e.g., PMP for project managers, CFA for financial consultants) can help increase earning potential. How? These help to increase your authority in the eyes of potential clients. 

The location you target and the market demand 

Even in online consulting, location plays a certain role. 

No, your location does not matter, but who you target does. In certain regions, demand for X type of consulting can be higher than the others. The key is understanding where your niche enjoys the most demand and targeting that region. 

Also, the regional demand affects pricing. Consultants working with clients in places like the U.S., U.K., or Australia often earn more than those serving lower-income regions. 

However, it is worth mentioning that you can always target higher-paying clients. Plus, if you are a good consultant, you will find high-paying clients even across regions that do not seem “willing to pay” the price you charge. 

So, do not disregard these regions, as you could be losing lots of great clients; simply make sure your ad targeting is right. 

Your sales skills and ability to sell 

Something that is not talked about enough, but is the root of the cause affecting your income potential, is your ability to make a sale. 

A consultant’s ability to market themselves and close deals is often as important as their expertise. Even highly skilled consultants can struggle to earn high salaries without effective sales strategies.

So, how do you make a sale? You need to understand what your client wants and what their pain points are to be able to offer effective solutions. Anything you offer must trigger a need and provide a solution. 

Your website and socials also must be optimzies for geenrtings ales. For instance, you need to have dedicated landing pages for your consulting programs. Also, make sure to place CTAs appropriately. In fact, you can consider hiring a direct-response or sales copywriter to handle the textual part for you. You have no idea how much a good copy can impact your conversion rates and income. 

Let’s say you have the website and everything else set up, but the client wants to do a call before booking your consultancy. Well, this is when your communication skills should kick in. Consultants who can confidently pitch their services and negotiate contracts tend to earn more.

When it comes to sales, I also recommend expanding your network. Attend industry events, engage in communities, and leverage referrals, as all of these can lead to high-value clients.

What are the highest-paying consulting niches 

Once again, let’s talk numbers. The top highest-paying consulting niches worldwide are legal consulting, financial consulting, and management consulting. 

Legal consulting 

The average rate for legal consulting is between $200 and $500 per hour of consulting. 

The top reason behind this is that legal consultants provide critical guidance on complex legal matters. Also, such consultants are required to have licensing and education supporting their knowledge, which automatically helps them enjoy a higher level of credibility and trust. For example, New York mandates that legal consultants register biennially with the Office of Court Administration. 

Financial consulting 

The average hourly rate for financial consultancy is between $200 and $1000. 

Financial consultants assist businesses with financial planning, risk management, and investment strategies, directly influencing profitability and growth. 

Here is a more precise breakdown. Junior Consultants: $100 - $200 per hour. Mid-Level Consultants: $200 - $400 per hour. Senior Consultants/Partners: $400 - $1000+ per hour. 

For instance, Clarissa Explains Money took a unique approach to financial consulting. She focuses on the niche of building wealth for women, offering a variety of services, including 1:1 online advising.  

Management consulting 

The average hourly rate online management consultants charge is between $150 to $500. 

Management consultants provide insights on business strategy, organizational design, and process improvement, directly affecting a company's efficiency and competitive edge.

For instance, Dr. David Brendel's management consulting business is “Leading Minds | Executive Coaching.”

He is a Harvard-trained MD/PhD Psychiatrist and a certified executive coach. Led by Dr. David Brendel, this firm empowers clients to manage stress, develop leadership capacity, and achieve peak performance through evidence-based strategies. David succeeded in his online consulting career and even shares his success story, elaborating how clients even travel to the US to see him in person. 

How to increase your online consulting income

No matter your consulting niche, there are always practical ways to increase your income. However, only one way won’t be enough; a combination of steps makes a perfect process for leveling up revenues. Let’s check out the process. 

Identify and pick a high-demand niche 

To kickstart the process, you need to identify the niche. Look for areas where you have expertise and that align with market trends. For instance, you can choose management or marketing consulting if your background is in business and marketing. In fact, you can be more specific and offer consulting in regard to digital marketing. 

Conduct in-depth market research and competitor analysis to determine which industries and niches are in high demand. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can help you analyze how much traffic your competitors receive and assess engagement levels on their online platforms.

Diversify your revenue streams 

When you are clear about the industry, niche, and trending topics, the next step is to assess what can make you money. Relying on one revenue stream can limit your growth. By diversifying your income, you reduce risks and create multiple ways to generate money.

Here is what you can offer: 

• 1:1 Sessions. Offering personal, tailored advice to clients who are willing to pay for your time and expertise is where you charge your hourly rates. 
• Pre-Recorded Courses. Once created, these can be sold repeatedly without additional effort, providing passive income. Research competitors to find out the best price. Generally, online courses are priced anywhere from $50 to $150. 
• E-books. Write a guide or instructional book based on your niche. Typical eBook prices range from $10 to $35; however, you can charge more or less depending on the niche and the value offered. 
• Webinars. Host live or recorded webinars where you provide valuable insights and advice to groups, e.g., five people, $25 per person. This way, you make your hourly rate while handling multiple clients and potentially generating more leads. 
• Subscription-Based Content. Set up a membership site where clients pay monthly for access to exclusive content, coaching, or resources. You can offer multiple packages. 

Expand your client base through strategic marketing 

Your online presence is key to attracting and retaining clients. It establishes your authority, provides credibility, and helps you connect with potential clients across the world.

Online presence includes quality personal branding and focused marketing efforts. For instance, you must leverage both organic and paid marketing. For example, free tools such as social media and email newsletters can be used to build awareness and trust. Also, invest in advertising through platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, and Instagram to reach a targeted audience faster.   

The next stage of the process is setting up good SEO. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your website rank higher on search engines, driving organic traffic to your site. By using keywords related to your niche and optimizing your site for search engines, you can attract clients who are actively searching for your services.

All of the efforts above won’t matter much if your branding is inconsistent. Branding is crucial to establishing a unique identity in your market. It helps differentiate you from competitors and builds trust with potential clients. Make sure your visual identity, tone of voice, and messaging align with your target audience's values.

You can learn a lot from Ali Abdaal. His main message is how entrepreneurship changed his life, and he is now a business consultant. Everybody following him knows he is a “former doctor turned into an entrepreneur.” This is how good his branding is. Also, checking out his website, socials, and other platforms he uses, you can see consistent branding efforts and strong brand messaging. 

Implement upselling and cross-selling strategies 

To maximize your consulting revenue, you need to implement upselling and cross-selling strategically. Here’s how you can turn these techniques into a structured process. 

Start by analyzing your existing services and products. Look for ways to provide additional value that naturally extends what your clients are already purchasing. 

Upselling involves offering a higher-tier service or package. For example, they could book a one-hour session, offer a discounted package for three sessions, or include a personalized strategy report as an upgrade.

Cross-selling focuses on introducing related services or products that enhance the client’s initial purchase. If a client buys an e-book on digital marketing strategies, suggest a live workshop or a 1:1 coaching session. Explain that the session will help them implement those strategies effectively.

The key to effective upselling and cross-selling is timing. Introduce upsells during the decision-making phase, e.g., right before purchase. But keep in mind that cross-sells work best after a purchase when the client is already engaged with your services. Use follow-up emails, thank-you pages, or automated recommendations. 

Increase your hourly rate as you gain experience 

As you gain experience, make sure to accumulate more client success stories… Why? This is the key to increasing your salary. The more experience you have, the more “rights” you have to charge higher rates. 

This also works when you get specialized certifications or achievements that validate your expertise.

Imagine this, you start charging $150 per hour and have 5 clients with whom you have 3 1-hour sessions a week. Working 15 hours a week will earn you… $2250, which makes your monthly salary as a consultant $9000. Good scale, isn’t it? How many more hours to take is completely up to you, but financial freedom is guaranteed. 

Build your online consulting business with Uteach 

If you are looking for a robust consulting platform to kickstart and scale your business, then you are in the right place. Uteach is one of the leading solutions for coaches and consultants. It comes in handy with features ranging from website & course building to live functionality and marketing tools. Schedule a free demo with our team to find out more.