I'd be interested to hear thoughts from others here - are climate and sustainability-focused roles less well-compensated than other areas? Do you think it's an after-thought for some companies?

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I’m happy in my role and I actually think we might be getting paid on the higher end compared to other consultants in the company.

For reference I have about 5 years of experience, 2 years in consulting, have a technical masters degree, at a big 4, and I’m in a high cost of living city. I get paid 142k as a senior 2. I was at 130k as a senior 1.

I was working in a consulting firm on an EPA contract and there I got paid about 68k in 2020. They market adjusted me to 74k in 2021 (that increase was still below market given my background). After I left that consulting firm, someone with similar experience ended up negotiating a market adjustment to 94k.

In general, if you’re a consultant contracted by government entities you get paid less (maybe not for the DOD).

Working IN the government in an energy/sustainability role is a different story, someone left my previous company (similar role in DOE) and started at 100k.

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Nope another Big 4.

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I’m happy with my income in my role. It’s becoming much more than an afterthought for many companies because of increasing regulation.

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Yes. I am a senior ESG consultant making 78k with 3.5 years of experience. My counterparts working in more traditional consulting roles with similar years of experience are well into 100k salaries. It’s an underpaid but highly demanded market so things are shifting in our favor for sure! More and more companies are willing to pay for sustainability professionals. It’s growing - hang in there!

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Then why does your title say senior consultant? Also which company are you in?

I believe so, but it’s not just traditional ESG. Even natural resources and energy transition / utilities roles are underfunded.

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All the same at McK

I think this is more a factor of the firm you work for than anything. MBB will pay their sustainability folks the same as anyone else. But if you’re a smaller, boutique company that sells less corporate environmental strategy and more baseline implementation or GHG reporting, then yes you’re going to be paid less than a management consultant with equivalent experience.

I’m at 250k TC working exclusively in climate/sustainability/corporate ESG consulting with about 7 YOE. Before this job, I was making about $140k doing similar work but for a smaller firm.

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Yes, wait till you see what happens during a recession

That doesn’t make any sense now that it’s transitioning from voluntary to required ESG disclosures

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TCFD and TNFD, when mandatory, will drive huge demand for these roles. Learn everything you can and be patient.

How are scenes at D?

I don’t feel that way where I work (regulated utility in the energy efficiency department). ~$90k incl. bonuses. I do have a side hustle as well, which pulls in an additional $5k-$10k per year.

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