IEEE-USA has published the IEEE-USA Consultants Fee Survey Report: 2025 Edition. The report is full of useful information if you are thinking of hiring an engineering consultant — or becoming one.
The IEEE-USA Consultants Fee Report, 2025 Edition has collected more information on members who earn less than 50 percent of their income from consulting (“partial consultants”), while continuing to report a broad array of data on “full fee-based consultants” (those who earn more than 50 percent of their income from consulting).
The Report showed that rates charged plateaued in 2025 after gains in rates from 2023 to 2024. The median rate charged by full fee-based consultants remained unchanged from 2024-2025. Partial consultants in the 2025 survey median rate was equal to those of full fee-based consultants, though a larger portion charged less (nine percent charged less than $100 per hour.)
As in the past, rates charged varied, sometimes significantly, by geographic region, education level, business sector, and experience. The report breaks down each area by highest decile, highest quarter, median, lowest quarter, and lowest decile.
The complete IEEE-USA Consultants Fee Survey Report: 2025 Edition is available for purchase from the IEEE-USA Shop. The Report is $29.95 for members; non-members pay $49.95.
Some of the findings from the report include:
- The areas where most consultants offered services were Systems Engineering (30%); Electrical Power Systems (27%); Python (27%); Technical Writing (27%); and New Product Development (25%)
- Roughly one in five consultants charged $300 or more an hour, unchanged from last year after rising significantly in 2023
- Full fee-based consultants holding a Ph.D. charged a median hourly rate $50 higher than all respondents; roughly one in four consultants holds a Ph.D. as their highest degree
- Full fee-based consultants holding an MBA charged a median hourly rate $20 higher than all respondents; a little over a third of respondents have an MBA
- The advantage of having a Ph.D. to an MBA rises in the highest decile to a $93 an hour advantage ($500 an hour for a Ph.D. to $408 for an MBA)
- There was no reported difference in rates charged by engineers with or without a Professional Engineer (P.E.) license; in the past those with a P.E. charged slightly more (roughly $10 to $26 an hour)
- Consultants with office locations in the Mountain region had the highest median rates ($235); the regions with the lowest median rate charged were the West North Central ($175), and the West South Central ($195)
- For partial consultants in the 2025 survey, those with office locations in the South Atlantic region had the highest median rate ($250) followed by the Pacific region ($238)
- Four out of five consultants work out of their home office
The survey also presented characteristics that might make you more attractive as a client. Respondents described “characteristics they would associate with an ideal client” as those who:
- Pay on time, without reminders, and honor agreed-to terms
- Articulate needs, expectations, and project goals clearly
- Treat consultants with respect, trust their expertise, and maintain ethical standards
- Understand the technical domain or are open to learning
- Manage projects efficiently and maintain professionalism
- Have adequate budgets and financial health
- Encourage collaboration and flexibility in work arrangements
- Offer meaningful projects that are intellectually stimulating
- Match the consultant’s expertise and values
The 2025 report surveyed approximately 9,000 IEEE members who identified themselves as consultants in the IEEE database (down from 12,000 in 2024). The analysis includes responses from 375 full fee-based consultants and 160 partial consultants. The response rate of 8.7% was the highest of recent surveys.
The survey also asked respondents how IEEE-USA could assist them in their consulting. While the most common response was that they were happy with the level of support provided by IEEE-USA, other frequent responses included:
- Requests for better networking opportunities and increased visibility of consultants
- Assistance in acquiring new clients and promoting services
- Webinars, courses, and training on consulting skills and emerging technologies
- Consultant Directory/Finder improvements (with suggestions such as “Improve visibility of assignments in consultant finder” and “Maintain a searchable expert witness directory”
- Help with setting competitive consulting rates
- Help with marketing services and building online presence
- Increased awareness of Consultant Committee Services
