Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: May 25, 2026

 

Best consulting firms for diversity in 2026 include McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture, EY, and PwC. These firms lead the industry on women representation in new hires, dedicated employee resource groups, recruiting programs for underrepresented candidates, and inclusive culture awards.

 

By the end of this article, you will know which top consulting firms have the strongest diversity track record, how each firm supports underrepresented employees, and how to choose the right firm based on your background and career goals.

 

But first, a quick heads up:

 

McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other top firms accept less than 1% of applicants every year. If you want to triple your chances of landing interviews and 8x your chances of passing them, watch my free 40-minute training.

 

What Makes a Consulting Firm Good for Diversity?

 

A consulting firm is good for diversity when it shows measurable representation across gender, race, sexual orientation, and other identities at every level of the firm, not just entry-level. Strong firms also invest in pipeline programs, employee resource groups, mentorship, and pay equity audits. The best firms back these efforts with executive accountability and public reporting.

 

There are five factors I evaluate when ranking consulting firms for diversity:

 

• Representation data at hiring, mid-career, and partner levels, with women and underrepresented minorities tracked separately.

 

• Recruiting programs designed for diverse candidates, including sophomore internships, pre-MBA workshops, and scholarship awards.

 

• Employee resource groups that connect employees by identity and provide sponsorship, mentorship, and community.

 

• Inclusive benefits such as paid parental leave, fertility support, mental health coverage, and accommodations for people with disabilities.

 

• External recognition from credible bodies like the Human Rights Campaign, Working Mother, Seramount, and Fortune.

 

A firm that scores well on three or more of these factors is genuinely good for diversity. A firm that only checks one box is paying lip service.

 

In my experience at Bain and coaching hundreds of consulting candidates since, the firms that lead on diversity also tend to lead on retention and employee satisfaction. According to Bain research, employees at inclusive companies are 5.4 times more likely to stay long-term. That matters when top consulting firms spend hundreds of thousands of dollars training each new hire.

 

What Are the Best Consulting Firms for Diversity in 2026?

 

The best consulting firms for diversity in 2026 are McKinsey, BCG, Bain (collectively known as MBB), Deloitte, Accenture, EY, PwC, KPMG, Oliver Wyman, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Each of these firms has a documented track record on at least three of the five factors above, with most leading on hiring representation and employee resource groups.

 

Here is a snapshot comparison before I break each firm down in detail.

 

Firm	Women in New Hires	Standout DEI Strength	Key Recognition
McKinsey	About 48%	Black Network, Hispanic and Latino Network, All In initiative	HRC perfect score, Working Mother
BCG	About 45%	Women@BCG, Pride@BCG, Veterans@BCG	HRC perfect score, Fortune Best Workplaces
Bain	About 43%	Five ERGs, DART recruiting initiative	Glassdoor #1 Best Place to Work, HRC 12+ years
Deloitte	About 50%	Inclusion Council, broad business resource groups	Working Mother 100 Best, HRC perfect score
Accenture	About 47%	50/50 gender goal, neurodiversity hiring	Fortune Best Workplaces, Refinitiv Top 100
EY	About 49%	Women Fast Forward, Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence	HRC perfect score, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
PwC	About 47%	Pay equity audits, leadership gender balance by 2030	HRC perfect score, Working Mother
KPMG	About 47%	Embark Scholars, Rise program	DiversityInc Top 50, HRC perfect score
Oliver Wyman	About 41%	Women of Oliver Wyman, Multicultural Network	Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
Booz Allen Hamilton	About 40%	Veterans hiring, Neurodiversity Inclusion Program	Fortune Best Workplaces for Diversity

 

The figures below come from publicly reported firm diversity disclosures, Glassdoor surveys, and industry trackers from 2024 to 2026. Numbers vary by year and methodology, so treat them as directional benchmarks rather than exact rankings.

 

McKinsey & Company

 

McKinsey is one of the strongest performers in consulting on gender diversity, with women making up roughly 48% of recent new hires under the firm's All In initiative. McKinsey runs separate employee networks for Black consultants, Hispanic and Latino consultants, Asian consultants, LGBTQ+ consultants, and women. CEO Bob Sternfels publicly reaffirmed the firm's commitment to a "diverse meritocracy" in early 2025 even as many firms scaled back their public DEI messaging.

 

McKinsey also runs one of the broadest pipelines of diversity recruiting programs in consulting. These include the Sophomore Summer Business Analyst program, LAUNCH for sophomore Black students, Up Next, El Futuro, Ignite for women, and Inspire and Early Access for incoming MBA students.

 

The firm has received a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for multiple consecutive years. McKinsey's parental leave policy in the United States includes 16 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers and 8 weeks for secondary caregivers.

 

In my experience working alongside McKinsey teams on joint client engagements, the firm's affinity networks are well-resourced and have real influence on firmwide policy. The downside is that representation at the senior partner level still lags hiring numbers, a problem that is common across the consulting industry.

 

Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

 

BCG has set a public goal of reaching a 50/50 gender ratio across its consultant ranks and reported a 45% female intake in 2024 under its Women@BCG initiative. The firm also runs Pride@BCG, Veterans@BCG, and a Black Excellence at BCG network. BCG's diversity recruiting pipeline includes Growing Future Leaders for sophomores, Bridge to Consulting for first-generation students, Advance for sophomore women, and Empower and Unlock for pre-MBA candidates.

 

BCG was named to Fortune's 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity and has earned a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for multiple years. The firm's research has tied diversity directly to client outcomes, finding that companies with above-average diversity on management teams report innovation revenue 19 percentage points higher than peers. That research is part of why diversity is not just an HR talking point at BCG but a core part of how the firm sells its work.

 

BCG also offers strong parental leave benefits, including 16 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers and gender-neutral leave policies. The firm has been recognized by Working Mother for its support of working parents.

 

Bain & Company

 

Bain is consistently ranked among the best places to work for diverse candidates and has received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for 12+ consecutive years. The firm runs five employee resource groups: Bain Women's Leadership Council, BBlack at Bain, BLatinx at Bain, BGLAD (LGBTQ+), and BVets. Bain targets 45% women in senior roles by 2025 and integrates diversity tracking into its core mission statement.

 

Bain's diversity recruiting funnel is called DART (Diverse Applicant Recruiting and Talent). It includes the Building Entrepreneurial Leaders program for sophomore Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Indigenous students, the CREW program for sophomore women, and the ADVANTAGE program for advanced degree candidates. Bain has also ranked number one on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list multiple times. Bain's culture is consistently rated among the most inclusive in the consulting industry, with employees citing the firm's emphasis on team support and apprenticeship.

 

Bain offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers and 6 weeks for secondary caregivers, with backup childcare benefits. The firm has been on the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list for 10+ consecutive years.

 

Deloitte

 

Deloitte is one of the largest employers of diverse consulting talent in the world simply by scale, with roughly 460,000 employees globally. About 50% of Deloitte's US workforce identifies as women and 35% as racial or ethnic minorities. The firm runs an Inclusion Council that reports directly to the CEO and operates business resource groups for women, Black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+, veteran, and disability communities.

 

Deloitte has invested heavily in diverse partner pipelines and reported promoting 30% women partners and 12% ethnic minority partners in its UK practice in 2024. The firm also runs the Deloitte Leadership Allyship and Mentorship Program (DLAMP), the Discovery Internship for underrepresented sophomores, and several other early-career programs. Deloitte has been named to the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list and earned a perfect HRC Corporate Equality Index score for multiple years.

 

Deloitte's parental leave policy provides 16 weeks of paid leave for all new parents regardless of gender. The firm also offers domestic partner benefits and gender-affirming care coverage.

 

Accenture

 

Accenture set a public goal to reach a 50/50 gender balance globally by 2025 and reported about 47% women in its global workforce in 2024. The firm operates more than a dozen employee resource groups including Pride at Accenture, the African American Employee Resource Group, and the Disability ERG. Accenture publishes detailed diversity data annually and ties executive compensation to diversity outcomes.

 

Accenture has been recognized by Fortune as one of the Best Workplaces for Diversity, by Refinitiv on its Top 100 Most Diverse and Inclusive Index, and by the Human Rights Campaign with a perfect 100 score. The firm offers 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave and 8 weeks for non-birth parents in the US.

 

Accenture's commitment to neurodiversity hiring is particularly strong. The firm has hired hundreds of neurodivergent employees through dedicated programs that adjust interview processes and provide workplace accommodations.

 

EY (Ernst & Young)

 

EY is one of the most consistent performers on gender diversity, with women making up roughly 49% of new hires globally. The firm runs the Women Fast Forward initiative, an Inclusiveness Advisory Council that advises senior leadership, and dedicated networks for LGBTQ+ employees (Unity), Black professionals (BPN), Hispanic professionals (LatinX), and people with disabilities (AccessAbilities). EY also reports diversity data publicly and aligns its targets with the EU Women on Boards Directive.

 

EY has earned a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for multiple consecutive years and ranked highly on the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. The firm offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave for both birth and non-birth parents in the US. EY's Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence have placed hundreds of neurodivergent professionals into client-facing technology roles.

 

PwC

 

PwC has set a leadership gender balance goal aiming for parity by 2030 and reported about 47% women in new hires in 2024. The firm has been recognized for pay equity efforts and publishes annual diversity transparency reports. PwC's ERGs include Women in Tax, PwC Pride, the African American Senior Partner Network, and the Asia Pacific Senior Partner Network.

 

According to PwC's workforce data, 76% of job seekers consider diversity when evaluating job offers. That is part of why the firm has invested heavily in transparent reporting. PwC has earned a perfect 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index and was named to Working Mother's 100 Best Companies list.

 

PwC offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave plus phased return-to-work options. The firm also provides backup care and a strong set of mental health benefits.

 

KPMG

 

KPMG has been named to the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity for multiple consecutive years and earned a perfect 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. The firm reports about 47% women in its US workforce and runs business resource groups for Black, Hispanic and Latino, Asian Pacific, LGBTQ+, veteran, and women employees. KPMG's diversity recruiting includes the Embark Scholars program for early college students and Rise for early-career underrepresented candidates.

 

KPMG's parental leave policy provides 12 weeks of paid leave for all parents in the US. The firm has also invested in mental health benefits, including a global Mental Health and Wellness program.

 

Oliver Wyman

 

Oliver Wyman runs several employee resource groups including Women of Oliver Wyman (WOWO), Pride, the Multicultural Network, and the Veterans Network. The firm reports about 41% women in its consultant ranks and has been recognized on the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. Oliver Wyman also publishes diversity progress reports and ties partner accountability to diversity outcomes in its practice groups.

 

The firm's parental leave benefits include 16 weeks of paid leave for primary caregivers. Oliver Wyman has earned a perfect 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index.

 

Booz Allen Hamilton

 

Booz Allen Hamilton is one of the best consulting firms for veterans, with roughly 33% of its workforce identifying as military veterans, military spouses, or members of the Reserves or National Guard. The firm has been named to Fortune's Best Workplaces for Diversity and the DiversityInc Top 50. Booz Allen also runs a Neurodiversity Inclusion Program and a Disability Affinity Group.

 

Booz Allen's ERGs include the Women's Forum, the African American Forum, the Hispanic Forum, the Asian Pacific Islander Forum, GLOBE (LGBTQ+), and the Armed Services Forum. The firm offers 16 weeks of paid parental leave and was an early adopter of family-building benefits including fertility support and adoption assistance.

 

Which Consulting Firms Have the Best Gender Diversity?

 

The consulting firms with the strongest gender diversity in 2026 are McKinsey, EY, Deloitte, and PwC, all of which report 47% or higher female representation in new hires. McKinsey leads the MBB tier at roughly 48% female intake, followed by BCG at about 45%, and Bain at about 43%.

 

Firm	Female Hiring Rate	Female Partner Rate	Notable Gender Initiative
McKinsey	About 48%	About 24%	All In, Next Generation Women Leaders
BCG	About 45%	About 23%	Women@BCG, Advance
Bain	About 43%	About 26%	Bain Women's Leadership Council, CREW
Deloitte	About 50%	About 30%	Inclusion Council, Future Leaders Programme
Accenture	About 47%	About 30%	50/50 gender goal by 2025
EY	About 49%	About 31%	Women Fast Forward
PwC	About 47%	About 29%	Pay equity audits, parity by 2030
KPMG	About 47%	About 27%	Embark Scholars, KNOW

 

The pattern is clear. Consulting firms have made real progress at the entry level. The gap widens at senior partner level because women leave at higher rates than men in the mid-career years.

 

This is a well-documented issue across the industry. According to McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2025 report, women are less likely than men to be promoted from manager to senior manager, creating a leak in the leadership pipeline. The firms that take this seriously, including Bain, McKinsey, and Deloitte, fund formal sponsorship programs that pair women with senior partners who actively advocate for their promotion. Women in consulting often cite this kind of sponsorship as the single biggest factor in whether they stay through the partner track.

 

Which Consulting Firms Have the Best Racial and Ethnic Diversity?

 

McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, and Accenture lead on racial and ethnic diversity in consulting, with each firm reporting Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Asian representation above the industry average. The Big Four firms generally have higher absolute numbers of diverse employees due to their size. The MBB firms are more competitive on the percentage of diverse new hires.

 

Here is what each firm reports on race and ethnicity:

 

• McKinsey: about 32% of US new hires identify as Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, or another underrepresented group. The firm operates separate networks for Black, Hispanic and Latino, and Asian consultants.

 

• BCG: about 35% of US new hires identify as people of color. The Black Excellence at BCG network and the Latino at BCG network are highly active.

 

• Bain: about 30% of US new hires identify as Black, Hispanic, Latino, or Asian. The DART program and the BBlack at Bain and BLatinx at Bain ERGs lead recruiting and retention efforts.

 

• Deloitte: about 35% of US employees identify as ethnic minorities. Deloitte's Black, Hispanic, and Asian business resource groups each have thousands of members.

 

• Accenture: about 50% of US employees identify as people of color. Accenture is one of the few firms where ethnic diversity at hiring matches or exceeds gender diversity.

 

• EY, PwC, and KPMG: each reports between 35% and 45% ethnic minority representation in its US workforce.

 

In my experience coaching candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, the most important factor beyond hiring numbers is whether the firm has a critical mass of diverse senior leaders. A firm with one Black partner in a 200-person office sends a different signal than a firm with twenty. When evaluating firms, ask recruiters how many partners in your prospective office identify as members of underrepresented groups.

 

Which Consulting Firms Are Best for LGBTQ+ Inclusion?

 

The consulting firms best for LGBTQ+ inclusion are McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, EY, PwC, and Accenture, all of which have earned a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for multiple consecutive years. The Corporate Equality Index measures policies and practices including non-discrimination protections, transgender-inclusive healthcare, and public commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.

 

McKinsey, BCG, and Bain each run dedicated LGBTQ+ employee resource groups (GLAM at McKinsey, Pride@BCG, and BGLAD at Bain) that organize Pride events, sponsorship circles, and visibility campaigns. These groups also play a role in recruiting and supporting LGBTQ+ candidates through the interview process.

 

Bain has earned a perfect HRC score for 12+ consecutive years, the longest streak among major consulting firms. EY and PwC have also earned this score for over a decade. According to HRC data, perfect-score firms are significantly more likely to offer transgender-inclusive medical benefits, partner benefits regardless of gender or marital status, and formal gender transition guidelines.

 

Which Consulting Firms Are Best for Veterans and People with Disabilities?

 

Booz Allen Hamilton is the standout consulting firm for veterans, with roughly 33% of its workforce identifying as veterans, military spouses, or members of the Reserves or National Guard. Deloitte, Accenture, and PwC also run strong veteran hiring programs with dedicated military recruiting teams and ERGs.

 

For people with disabilities, Accenture, EY, and Deloitte lead the industry through formal neurodiversity hiring programs. Accenture has hired hundreds of neurodivergent employees through dedicated programs that adjust interview processes. EY operates Neuro-Diverse Centers of Excellence that have placed hundreds of neurodivergent professionals into technology consulting roles. Deloitte runs a similar program through its Office of Disability Inclusion.

 

Booz Allen Hamilton also operates a Neurodiversity Inclusion Program and received a Disability Equality Index Best Place to Work designation in 2023. More than half of the firms listed in this article have also earned that designation in recent years.

 

How Should You Evaluate a Consulting Firm's Commitment to Diversity?

 

To evaluate a consulting firm's commitment to diversity, look beyond the marketing and check three concrete sources: published diversity reports, third-party rankings, and direct conversations with current employees. Marketing claims are cheap. Reported data and consistent third-party recognition are harder to fake.

 

Here is the framework I recommend to every candidate I coach:

 

• Check the firm's most recent diversity report. McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and the Big Four all publish annual reports. Look for representation data broken out by level (entry, manager, partner), not just overall percentages.

 

• Cross-reference with third-party rankings. The Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, DiversityInc Top 50, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, Fortune Best Workplaces for Diversity, and Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index all use rigorous methodologies and are harder for firms to game.

 

• Talk to current employees from your background. Ask three specific questions. How representative are senior partners of underrepresented groups in this office? How active are the ERGs and what real influence do they have? Has the firm followed through on its public diversity commitments over the past two years?

 

• Ask about retention data, not just hiring data. A firm that hires 50% women but loses most of them by year three is not actually a diverse firm.

 

• Review the firm's recent public statements on diversity. Some firms have scaled back public DEI messaging since 2024 in response to political pressure. Others, including McKinsey, have publicly reaffirmed their commitment. Both choices tell you something.

 

If you want a broader view of which firms rank well on culture overall, the best consulting firms to work for tend to overlap significantly with the best firms for diversity, since culture and inclusion are tightly correlated.

 

How Do You Position Yourself as a Diverse Candidate?

 

To position yourself as a diverse candidate, apply to early-career diversity programs, build relationships with affinity-group recruiters, and tell your story in a way that highlights your unique perspective without making it the entire pitch. Diverse candidates who succeed in consulting recruiting do not lead with their identity. They lead with their fit and let their background add dimension.

 

Here are five steps that work:

 

• Apply to consulting diversity programs as early as freshman or sophomore year. Programs like McKinsey LAUNCH, BCG Bridge to Consulting, and Bain BEL give you mentorship, case prep, and a direct line to recruiters before regular recruiting begins.

 

• Connect with affinity-group consultants. Most firms have current employees who actively recruit from communities they identify with. Reach out on LinkedIn with a specific, respectful ask.

 

• Tell your story in fit interviews with specifics. Instead of saying "I bring a diverse perspective," walk through one experience where your background helped you solve a problem differently than peers would have.

 

• Apply broadly across MBB, the Big Four, and tier 2 firms. Different firms have different cultures, and you want options. A diversity-focused candidate often has more bargaining power in negotiations than they realize.

 

• Polish your resume to consulting standards. Diverse candidates sometimes downplay their accomplishments out of cultural modesty. Quantify your impact and use action verbs consistently. Your consulting resume should follow standard MBB formatting, with one-page length, quantified bullets, and no technical jargon.

 

The firms above all want diverse candidates and have built infrastructure to support them. Your job is to show up prepared, present well in interviews, and choose the firm that fits your goals.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Which consulting firm has the most women?

 

Deloitte and EY are the consulting firms with the highest absolute numbers of women, given their size. On a percentage basis, Deloitte leads with about 50% women in its US workforce, followed by EY at about 49% and McKinsey at about 48% in new hires. Among MBB firms, McKinsey has the highest female intake percentage in recent recruiting cycles.

 

Are MBB firms still committed to diversity in 2026?

 

Yes, MBB firms remain publicly committed to diversity in 2026, though their messaging has shifted. McKinsey reaffirmed its commitment to a "diverse meritocracy" in early 2025 under CEO Bob Sternfels. BCG and Bain both continue to run their full slate of diversity recruiting programs, ERGs, and partner accountability metrics, though they have toned down some of their external marketing in response to the changed political environment.

 

Do consulting diversity programs actually help you get hired?

 

Yes, consulting diversity programs significantly increase your odds of getting hired. According to internal data shared by major consulting firms, candidates who participate in diversity programs receive interview invitations and offers at meaningfully higher rates than candidates who apply through standard channels. These programs do not lower the hiring bar. They give qualified candidates from underrepresented backgrounds access to the same preparation resources and recruiter relationships that candidates from traditional feeder schools already have.

 

Which consulting firm is best for LGBTQ+ employees?

 

Bain, McKinsey, BCG, EY, PwC, Deloitte, and Accenture are all among the best consulting firms for LGBTQ+ employees, with each having earned a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for multiple consecutive years. Bain has the longest streak at 12+ consecutive years. These firms offer transgender-inclusive healthcare, partner benefits regardless of gender, and active LGBTQ+ employee networks.

 

Which consulting firm is best for Black and Hispanic candidates?

 

McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Deloitte all have strong support for Black and Hispanic candidates, with dedicated affinity networks, recruiting programs, and senior sponsorship programs. McKinsey runs the Black Network and Hispanic and Latino Network. BCG operates Black Excellence at BCG and Latino at BCG. Bain has BBlack at Bain and BLatinx at Bain. Deloitte's business resource groups for Black and Hispanic employees are among the largest in consulting.

 

Are boutique consulting firms better for diversity than MBB?

 

Boutique consulting firms vary widely on diversity, and there is no consistent answer. Some smaller firms have stronger inclusive cultures because of their flat structure and tight-knit teams. Others lack formal ERGs, diversity recruiting infrastructure, and the scale to sustain affinity communities. If diversity programs and community are important to you, larger firms like MBB and the Big Four are usually safer bets due to their formal infrastructure.

 

Everything You Need to Land a Consulting Offer

 

Need help passing your interviews?

• Case Interview Course: Become a top 10% case interview candidate in 7 days while saving yourself 100+ hours
  
  
• Fit Interview Course: Master 98% of consulting fit interview questions in a few hours
  
  
• Interview Coaching: Accelerate your prep with 1-on-1 coaching with Taylor Warfield, former Bain interviewer and best-selling author

  

Need help landing interviews?

• Resume Review & Editing: Craft the perfect resume with unlimited revisions and 24-hour turnaround

 

Need help with everything?

• Consulting Offer Program: Go from zero to offer-ready with a complete system

 

Not sure where to start?

• Free 40-Minute Training: Triple your chances of landing consulting interviews and 8x your chances of passing them