Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: May 24, 2026

 

Strategy& vs Monitor Deloitte is one of the most common decisions strategy consulting candidates face when comparing top tier 2 firms. Both are the dedicated strategy arms of Big 4 parents (PwC and Deloitte) and both compete directly with McKinsey, BCG, and Bain on high-end strategy work.

The short answer: Strategy& pays roughly 15 to 20% more and carries slightly stronger global strategy brand recognition, while Monitor Deloitte offers a deeper bench of resources, a more collaborative culture, and broader exposure to end-to-end transformation work.

 

In this guide, you will learn exactly how the two firms compare across salary, interview process, types of projects, culture, prestige, and exit opportunities. By the end, you will know which firm is the better fit for your specific career goals.

 

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What Is Strategy&?

 

Strategy& is the strategy consulting arm of PwC, formed in 2014 when PwC acquired Booz & Company in the largest consulting acquisition in PwC's history. Booz traces its roots to 1914 in Chicago, making Strategy& the oldest management consulting firm still in business and the first to use the term "management consultant."

 

Strategy& currently operates more than 4,500 consultants across 70+ offices worldwide as of 2025. It is led by Global Strategy& Leader George Sarraf and is structured as a distinct business unit within PwC's Advisory practice.

 

The firm is built around a proprietary approach called Capabilities-Driven Strategy. The core idea is that companies win by building a system of three to six distinctive capabilities that reinforce each other and create competitive advantage, rather than chasing every market opportunity.

 

Strategy& consultants typically work on:

 

• Corporate and business unit strategy

 

• Deals strategy and M&A support

 

• Fit for Growth cost transformation

 

• Digital and technology strategy

 

• Sustainability and ESG strategy

 

Strategy& is positioned as a "firm within a firm" inside PwC. It maintains its own branding, recruiting events, salary bands, and partner track that are largely independent from standard PwC Advisory.

 

What Is Monitor Deloitte?

 

Monitor Deloitte is the strategy consulting arm of Deloitte Consulting, formed in 2013 when Deloitte acquired the Monitor Group. Monitor Group was founded in 1983 by six Harvard Business School professors and business leaders, including Michael Porter, the father of competitive strategy.

 

Monitor Deloitte employs roughly 5,000 consultants across 27 offices in 17 countries. It sits inside Deloitte's broader Strategy and Analytics practice (formerly Strategy and Operations), which generates a significant share of Deloitte Consulting's $26 billion in annual revenue.

 

The firm focuses on classic strategy work but is more integrated with its parent than Strategy&. In the US in particular, Monitor Deloitte is largely a go-to-market brand for Deloitte's strategy practice, while in Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia it operates with more independence from standard Deloitte Consulting.

 

Monitor Deloitte consultants typically work on:

 

• Corporate and competitive strategy

 

• Market entry and growth planning

 

• Mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures

 

• Innovation and business design (Doblin practice)

 

• Business model transformation

 

Monitor Deloitte's major US offices each have distinct industry focuses. Boston (the original Monitor headquarters) is strong in life sciences. New York focuses on financial services. Chicago specializes in innovation and consumer products. San Francisco focuses on technology and digital strategy.

 

How Do Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte Compare at a Glance?

 

Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte are similar in many ways but differ in pay, brand prestige, project mix, and how integrated they are with their Big 4 parents. The table below summarizes the most important differences.

 

Factor	Strategy& (PwC)	Monitor Deloitte
Parent firm	PwC	Deloitte
Year acquired	2014 (acquired Booz & Company)	2013 (acquired Monitor Group)
Heritage	Founded 1914 in Chicago by Edwin Booz	Founded 1983 by Michael Porter and HBS professors
Consultants	~4,500 globally	~5,000 globally
Offices	70+ offices worldwide	27 offices in 17 countries
Integration with parent	Firm within a firm, semi-independent	More integrated, especially in the US
Project mix	Pure strategy weighted	Strategy plus transformation and implementation
Signature framework	Capabilities-Driven Strategy	Porter Five Forces, Doblin Innovation
Base salary (US, undergrad)	$103,000 to $115,000	$85,000 to $100,000
Offer rate	3 to 5%	3 to 4%
Case format	Candidate-led	Candidate-led plus written case

 

How Do Salaries Compare at Strategy& vs Monitor Deloitte?

 

Strategy& pays roughly 15 to 20% more than Monitor Deloitte at most levels, especially for undergraduate and post-MBA hires. According to Glassdoor salary data from 2026 covering 1,365 employee submissions, Strategy& annual salaries range from $83,647 for entry-level associates to $306,659 for directors. Monitor Deloitte salaries are higher than standard Deloitte consulting pay but consistently below Strategy&.

 

The salary gap exists because Strategy& positions itself as a direct competitor to MBB and prices its talent accordingly. Monitor Deloitte tends to anchor compensation closer to Deloitte's broader consulting pay bands.

 

What Are the US Salary Bands by Level?

 

The table below shows approximate 2026 US total compensation by level, based on data from Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale, and reported offers on Fishbowl. Numbers include base, bonus, and other allowances. Strategy& and PwC do not publish official salary bands.

 

Level	Strategy& Total Comp	Monitor Deloitte Total Comp
Undergrad / Associate	$110,000 to $140,000	$95,000 to $115,000
Senior Associate / Consultant	$150,000 to $210,000	$130,000 to $170,000
MBA / Senior Consultant	$210,000 to $260,000	$180,000 to $220,000
Manager	$260,000 to $340,000	$220,000 to $290,000
Senior Manager / Director	$340,000 to $450,000	$280,000 to $370,000
Partner	$650,000 to $1.5M+	$500,000 to $1M+

 

Two notes on these numbers. First, both firms pay significant location premiums for New York, San Francisco, and Boston offices. Second, partner compensation is highly variable at both firms and depends on individual book of business and firm performance.

 

How Do International Salaries Compare?

 

Outside the US, the salary gap narrows. In London, Milan, and Frankfurt, Strategy& typically pays 10 to 15% more than Monitor Deloitte at entry levels but the gap shrinks at manager and above. In the Middle East, Monitor Deloitte's Dubai practice is highly competitive with Strategy& due to the tax-free salary structure and strong housing allowances.

 

How Does the Interview Process Differ?

 

Both firms use candidate-led case interviews and place a heavy emphasis on behavioral fit, but the structure, length, and types of cases differ. Strategy& runs a tighter two-round process while Monitor Deloitte adds online assessments and a distinctive written case interview that few other firms use.

 

What Is the Strategy& Interview Process?

 

The Strategy& interview process consists of two rounds with four to five total interviews. According to Glassdoor data, the average hiring process takes about 37 days, and roughly 71% of candidates report a positive interview experience.

 

• First round: Two 45-minute interviews with senior associates or managers. Each combines behavioral fit questions (10 to 15 minutes), a candidate-led case (25 to 30 minutes), and your questions (5 minutes).

 

• Final round: Two to three 45-minute interviews with directors and partners. One interview is heavily focused on behavioral fit. Some offices include a written or group case.

 

Strategy& places more weight on behavioral fit than most consulting firms. Interviewers specifically screen for candidates who are not just using Strategy& as a backup to MBB.

 

What Is the Monitor Deloitte Interview Process?

 

The Monitor Deloitte interview process is longer and more multi-stage than Strategy&. Total time from application to offer typically takes four to eight weeks for early career candidates and three to six weeks for experienced hires.

 

• Early career track: Online application, then an immersive online assessment, then a job simulation (writing, video, multiple choice), then a final two-part assessment that includes a 5-minute prepared presentation.

 

• Experienced hire track: Resume screen, then first round with one behavioral and one or two case interviews, then final round with a behavioral, a case, and a group case interview.

 

The most distinctive part of the Monitor Deloitte interview is the written case. You receive 10 to 15 slides of data and 3 to 6 questions, then get 30 to 50 minutes of independent prep time before presenting your analysis to a director or partner.

 

What Types of Cases Should You Expect?

 

Both firms favor strategy-heavy cases, but the focus differs. Strategy& case interview prompts lean toward make-vs-buy decisions, capabilities assessments, and Fit for Growth style cost restructuring. Monitor Deloitte cases lean toward market entry, growth strategy, M&A, and innovation.

 

Both firms expect tailored frameworks, not memorized ones. Strong case interview frameworks are built from scratch based on the specific business problem, not pulled from a casebook.

 

How Do Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte Compare in Terms of Work?

 

Strategy& projects skew more toward pure strategy and shorter engagements, while Monitor Deloitte projects more often pull consultants into the broader Deloitte ecosystem for transformation, technology, and implementation work.

 

What Kind of Projects Does Strategy& Do?

 

Strategy& consultants typically work on six to twelve week strategy engagements with clear deliverables. The firm's four major platforms are Capabilities-Driven Strategy, Deals, Digital, and Fit for Growth. Project work tends to be senior-facing and client-facing from day one.

 

In recent years, Strategy& has pushed harder into deals strategy (M&A support, commercial due diligence, integration planning) and into AI-driven transformation. According to the firm, its 2026 strategic priorities focus on AI, ESG, and Deals Strategy as the three core growth platforms.

 

What Kind of Projects Does Monitor Deloitte Do?

 

Monitor Deloitte's project mix is broader. Pure strategy projects exist, especially in Boston, Chicago, and Europe, but consultants frequently get pulled into multi-month transformation programs that span Deloitte's wider Strategy and Analytics practice.

 

The Doblin practice (acquired by Monitor Group in 2007) is one of Monitor Deloitte's most differentiated offerings, focused on innovation strategy and design thinking. Doblin is housed in the Chicago office and runs projects globally.

 

The upside of the broader project mix is that Monitor Deloitte consultants often see strategy work all the way through to implementation. The downside is that some consultants spend significant time on engagements that are not strictly pure strategy.

 

How Do the Cultures Compare?

 

Strategy& has a more intense, MBB-like culture with longer hours and higher performance expectations. Monitor Deloitte has a more collaborative, supportive culture with better reported work-life balance. Both firms hire smart, ambitious people, but the day-to-day feel is meaningfully different.

 

What Is the Strategy& Culture Like?

 

Strategy& culture is closer to MBB than to standard Big 4. Hours are long (60+ hours per week is common), travel is heavy, and the performance bar is high. According to candidate reports on Wall Street Oasis and Fishbowl, Strategy& consultants describe the firm as intellectually rigorous, fast-paced, and demanding.

 

Strategy& also runs its own recruiting events, internal trainings, and partner track largely separate from PwC. This means newer hires often feel they are part of a strategy boutique rather than a Big 4 firm.

 

What Is the Monitor Deloitte Culture Like?

 

Monitor Deloitte is consistently rated as having one of the more supportive cultures in strategy consulting. The firm leans into Monitor Group's scholarly heritage, with strong mentorship, formal training programs, and a generally more collegial team environment.

 

Hours are still long (55 to 65 per week is typical) but reported burnout is lower than at Strategy&. Travel patterns also tend to be lighter, especially in offices like Boston where projects more often involve local clients.

 

The trade-off is that Monitor Deloitte is more clearly part of a larger firm. Consultants benefit from Deloitte's global infrastructure but also work within matrixed reporting structures and processes that Strategy& consultants do not face as often.

 

Which Firm Has Better Prestige and Brand Recognition?

 

Strategy& has a slightly stronger pure-strategy brand globally. Monitor Deloitte has a stronger overall corporate brand through Deloitte. In the US, Strategy& is generally seen as more prestigious among consulting candidates. In the Middle East and parts of Europe, the two are viewed roughly equally.

 

The reason Strategy& edges out on strategy prestige is its Booz heritage and its independent recruiting and salary positioning. Monitor Deloitte's prestige has been more variable since the 2013 acquisition. The Monitor brand was dissolved in some markets and revived in others. As of 2026, Deloitte continues to invest in rebuilding the Monitor Deloitte brand globally, particularly in Europe and the Middle East.

 

From the client side, both firms are credible strategy partners and frequently compete head-to-head against MBB on the same RFPs. From the talent side, the prestige conversation matters most for MBA recruiting and for candidates targeting MBB lateral moves.

 

How Do Exit Opportunities Compare?

 

Both firms offer strong exit opportunities into corporate strategy, tech, and operating roles. Strategy& has a small edge into private equity and lateral moves to MBB. Monitor Deloitte has a small edge into Fortune 500 corporate strategy roles thanks to the broader Deloitte alumni network.

 

Typical Strategy& consulting exit opportunities include MBB (as a lateral hire), private equity (mostly mid-cap), corporate strategy at Fortune 500 firms, and big tech (FAANG strategy and BizOps roles).

 

Typical Monitor Deloitte exit opportunities include corporate strategy at Fortune 500 firms, MBB (as a lateral hire), big tech, healthcare and pharma strategy, and social impact organizations. Monitor Deloitte has a stronger alumni base in healthcare and life sciences strategy roles, particularly out of the Boston office.

 

One important note: exit opportunities at both firms depend heavily on individual performance. Top performers at either firm can land MBB lateral offers or competitive PE roles. Average performers will find it harder.

 

Which Firm Should You Choose?

 

The right firm depends on what you care about most. Use the table below to decide.

 

If you prioritize...	Choose...
Higher pay	Strategy&
Pure strategy work	Strategy&
Strongest pure-strategy brand	Strategy&
Better work-life balance	Monitor Deloitte
Collaborative, mentorship-driven culture	Monitor Deloitte
Innovation and design thinking work	Monitor Deloitte (Doblin)
Healthcare and life sciences strategy	Monitor Deloitte (Boston)
Deals strategy and M&A support	Strategy&
End-to-end transformation exposure	Monitor Deloitte
Lateral move to MBB	Slight edge to Strategy&
Fortune 500 corporate strategy exit	Slight edge to Monitor Deloitte

 

If you have offers from both, talk to consultants at the specific office you would join before deciding. The differences between offices within each firm are often larger than the differences between the firms themselves.

 

How Are Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte Similar?

 

Despite the differences, both firms share more in common than not. Both are the dedicated strategy arms of Big 4 parents. Both compete directly with MBB on strategy work. Both use candidate-led case interviews and weight behavioral fit heavily.

 

Both firms also share these key traits:

 

• Offer rates between 3% and 5%, making them more accessible than the sub-1% rates at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain

 

• Tier 2 prestige in most markets, sitting just below MBB and above standard Big 4 consulting

 

• Significant compensation premium over standard PwC Advisory and standard Deloitte Consulting

 

• MBA recruiting at top business schools with structured intern programs

 

• Global mobility through their Big 4 parent networks

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is Strategy& better than Monitor Deloitte?

 

Strategy& generally pays more, has a stronger pure-strategy brand, and offers a tighter strategy-focused project mix. Monitor Deloitte offers a more collaborative culture, better reported work-life balance, and broader exposure to transformation work. Neither is objectively better. The right choice depends on what you care about most.

 

Which pays more, Strategy& or Monitor Deloitte?

 

Strategy& pays more at almost every level. In the US, the gap is typically 15 to 20% on base salary and slightly more on total compensation when bonuses are included. Outside the US, the gap narrows to 10 to 15% and is roughly equal in some Middle East offices.

 

Are Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte considered MBB?

 

No. MBB refers specifically to McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. Strategy& and Monitor Deloitte are typically classified as tier 2 strategy firms, sitting just below MBB in prestige and above standard Big 4 consulting practices. Both compete directly with MBB on client work.

 

Is Monitor Deloitte the same as Deloitte Consulting?

 

Not exactly. Monitor Deloitte is the strategy arm of Deloitte Consulting and sits within Deloitte's broader Strategy and Analytics practice. Standard Deloitte Consulting covers a much wider range of work including technology, human capital, and operations. Monitor Deloitte focuses primarily on high-end strategy.

 

Is Strategy& the same as PwC Consulting?

 

No. Strategy& is PwC's dedicated strategy consulting arm and operates as a firm within a firm. PwC Consulting (sometimes called PwC Advisory or PwC Consulting Solutions) covers technology, risk, deals, and management consulting. Strategy& has its own branding, salary bands, and recruiting process largely separate from PwC Consulting.

 

Which firm is easier to get into?

 

The two firms have similar offer rates of 3 to 5%. Strategy& tends to recruit more heavily from MBA programs while Monitor Deloitte recruits more broadly from undergraduates, advanced degree candidates, and experienced hires. Both are significantly more accessible than MBB but still highly selective.

 

Can you move from Strategy& or Monitor Deloitte to MBB?

 

Yes. Both firms regularly send consultants to McKinsey, BCG, and Bain as lateral hires. Two to three years of strong performance at either firm puts you in a competitive position for MBB recruiting. Strategy& has a slight edge here because its case interview style and culture more closely mirror MBB.

 

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