HISTORICAL COMPARISON: BAIN, MCKINSEY, AND BCG

Ebb-and-flow.

That’s how MBB scores often look over time.

Take BCG and Employee Satisfaction. In 2020, employees gave the firm an average of 9.281. It dipped to 8.978 in 2024 before spiking to 9.559 last year and settling back to 9.333 in the latest ranking.

The same holds true for Bain and Compensation. In 2020, the firm averaged a 9.185 before climbing to 9.556 in 2023. After two years of declines, Bain averaged the best score in Compensation at 9.449 in 2026.

Ups-and-downs. New survey respondents. Changing market conditions. Ever-evolving expectations.

BAIN AND BCG SHINE IN CULTURE AND SELECTIVITY

Of course, the same numbers can tip readers off to something even more valuable: sometimes, strengths (and weaknesses) hold steady over time.

Exhibit A: Firm Culture and Hours at Bain. In 2019, survey respondents gave the firm a 9.80 score. Fast forward to 2026 and the average is 9.772 – with the lowest score being 9.719 over that period. In contrast, Bain’s lowest score in 2019 came in Hours At Work, which sat at 8.412. Seven years later, it remains Bain’s Achilles Heel at 8.190 – with the highest score coming in 2023 at 8.871.

Exhibit B: Selectivity and Internal Mobility at BCG. In 2019, BCG survey respondents pegged their firm at 9.796 for Selectivity. Not only was it difficult to land a job at BCG, but the quality of hires was stellar according to employees. Seven years later, that number stands at 9.756, with the highest average being 9.883 in 2021. No wild swings there. Compare that to Internal Mobility. How different was 2026 from 2019? Think 8.650 vs. 8.596 respectively – with BCG breaking the 9.0 watermark in 2022 with a 9.064. Again, there is a consistency there that shows readers exactly what to expect.

Wondering how the MBB fares over the time across the various Work and Life measures? Check out these numbers…

Next Page: Quality of Employment and Life Rankings