Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

 

PwC vs EY consulting is one of the closest comparisons in the Big 4. Both firms posted over $53 billion in global revenue in FY2025, both run elite strategy arms (Strategy& and EY-Parthenon), and both offer nearly identical salaries. The real differences come down to interview format, practice focus, and which strategy brand fits your career goals.

 

This guide breaks down PwC and EY across revenue, services, salary, interviews, culture, prestige, and exit opportunities so you can decide which firm to target.

 

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's the Difference Between PwC and EY Consulting?

 

PwC and EY are two of the four big four consulting firms, and both offer audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services. The key differences are in their strategy arms, practice mix, and interview formats. PwC runs Strategy& (the former Booz & Company), while EY runs EY-Parthenon, the largest Big 4 strategy practice by headcount.

 

Outside their strategy arms, both firms compete on digital transformation, technology implementation, risk, deals advisory, and sector consulting. The day-to-day experience depends far more on your practice and office than the firm name on your business card.

 

Here is a quick snapshot of the two firms in 2026:

 

Dimension	PwC	EY
FY2025 Global Revenue	$56.9 billion	$53.2 billion
Consulting Revenue Growth	Advisory +4.5%	Consulting +5.2%
Global Headcount (2025)	~364,000	~406,000
Strategy Arm	Strategy& (~3,500)	EY-Parthenon (~25,000)
Headquarters	London, UK	London, UK
US Analyst Starting Base	$85K to $100K	$85K to $100K
Signature Interview Element	Written case (Strategy&)	M&A and PE-flavored cases

 

Sources: PwC Global Annual Review 2025, EY FY2025 Global Revenue Announcement, Glassdoor, Levels.fyi.

 

How Do PwC and EY Compare on Revenue and Size?

 

PwC is the larger firm overall with $56.9 billion in FY2025 revenue compared to EY's $53.2 billion. However, EY has more employees (406,206 vs 364,000) and grew faster on a percentage basis at 3.9% versus PwC's 2.7%.

 

Both firms had a notable year. PwC cut about 5,600 jobs in FY2025, reversing a goal to reach 400,000 employees. EY did the opposite, expanding its global workforce by 3.4% after a prior-year contraction.

 

How Big Are the Consulting Practices Specifically?

 

Consulting is now the largest single service line at EY, generating $16.4 billion in FY2025 with 5.2% growth in local currency. Add EY-Parthenon (Strategy and Transactions) at $6.2 billion, and EY's broader advisory footprint exceeds $22 billion.

 

PwC's Advisory practice generated $24.3 billion in FY2025 with 4.5% growth, making it slightly larger than EY's combined consulting plus Parthenon revenue. Strategy& accounts for roughly 3,500 of those Advisory consultants worldwide.

 

The most important comparison for candidates is the strategy arms. EY-Parthenon expanded into a 25,000-person organization in early 2025 when EY merged its Strategy & Transactions division into the EY-Parthenon brand. That makes EY-Parthenon the largest Big 4 strategy practice by headcount, dwarfing Strategy&'s 3,500.

 

What Consulting Services Do PwC and EY Offer?

 

PwC and EY offer overlapping but differently structured consulting services. Both cover strategy, technology, operations, risk, and deals. Each firm leads in slightly different sectors and project types.

 

What Does PwC Consulting Do?

 

PwC Consulting operates under two distinct brands. PwC Advisory (also called Management Consulting or Deals Advisory) handles the bulk of the consulting work. Strategy& is the premium strategy arm formed from the 2014 acquisition of Booz & Company.

 

PwC's main consulting capabilities include:

 

• Strategy and value creation: Corporate strategy, M&A due diligence, growth strategy, operating model redesign (Strategy&)
  
  
• Digital and technology transformation: Cloud migration, SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, and custom platform builds
  
  
• Risk and regulatory: Cybersecurity, financial crime, ESG reporting, internal controls
  
  
• Deals advisory: Transaction services, due diligence, post-merger integration, restructuring
  
  
• Industry consulting: Particularly strong in financial services, healthcare, government, and industrials

 

PwC also launched PwC One in 2025, an AI-enabled platform combining its expertise with client data. The firm invested $3.1 billion across its network in FY2025 with a heavy focus on AI and technology.

 

What Does EY Consulting Do?

 

EY Consulting is one of the four main service lines at EY, alongside Assurance, Tax, and EY-Parthenon (Strategy and Transactions). Consulting at EY is organized around technology transformation, business consulting, and people advisory services.

 

EY's main consulting capabilities include:

 

• Strategy and transactions: Corporate strategy, M&A diligence, restructuring, transaction execution (EY-Parthenon)
  
  
• Technology consulting: Cloud, cybersecurity, data and analytics, AI implementation through the EY.ai platform
  
  
• Business consulting: Customer experience, supply chain, finance transformation, sustainability
  
  
• People advisory services: Workforce transformation, change management, HR strategy
  
  
• Sector strength: Particularly strong in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology

 

EY made a $250 million investment in AI tools in 2025 with partnerships across major cloud providers. AI-related revenue grew 30% in FY2025, with more than 15,000 EY people working on AI-led projects.

 

PwC Strategy& vs EY-Parthenon: How Do the Strategy Arms Compare?

 

Strategy& and EY-Parthenon are the strategy arms of PwC and EY respectively. Both compete with MBB for high-end strategy work, but they differ in size, sector focus, and client base. Strategy& leans toward corporate strategy across industries. EY-Parthenon is built around private equity and M&A.

 

Dimension	PwC Strategy&	EY-Parthenon
Origin	Booz & Company (2014)	Parthenon Group (2014)
Headcount (2025)	~3,500 strategy consultants	~25,000 (post-2025 expansion)
Sector Focus	Industrials, tech, consumer	Private equity, healthcare, education
Project Type	Corporate strategy, M&A	Commercial due diligence, M&A, restructuring
Interview Signature	Written case in final rounds	Strategy and PE-flavored cases
Manager Base Pay (US)	$196K to $308K	$183K to $285K
Closest MBB Comparable	BCG breadth across industries	Bain in PE due diligence

 

Which Strategy Arm Is Better for Your Career?

 

Pick Strategy& if you want broad corporate strategy work across multiple industries with the closest MBB consulting feel inside the Big 4. The smaller, more selective cohort and written case format create a strategy-boutique environment with PwC's global resources behind it.

 

Pick EY-Parthenon if you want exposure to private equity, M&A, or transaction-driven work. Many PE firms use EY-Parthenon for both commercial due diligence and portfolio company transformation. The 2025 expansion also opens up internal mobility into EY's broader transactions and sector advisory practices.

 

How Do PwC and EY Consulting Salaries Compare?

 

PwC and EY pay nearly identical base salaries at entry and consultant levels. The differences widen at manager and partner levels, where the strategy arms (Strategy& and EY-Parthenon) pull ahead of general advisory roles. Strategy& tops out at slightly higher partner pay, while EY-Parthenon's managers see strong incentive bonuses.

 

PwC Salary by Level (US, 2025 to 2026)

 

Level	PwC Advisory Base	Strategy& Base
Associate / Analyst	$72,000 to $100,000	$90,000 to $115,000
Senior Associate / Consultant	$96,000 to $138,000	$120,000 to $156,000
Senior Consultant	$114,000 to $170,000	$140,000 to $195,000
Manager	$148,000 to $227,000	$196,000 to $308,000
Partner	$299,000 to $542,000	Up to $700,000

 

EY Salary by Level (US, 2025 to 2026)

 

Level	EY Consulting Base	EY-Parthenon Base
Consultant	$87,000 to $128,000	$100,000 to $134,000
Senior Consultant	$95,000 to $137,000	$134,000 to $198,000
Manager	$141,000 to $217,000	$183,000 to $285,000
Senior Manager / Director	$200,000 to $300,000	$250,000 to $400,000
Partner	$264,000 to $483,000	Up to $650,000+

 

Sources: Levels.fyi, Glassdoor (2,766 EY-Parthenon salary reports as of February 2026), Wall Street Oasis, PwC pay range disclosures, Fishbowl.

 

The takeaway: at the analyst and consultant level, the difference between PwC and EY general advisory is 5% or less. If you have an offer from one and a higher offer from the other at the same level, take the higher one. At manager and partner levels, Strategy& edges out EY-Parthenon on base, but EY-Parthenon's variable bonus structure can close the gap in strong years.

 

How Do the PwC and EY Interview Processes Differ?

 

Both PwC and EY run multi-round consulting interviews that combine case interviews with behavioral questions. The most important differences are in the strategy arms. Strategy& adds a written case in final rounds. EY-Parthenon weights its cases toward M&A and private equity scenarios.

 

What Is the PwC Interview Process?

 

The general PwC consulting interview runs 2 to 3 rounds. Expect one behavioral interview and one or two case interviews per round, with case difficulty increasing as you move up the ladder.

 

Strategy& uses a separate, more rigorous process:

 

• First round: Two 45-minute interviews each combining a candidate-led case with behavioral or fit questions
  
  
• Final round: Two to three interviews, one or more including a written case with 30 to 60 minutes of prep time
  
  
• Written case format: You receive materials in advance, prepare a brief presentation, and defend your recommendation under partner-level questioning

 

The written case is Strategy&'s signature differentiator. It tests synthesis and communication under time pressure, not just structured thinking. Most candidates underestimate it because traditional case prep does not cover this format.

 

What Is the EY Interview Process?

 

The general EY consulting interview runs 2 to 3 rounds with a similar mix of behavioral and case work. Cases tend to be technology, operations, or transformation-flavored, reflecting EY's broader consulting practice mix.

 

EY-Parthenon runs a more selective process:

 

• Online application and screening: Resume review, some offices also use an online aptitude test
  
  
• First round: Two case interviews plus one behavioral interview
  
  
• Final round: Two to three interviews mixing advanced cases with deeper culture and leadership questions

 

EY-Parthenon cases lean toward M&A, market assessment, and portfolio strategy. Expect more due diligence and investment framing than operations cases or pure profitability problems.

 

How Are Strategy& and EY-Parthenon Interviews Different?

 

Interview Element	PwC Strategy&	EY-Parthenon
Number of Rounds	2 (1st round, final round)	2 (1st round, final round)
Cases per Round	1 per interview	2 cases plus 1 behavioral
Case Style	Broad strategy, MBB-style	M&A, PE due diligence, market assessment
Signature Element	Written case in final round	Heavy behavioral component
Behavioral Weight	Moderate	High
Math Intensity	Moderate to high	High (financial modeling)
Acceptance Rate	~5% to 8% (estimate)	~5% to 10% (estimate)

 

Case interviews are critical at both firms. If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days.

 

Which Firm Has Better Work-Life Balance?

 

Work-life balance at PwC and EY is roughly equivalent on average, with EY holding a slight edge in employee surveys for flexibility and well-being programs. The real driver of hours is your specific practice and project, not the firm name.

 

Practice Area	Typical Weekly Hours	Travel Expectation
General Advisory (both firms)	50 to 60 hours	0 to 2 days per week
Strategy& and EY-Parthenon	60 to 70 hours	1 to 3 days per week
Technology / Implementation	45 to 55 hours	Project-dependent
Audit busy season (Jan to Apr)	70 to 80 hours	On-site at client
Deals advisory at quarter-end	65 to 75 hours	Variable

 

EY tends to emphasize flexibility and well-being programs more visibly in its brand and policies. Many EY groups explicitly promote work-life balance, and the firm consistently ranks well on Glassdoor for culture and employee wellness.

 

PwC's advisory hours are similar in total but the firm has a more traditional structure carried over from its audit heritage. Strategy& consultants work the longest hours among PwC's practices, often 60 to 70 hours per week on active client engagements.

 

The honest answer: if work-life balance is your top priority within the Big 4, pick the practice and team carefully rather than the firm. Ask current consultants about average hours during the recruiting process.

 

How Do PwC and EY Compare on Culture?

 

PwC and EY have distinct cultural reputations that show up most clearly at the firm-wide brand level. PwC is more formal and structured. EY is known as the friendliest of the Big 4 with stronger emphasis on flexibility and employee well-being.

 

PwC Culture: Formal, Structured, Process-Oriented

 

PwC Advisory's culture carries a formal, risk-aware tone from its audit heritage. The firm emphasizes regulatory process, structured methodology, and clear hierarchy. For consultants in financial services or healthcare, this orientation is a strength, not a limitation. Clients in regulated industries expect that rigor.

 

Strategy& operates differently. It is a smaller, more selective cohort with a strategy-boutique feel inside PwC. The culture is closer to BCG or Bain than to general PwC Advisory.

 

EY Culture: Friendly, People-First, Flexible

 

EY consistently scores well in Big 4 culture comparisons. Employees describe it as the friendliest of the four with stronger emphasis on diversity, well-being, and flexibility. The firm's tagline, Building a better working world, shows up in how it markets itself to recruits.

 

EY-Parthenon's culture combines analytical rigor of a strategy boutique with EY's broader people-first orientation. The PE client base creates intensity around deal timelines, but the overall feel is collaborative.

 

Both firms warn that culture varies dramatically by office, practice, and partner. The Chicago office of PwC and the Chicago office of EY can feel almost identical, while two offices of the same firm in different cities can feel completely different. Talk to current consultants in your specific target office before signing.

 

Is PwC or EY More Prestigious?

 

PwC and EY are at very similar levels of prestige within the Big 4. Both rank below Deloitte (the most prestigious Big 4 firm) and above KPMG (the least prestigious). Among consulting peers, the two firms are seen as roughly equivalent in brand strength.

 

The prestige picture changes when you look at the strategy arms:

 

• Strategy& has historically carried slightly more brand cachet thanks to Booz & Company's pre-acquisition reputation as a tier-2 strategy firm
  
  
• EY-Parthenon has closed the prestige gap rapidly and was ranked among the top 5 most prestigious consulting firms globally in recent industry rankings
  
  
• Both are considered MBB-adjacent for strategy work, ahead of Monitor Deloitte and well ahead of KPMG's Global Strategy Group
  
  
• In private equity circles, EY-Parthenon often carries more brand weight than Strategy& due to its commercial due diligence reputation

 

For your resume, both firms carry comparable weight when recruiters scan it. The differentiation comes from the specific group: a Strategy& or EY-Parthenon line on your resume opens more doors than a general PwC Advisory or EY Consulting line.

 

What Are the Exit Opportunities From PwC vs EY?

 

Exit opportunities from PwC and EY are broadly similar, with consultants moving into corporate strategy, transformation roles, finance, and industry leadership. EY-Parthenon has the stronger pipeline into private equity. Strategy& produces more pure corporate strategy and product exits.

 

Exit Path	Strength at PwC	Strength at EY
Private equity	Moderate (Strategy&)	Strong (EY-Parthenon)
Corporate strategy	Strong (Strategy&)	Strong (EY-Parthenon)
Industry operations roles	Strong	Strong
Tech and product management	Moderate to strong	Moderate
Startup leadership	Moderate	Moderate
MBB lateral hire	Strong from Strategy&	Strong from EY-Parthenon
Investment banking	Moderate (Deals)	Moderate (S&T)

 

The pattern in my experience coaching candidates: people who exit from the strategy arms (Strategy& or EY-Parthenon) land much better roles than people who exit from general advisory. The brand line on your resume matters less than what you actually worked on day to day.

 

Most consultants stay 2 to 4 years before exiting. That window gives you enough project experience to make a credible jump while avoiding the dynamic where you become too senior to switch industries easily.

 

Should You Choose PwC or EY?

 

Choose PwC if you want corporate strategy work, are willing to handle a more formal culture, and value the Strategy& brand. Choose EY if you want exposure to private equity through EY-Parthenon, prefer a more flexible culture, or want the largest Big 4 strategy practice on your resume.

 

Pick PwC If...

 

• You want classic corporate strategy work through Strategy&
• You are targeting financial services, government, or healthcare advisory
• You prefer a more structured, process-oriented culture
• You want a strategy arm with the closest MBB-style brand inside the Big 4
• You are comfortable preparing for written case interviews

 

Pick EY If...

 

• You want to work in private equity, M&A, or commercial due diligence
• You value flexibility, work-life balance programs, and a friendlier culture
• You want exposure to AI and technology consulting at scale
• You are targeting healthcare, education, or PE-backed companies
• You want the largest Big 4 strategy practice (25,000 consultants) for internal mobility

 

Pick Both If You Are Risk-Averse

 

Most candidates I coach apply to both firms (and to all four Big 4) in parallel. Recruiting cycles overlap, applications are separate, and a strong consulting resume can be tailored for both with minimal effort. Maximize your shot at landing a Big 4 offer.

 

How Do You Land an Offer at PwC or EY?

 

Landing an offer at PwC or EY requires the same fundamentals as any top consulting firm. Strong resume, strong case interview performance, and strong fit answers. The firm-specific differences come down to which interview format you prepare for and which strategy arm you target.

 

Tip #1: Apply to Strategy& and EY-Parthenon Separately

 

Strategy& and EY-Parthenon have their own application portals, separate from the broader PwC and EY consulting tracks. If you want the strategy arm, apply directly to it. Do not assume a PwC Advisory application will get you considered for Strategy&.

 

Tip #2: Prepare for Written Cases If You Are Targeting Strategy&

 

The written case interview format is Strategy&'s signature interview element. Practice synthesizing a 20-page packet into a 5-slide presentation in 30 minutes. Most candidates skip this prep because traditional case courses do not cover written cases.

 

Tip #3: Frame Cases Through a PE Lens for EY-Parthenon

 

EY-Parthenon cases lean toward M&A, due diligence, and market assessment. Practice cases that ask whether a PE firm should buy a target, what the market size is for a portfolio company, or how to assess a competitive threat. Pure profitability or new product cases are less common.

 

Tip #4: Have Strong Answers for Why PwC or Why EY

 

Firm-specific fit questions matter at both. Have a clear answer for why PwC or why EY tied to specific practices, partners, projects, or sectors. Generic answers about prestige or learning fail.

 

Tip #5: Talk to Current Consultants Before Signing

 

Both firms vary dramatically by office, practice, and partner. Reach out to current consultants in your target group through LinkedIn, alumni networks, or coffee chats during the recruiting process. Ask about typical hours, project mix, and partner culture before accepting an offer.

 

Tip #6: Treat Behavioral Interviews as Seriously as Case Interviews

 

Both firms weight behavioral questions heavily, EY-Parthenon especially. Prepare 8 to 10 stories using the STAR method covering leadership, drive, teamwork, conflict, and impact. Strong consulting fit interview answers can be the deciding factor between two case-strong candidates.

 

Tip #7: Apply Early in the Recruiting Cycle

 

Both firms hire on rolling cycles with set application windows. For undergraduates and MBAs in the US, this usually means applying in late summer or early fall for full-time roles. Apply on day one of the window. Spots fill quickly and there is no advantage to waiting.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is PwC better than EY for consulting?

 

PwC and EY are roughly equal in overall prestige, salary, and exit opportunities. PwC is the better choice if you want corporate strategy work through Strategy&, which has a stronger MBB-style brand. EY is the better choice if you want private equity, M&A, or transaction work through EY-Parthenon, the largest Big 4 strategy practice by headcount.

 

Does PwC or EY pay more for consultants?

 

Base pay at PwC and EY is nearly identical at the analyst and consultant level, ranging from about $85,000 to $138,000 in the US. PwC Strategy& and EY-Parthenon both pay at the top of the Big 4 range, with manager salaries reaching $285,000 to $308,000 and partner pay up to $700,000.

 

Which is more prestigious, PwC or EY?

 

PwC and EY are at very similar levels of prestige within the Big 4. Among the strategy arms, PwC Strategy& has historically carried slightly more brand cachet thanks to its Booz & Company heritage. EY-Parthenon has closed the gap and is now the largest Big 4 strategy practice with about 25,000 people across 150 countries.

 

How is the PwC interview different from the EY interview?

 

PwC Strategy& uses a written case in final rounds, where you receive materials in advance and prepare a brief presentation. EY-Parthenon emphasizes M&A and private equity flavored cases with strong behavioral components. Both general advisory tracks run 2 to 3 rounds with a mix of behavioral and case interviews.

 

Is work-life balance better at PwC or EY?

 

Work-life balance at PwC and EY depends far more on your specific practice and project than on the firm name. Both firms average 50 to 60 hour weeks in advisory and 60 to 70 hours in their strategy arms. EY is slightly more associated with flexibility and well-being programs, but the difference is small.

 

What are the exit opportunities from PwC vs EY?

 

Both firms place consultants into corporate strategy, transformation roles, finance, and industry leadership positions. EY-Parthenon has the stronger pipeline into private equity and investment roles thanks to its PE client base. PwC Strategy& exits look closer to MBB exits for corporate strategy and product roles.

 

Should I apply to PwC and EY at the same time?

 

Yes. Most candidates apply to multiple Big 4 firms simultaneously. PwC and EY have separate recruiting cycles and separate applications for Strategy& and EY-Parthenon. Applying to both maximizes your shot at landing a Big 4 offer.

 

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