For the second consecutive year, management consulting firms have collectively taken a step backwards. The 20 firms on this year’s list reported an 8% decline in management consultants at their Orange County offices, compared to May of last year.
In 2024, OC management consultants dipped by 1%.
Nine of the 20 companies reported local consultant declines, including the No. 1 ranked Deloitte. The New York-based firm, which has an office in Costa Mesa, decreased the number of its management consultants to 340, down from 361 the prior year. Deloitte also has the highest overall employee count in Orange County, with 1,032 people working at its Costa Mesa office, down 4.5% from May 2024.
Though Deloitte’s management consultants in OC declined, the firm was able to leapfrog over last year’s No. 1 ranked firm. Chicago-based Accenture, according to the Business Journal’s estimates, had 312 management consultants at its Irvine office this year, down from 347 last year.
Accenture also has the smallest overall employee count in Orange County among the five major management consulting firms, with 351 employees this year, down from 390 in 2024.
New York-based PwC slipped two slots—from No. 3 ranked to No. 5 ranked this year—with a 19% decline in management consultant count at its Irvine office. PwC reported 135 management consultants working out of its Irvine office this year, down from 166 in 2024.
PwC’s Orange County employee count, however, was up 3.7%, with 530 people working out of the Irvine office, compared to 511 last year.
New York-based KPMG LLP’s management consultant headcount remained flat this year at 163, making it the No. 3 ranked firm on the list.
KPMG’s overall employee count in Orange County rose by more than 2%, with 474 people working out of the firm’s Irvine office this year, compared to 464 in 2024.
Of the top 10 firms on the list, London-based Ernst & Young LLP was the only consulting firm to report an increase in OC management consultants. Ernst & Young increased its consultant count at its Irvine office from 151 last year to 157 in 2025, climbing nearly 4% over the past 12 months.
Ernst & Young, which inched up from the fifth spot last year to fourth overall in 2025, reported 668 employees working out of its Irvine office. That’s up 5.5% from 12 months ago, when Ernst & Young reported 633 people working at its Irvine office.
Big Losses for Small Firms
Four firms that aren’t as large as the top five and have a presence in Orange County reported a decline of about 10% or more, in terms of consultants lost since last year.
Chicago-based RSM US LLP, which specializes in assurance, consulting and taxes, reported 27% fewer consultants at its Irvine office as of May 2025. The firm reported 75 consultants at its Orange County operations this year, down from 103 in 2024.
RSM US also reported 242 total employees at its Irvine office this year, an 11% drop from the 271 who worked there last year.
Brian Kittredge, who leads RSM’s Irvine office, told the Business Journal the firm sold its Professional Services+ (PS+) advisory unit to Aprio earlier this year.
RSM US, Kittredge added, announced several executive leadership changes that went into effect last month and were part of continued succession planning to reinforce the firm’s digital-forward, globally integrated middle-market strategy.
Seattle-based Slalom, a consulting firm that works with nonprofits, startups and iconic brands, reported a 13% drop in the number of consultants working out of its Irvine office this year. There were 104 consultants at Slalom’s Irvine office this year, down from 119 last year.
Another notable decline was reported by Profit Recovery Partners. The Santa Ana-based firm specializing in cost-reduction solutions reported a 9.8% decrease, from 122 to 110, in the number of consultants working out of its Orange County headquarters.
Talley LLP, an Orange-based firm advising businesses on taxes and audits, reported a 15% gain of OC management consultants with 23 advisors, compared to 20 last year. The firm also reported 95 total employees at its Orange office, up 3.3% from the 92 who worked there 12 months ago.
One notable change from last year’s list: Moss Adams merged with Baker Tilly (see page 28).
The past 12 months have proved to be a mixed bag for Blythe Global Advisors LLC. The Irvine-based accounting advisory firm, ranked No. 6, reported 120 consultants working at its Orange County base, a decline of 4%.
“The headcount change reflects reduced demand due to fewer IPOs and shifts driven by recent accounting rule changes,” Marc Blythe, founder and president of Blythe Global Advisors, told the Business Journal. “We’ve added additional former Big Four partners to the team, enhancing our ability to provide high-level expertise to our clients.”
Research Director Desmond Celo contributed to this report.
