Prestige matters in consulting. Stronger brands means more high profile clients and projects, higher pay, strong networks, and more lucrative exit ramps. In terms of firm prestige, McKinsey continues to lead the way in the Vault Consulting50, just as it has for 14 years. McKinsey again notched the highest score, though both BCG and Bain made most gains in the eyes of their competitors. However, it is the second tier -- Deloitte, PwC, EY, and Accenture -- where the real action is. Over the past two years, these firms have each seen their Prestige score rise by .3 of a point or more. The biggest gain in prestige? That would be Northrup , whose score jumped by an entire point. In contrast, A.T. Kearney's prestige has taken a major hit over the past two years, with its score plummeting from 5.863 to 5.115 since 2019.