Consulting & Business Services

Home to all 15 executive branch departments, Washington, DC is the focal point of federal research, granting, and policymaking, offering consulting firms unparalleled opportunities to work with government, business, and international affairs. Consulting firms in DC are uniquely positioned to advise clients on complex challenges spanning policy, strategy, and operations. It’s no surprise that leading global consultancies such as BCG, PwC, KPMG, and McKinsey & Company have a strong presence in the nation’s capital.

DC Notable Rankings and Facts

Most Educated Metro in the United States¹

Concentration of Consulting Services in the United States²

2.4x the U.S. average

DC has the highest concentration of Consulting Services talent in the U.S.²

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

CONSULTING SERVICES

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS

ENGINEERING SERVICES

Major Employers

“Our job is to unleash the potential of the world, and there’s no better place to do that than in Washington, DC.”

JUSTIN DEAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR & SENIOR PARTNER, BCG

Talent Pipeline

The Washington, DC Metro Area leads the nation in these specialized skills and stands out in consulting subsector employment: #1 in Scientific and Technical Consulting (11,800) and #2 in both General Management Consulting (64,007) and Engineering Services (44,596).

Home to over

8x

the concentration of Economists than the U.S. average⁴

Washington, DC is Where Top Talent Grows

Four of the top-100 ranked business schools in the United States are located in the Washington, DC Metro Area³, three within DC’s boundaries, making Washington, DC the choice for an ever-expanding source of new highly educated and highly motivated talent.

Consulting Services Employee Concentration

1.00 = U.S. MSA average

Washington, DC MSA

2.43

Denver MSA

1.87

Detroit MSA

1.64

Houston MSA

1.56

San Diego MSA

1.48

Company Spotlight

Kellen, a global leader in providing management services to professional and trade organizations, doubled its footprint in Washington, DC by moving its headquarters in late 2024 from Atlanta, GA to Downtown DC. Supported by the Vitality Fund, as a result of Kellen’s move, 47 new associations are now headquartered in DC.

Watch our interview with Kellen as part of our Executive Testimonials series at wdcep.co/kellen

Resources

Vitality Fund

A multi-year, performance-based grant for established companies relocating to or expanding in DC, with a preference for Downtown. Awards depend on new jobs, money invested in the space, and keeping employees in the office at least half the time. Rounds open and close, so check where it stands before you plan around it.

Growth Fund

Grants for smaller companies and startups that relocate to or expand in DC but fall below the Vitality Fund thresholds. It looks for new jobs and office space that gets used. Rounds open and close, so check where it stands first.

On-the-Job Training

Through DOES, you can get a share of a new hire’s wages reimbursed while you train them, for up to six months. Reimbursement rates depend on the wage and the hire’s experience.

DMPED and WDCEP

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is the District government agency that designs and implements strategies to encourage companies to choose, stay, and grow in DC. Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) is a nonprofit, public-private partnership that leads business attraction efforts for DC. DMPED and WDCEP collaborate to advance the Mayor’s economic development strategy, with the primary focus of creating and retaining jobs to further drive sustainable, economic inclusion for the District of Columbia.

Collectively, DMPED and WDCEP provide the following services to support your relocation or expansion:

Assist with your real estate and site selection needs
Connect you directly to District government agencies, community organizations, and private sector leaders
Provide key insights from local C-suite executives
Customize community tours
Develop key market intelligence and custom research
Connect you to resources and funding opportunities, including incentives such as the Vitality Fund
Support in navigating DC Government agency requirements and processes

Not sure which program fits? Ask us for a free incentive estimate.

1. U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Based on a comparison of metropolitan areas with more than 1 million people.

2. JobsEQ 2026 Q2 data, comparison of top 25 MSA LQ. LQ = concentration of industry professionals relative to national MSAs average.

3. U.S. News & World Report, 2026.

4. JobsEQ 2026 Q2 data, comparison of top 25 MSA LQ.