Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: July 24, 2026

 

Kearney New York recruiting runs through the firm's Times Square office, which uses a candidate-led, operations-heavy interview process across two rounds for undergraduate, MBA, and experienced hires. This guide covers the New York office, the roles you can recruit for, current pay, the full hiring timeline, and the exact steps to land an offer.

 

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Key Takeaways

 

To recruit successfully at Kearney New York, you need to pass an online assessment at some offices, then win a candidate-led, quantitative case interview across two rounds.

 

• Kearney's New York office is in Times Square with 290 consultants, and the firm is relocating to the Empire State Building

 

• A New York Business Analyst earns a median total package near $118,750, based on 2026 Levels.fyi data

 

• The hiring process averages about 33 days and runs two rounds of case and fit interviews

 

• Kearney cases are candidate-led and skew toward operations, procurement, and supply chain

 

• Undergraduates often face a group case at an assessment center, while MBAs do a written case

 

• Most applicants are cut at the resume screen, so a tight resume and a strong referral matter

 

Where Is Kearney's New York Office and How Big Is It?

 

Kearney's New York office is located at 7 Times Square on the 36th floor, in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. According to the firm's own office profile, the New York team is made up of 290 consultants and 17 management services colleagues, making it one of Kearney's largest and most prominent United States offices.

 

A major change is underway. In 2024, Kearney signed an 11-year lease for 27,866 square feet on the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building, the highest office floors rentable in the tower, per landlord Empire State Realty Trust.

 

That move puts the New York team at 350 Fifth Avenue with some of the best views in the city. Kearney's lead partner in New York, Candice Yee, said the firm is proud to base its New York team in the building.

 

The New York office is a flagship within Kearney's global network of more than 40 countries. It draws heavily on the firm's core strengths in strategy, operations, procurement, and supply chain, serving clients across consumer goods, financial services, industrials, energy, and private equity.

 

What Roles Can You Recruit for at Kearney New York?

 

Kearney New York hires across the full consulting ladder, with three main entry points based on your background. Undergraduates and master's students enter as Business Analysts, post-MBA candidates enter as Associates, and experienced professionals join at the level that matches their prior experience.

 

• Business Analyst: the entry point for undergraduate and master's hires, focused on research, data analysis, and client problem-solving

 

• Associate: the post-MBA entry point, where you lead workstreams, manage analysts, and own client relationships

 

• Manager and above: the path for experienced hires and promoted consultants, with growing leadership and client ownership at the Manager, Principal, and Partner levels

 

The recruiting path differs by entry point. Campus recruiting for Business Analysts and Associates is a structured, high-volume process tied to the school year. Experienced hiring is targeted and runs year-round, driven by the specific needs of New York project teams.

 

How Much Does Kearney New York Pay?

 

A Business Analyst at Kearney New York earns a median total compensation near $118,750 per year, according to Levels.fyi data from 2026. New York packages tend to run higher than the national average because of the city's cost of living, and pay rises sharply at every promotion.

 

The table below shows typical pay by level. These figures blend base salary and performance bonus from Levels.fyi and Glassdoor as of 2026, and they vary by individual performance and exact role.

 

Level	Typical base	Total comp	Entry point
Business Analyst	$95K to $110K	~$118,750	Undergrad and master's
Senior Business Analyst	~$108K	~$129K	After 2 to 3 years
Associate	~$178K	~$200K	Post-MBA
Manager	Low $200Ks	$220K to $280K	Promotion or lateral
Principal and Partner	Varies	$383K to $500K+	Senior leadership

 

For a deeper breakdown of bonuses and benefits at each level, see our full Kearney salary guide. Summer interns are paid pro-rated against these full-time bands, so a Business Analyst intern earns a strong hourly rate during the standard 10-week program.

 

What Is the Kearney New York Interview Process?

 

The Kearney New York interview process has up to four stages: an online assessment, an HR screen, a first round, and a final round. According to Glassdoor data from 2026, the full hiring process averages about 33 days from application to offer, though it can range from two weeks to three months.

 

1. Online assessment: some offices require a timed test of roughly 40 questions in 60 minutes covering numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning, while a few use an Excel skills test instead
   
   
2. HR screen: a short phone call reviewing your background and motivation, with questions like "Why consulting?" and "Why Kearney?"
   
   
3. First round: two interviews of roughly 45 to 60 minutes each, usually one case and one fit, led by associates and managers
   
   
4. Final round: two to three interviews with senior managers, principals, and partners, weighted toward cases plus a fit interview

 

The final round looks different depending on your entry point. If you are an undergraduate, it often takes the form of an assessment center that includes a group case presentation.

 

MBAs and experienced hires take a different path. Instead of a group exercise, you typically deliver an individual written case presentation to a panel of senior interviewers.

 

The written case is its own challenge. You receive a packet of materials, get about 60 minutes to analyze the data and build a short PowerPoint, and then present your recommendation followed by questions. Some New York interviews also include an Excel exercise testing functions like VLOOKUP, SUMIF, and INDEX MATCH.

 

The screening test trips up more candidates than people expect, so treat it as a real hurdle. If you want targeted practice, our Kearney recruitment test guide walks through every section with sample questions.

 

What Makes Kearney's Case Interviews Different?

 

Three things set Kearney cases apart from other firms. First, they are candidate-led like Bain and BCG, meaning you drive the structure and request data rather than following the interviewer's prompts. Second, they are heavier on math and data than most firms.

 

Third, the case content reflects Kearney's identity. You are more likely to see cost reduction, procurement, supply chain, and operations problems than at firms known for pure strategy work.

 

In my experience coaching candidates for Kearney, the operations slant is where strong applicants separate themselves. A typical first-round case might ask you to cut costs for an industrial manufacturer or consolidate procurement for a retailer, which rewards clear structure and fast, accurate math over clever theory.

 

Case interviews are the core of recruiting at Kearney. If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days. For a Kearney-specific walkthrough, our Kearney case interview guide covers all five case types with examples.

 

When Does Kearney New York Recruit?

 

Kearney New York recruits undergraduates and MBAs on a structured fall cycle, with applications typically opening in late summer and interviews running through fall and early winter. Experienced and lateral hires are recruited year-round, on an as-needed basis tied to the staffing needs of New York project teams.

 

For campus candidates, timing is everything. Internship and full-time application windows can close quickly, so you should track deadlines early and submit as soon as the cycle opens rather than waiting.

 

Lateral candidates have more flexibility but less predictability. Because experienced hiring follows project demand, roles can appear at any point in the year, which means staying in touch with recruiters and consultants pays off.

 

How Do You Get an Interview at Kearney New York?

 

Getting an interview at Kearney New York starts well before the case. Most applicants are cut at the resume screen, so your application materials and your network do the heavy lifting to get you in the door.

 

Build a resume that survives the screen

 

Kearney looks for evidence of analytical ability, leadership, and impact. Quantify your achievements, lead with results, and keep the document to a single page with clean formatting. A focused consulting resume beats a long list of responsibilities every time.

 

If your resume is holding you back, my resume review service gives you unlimited revisions with a 24-hour turnaround. A tailored cover letter that names the New York office and a specific practice can also help when applying outside of campus channels.

 

Network your way in

 

A strong internal advocate is one of the best ways to clear the resume screen. Reach out to New York consultants on LinkedIn, attend Kearney recruiting events, and ask thoughtful questions about their work.

 

A genuine connection often leads to a referral, which gets your application a closer look. Our guide on how to ask for a Kearney referral covers the right way to make that request without being pushy.

 

Prepare before you apply

 

Do not wait until you have an interview to start preparing. The candidates who succeed begin practicing cases and behavioral stories weeks ahead, so they are ready the moment a recruiter reaches out.

 

Build four strong behavioral stories covering leadership, analysis, conflict, and failure. Pair that with consistent case practice focused on operations and cost scenarios, and you will walk into Kearney New York recruiting far ahead of the pack.

 

How Does Kearney New York Compare to Peer Firms?

 

Kearney is not part of MBB, the group made up of McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. It sits just below that tier and competes most directly in New York with firms like Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, and the strategy and operations practices of the Big 4.

 

The practical difference for recruits is the type of work. Kearney's New York office leans into operations, procurement, and supply chain, so your cases and your projects skew toward execution rather than pure strategy.

 

That focus shapes who thrives there. Candidates who like getting into the operational mechanics of a business, not just the high-level strategy, tend to fit Kearney better than a firm built around brand-name strategy decks.

 

Exit opportunities are strong either way. Kearney consultants in New York move into corporate strategy and operations roles, private equity, and senior leadership positions, which is a major reason the office attracts so many applicants. Many candidates apply here alongside MBB, and the steps to break in mirror the broader path to how to get into consulting at any top firm.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Where is Kearney's New York office located?

 

Kearney's New York office sits at 7 Times Square on the 36th floor, in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The firm signed an 11-year lease in 2024 to relocate to the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building, so the address is moving to 350 Fifth Avenue.

 

How hard is it to get a job at Kearney New York?

 

Getting hired at Kearney New York is difficult. Glassdoor rates the interview difficulty at 3.51 out of 5 as of 2026, and the firm screens out most applicants at the resume stage. Strong analytical skills, structured thinking, and polished case performance are all required to land an offer.

 

How much does Kearney pay in New York?

 

A Business Analyst at Kearney New York earns a median total compensation near $118,750 per year, according to Levels.fyi data from 2026. Post-MBA Associates earn a base salary around $178,000 with total packages near $200,000. Pay climbs sharply at the Manager, Principal, and Partner levels.

 

Does Kearney New York require an online assessment?

 

Some Kearney offices require an online assessment before or during the first round. It is a timed test of roughly 40 questions in 60 minutes covering numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning. A few offices use an Excel-based skills test instead, so confirm the format with your recruiter.

 

When does Kearney New York recruit?

 

Kearney recruits undergraduates and MBAs through structured fall campus cycles, with applications typically opening in late summer and interviews running through fall and early winter. Experienced hires are recruited year-round based on project needs, so lateral candidates can apply at any time.

 

Is Kearney part of MBB?

 

No, Kearney is not part of MBB. MBB refers only to McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. Kearney is a highly respected global firm often grouped just below MBB, with particular strength in operations, procurement, and supply chain consulting.

 

Kearney New York recruiting rewards candidates who prepare early, build a tight resume, and master the firm's candidate-led, operations-heavy cases. Start practicing now, line up a referral, and you will give yourself the best shot at an offer from one of the most respected offices in consulting.

 

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