How Much to Charge for Business Consulting in 2026 — Market Rates

Independent business consultants in 2026 price across the widest band of any service category. Generalist operations and growth consultants charge $175–$400 per hour, fractional executives (CFO, COO, CMO) typically retain at $5,500–$14,000 per month for 1–2 days a week, and specialist consultants working on M&A, GTM, or turnaround engagements regularly quote $30,000–$175,000 per project. The market rewards specificity ruthlessly — "I help businesses grow" is worth one-third the rate of "I help Series-B SaaS companies fix their sales-led-to-PLG transition."