By Veronika von Strachwitz-Camara - Business Development Senior Manager
Within the broader world of management consulting, so-called economic consulting firms provide services related to economic analysis, forecasting, and litigation support, aiding clients in achieving strategic goals and mitigating risks in evolving business environments.
Economic consulting firms tend to experience increased demand for their expertise during times of disruption and market uncertainty, such as occurred on a global scale and across industries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic consultants have found themselves at the forefront of pandemic response within business, assisting clients in analysing market trends, making informed decisions, and devising strategies to weather the storm. In turn, the increased demand for expert economic insights during uncertain times has contributed to the upward trajectory of economic consulting salaries.
Economic Consulting across Sectors
Economic consultants serve a wide range of industries, and the impact of the pandemic and subsequent global unease has varied by sector. Some industries, such as healthcare and technology, saw increased demand for consulting services, which in many cases have led to salary increases.
Another sector with growing demand for economic consulting, energy and sustainability, has seen increasing growth due to the impact of climate change; as economic consulting services are called on to, for example, predict consequences of investments in certain markets and geographies.
Governments seek economic consulting services to inform policy formulation, assess economic impacts of proposed changes, and ensure data-driven decision-making. The scale and urgency of recent macro-level challenges have propelled government engagement with economic consultants to new heights. National economies faced unprecedented disruptions in the pandemic, as well as with recent geopolitical shifts such as the Ukraine war, prompting governments to seek strategies that could mitigate adverse effects and accelerate recovery or restructuring of business.
At the same time, the surge in demand hasn't been uniform across all sectors. Industries like travel, hospitality, and retail have been severely affected by events ranging from the pandemic to breakdowns in regional security, leading to decreased demand for economic consulting services in these areas.
Growth Trajectory: Economic Consulting Salaries
The overall surge in government and industry demand for economic consulting services has had a direct impact on salaries in the field. Economic consultants with expertise in areas such as macroeconomic modelling, fiscal policy analysis, and public finance have seen their skills become even more valued. Governments are competing with private sector firms to secure top talent, driving up the salaries of consultants with a proven track record in addressing complex economic challenges.
HR-sourced economic consulting salary data collected by Vencon Research as well as numerous discussions with clients in the field confirm the trend, showing in part drastic increases in economic consulting salaries.
This increased demand is not confined to developed economies; emerging markets are also recognizing the importance of economic consulting in shaping their economic recovery trajectories. As governments strive to strike the delicate balance between safeguarding public health and revitalizing economies, they turn to economic consultants for insights that can steer their policy decisions in the right direction.
It's important to note that economic consulting is a highly specialized field, and compensation can be influenced by a wide range of factors. To get a more accurate and up-to-date picture of salary trends in economic consulting, it's advisable to consult industry reports, salary surveys, and reach out to professionals in the field or specific firms for the most current information. Additionally, economic conditions and salary trends can change over time, so it's essential to consider the context of the specific time period you are interested in.
First-sourced Salary Data from Vencon Research Benchmarking Surveys
To get an accurate and up-to-date picture of salary trends in economic consulting, you can consult Vencon Research’s specialised Economic Consulting (ECO) salary surveys for the most current information.
Please feel free to reach out to one of our experts.