2022 North American Professional Services Partner Compensation Survey

Welcome to the 2022 North American Professional Services Partner Compensation Survey, our first survey focused solely on professional services partners’ compensation, as well as their role structures, support ratio, and expectations.

For this report, Heidrick & Struggles compiled compensation and organization data from a survey of 192 partners in the professional services industry in the United States. We hope to expand the numbers and scope of respondents in future years. 

We hope you enjoy reading the report. As always, suggestions are welcome, so please feel free to contact us—or your Heidrick & Struggles representative—with questions and comments.

Introduction 

Almost all professional services firms profoundly changed their ways of working during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the aftereffects are still reverberating even though business has been, and continues to be, generally robust. Indeed, the theme that emerged from this first survey of partners at strategy, management consulting, and technology consulting firms is one of operational stress. However, given that the industry is still readjusting, and economic volatility continues, it is not yet clear whether the stress will continue in the long term.

Many respondents report less delivery support as well as paying a premium to both attract and retain talent, particularly at the junior levels and for diverse partners. Nonetheless, analysis also shows that compensation, particularly for women, still has a way to go before it reaches parity with male peers at most levels. 

In future surveys, we expect to continue to explore the shifting dynamics of and compensation at these firms, particularly in the face of an economic slowdown most executives now expect across industries and regions.

For full compensation data, download the full report.

About the authors

Gustavo Alba (galba@heidrick.com) is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Miami office and the global managing partner of the Technology & Services Practice.

Liz Hayes (lhayes@heidrick.com) is a principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Chicago office and a member of the firm’s Global Technology & Services and Private Equity practices.

Adele Aviles (aaviles@heidrick.com) is an associate in the Technology & Services Practice; she is based in the Washington, D.C., office.