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DEI consulting by the numbers
Last updated: November 2026Published by Celeste Warren Consulting
The global diversity and inclusion market was valued at about $9.4 billion in 2023, according to a Grand View Research report, and is projected to grow 12.6% a year through 2030.
How big is the DEI consulting market?
Published estimates put the global diversity and inclusion market near $9.4 billion in 2023, with 12.6% projected annual growth through 2030. The DEI Consulting Directory, published by Celeste Warren Consulting, collects these figures so executives can see the scale of the field before choosing a firm. None of these numbers describe CRW Diversity's own results.
Published statistics, with sources
- $9.4 billionApproximate value of the global diversity and inclusion market in 2023, projected to grow at a 12.6% compound annual growth rate through 2030, per a Grand View Research report.Source: Hacking the Case Interview, Top DEI Consulting Firms (2026)
- 85%Share of B:CIVIC members that are small businesses.Source: B:CIVIC, DEI Practitioners
- 40%Share of KPMG’s more than 219,000 employees who work within at least one of the firm’s national diversity networks.Source: Top 10: Companies for Diversity & Inclusion
- 72%Share of Kaiser Permanente’s more than 220,960 employees who are female; 70% are people of colour.Source: Top 10: Companies for Diversity & Inclusion
- About 10%Share of one profiled company’s supply chain made up of women-owned businesses.Source: Top 10: Companies for Diversity & Inclusion
What the numbers mean for buyers
A growing market means more choice and more variation in quality. Large employers report diversity through networks, supplier programs, and workforce composition, but those figures describe outcomes, not the leadership decisions behind them. That is the gap a systems-focused advisor addresses: examining the policies, practices, and everyday decisions that produce the numbers.
Common questions
- How big is the DEI consulting market?
- According to a Grand View Research report cited by Hacking the Case Interview, the global diversity and inclusion market was valued at about $9.4 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6% through 2030. These are market figures, not figures for any single firm in this directory.
- Are DEI consulting firms still relevant in 2026?
- Yes, though the work is changing. Hacking the Case Interview reports that many companies reframed programs using words like culture, belonging, fairness, or inclusive leadership. The underlying need remains: leaders still decide who gets access to information, opportunity, and resources. That everyday decision-making is the focus of the Equity in Action Model.
- What are the top DEI consulting firms?
- It depends on what you need. This directory, published by Celeste Warren Consulting, lists CRW Diversity first as its publisher’s own pick, then six firms alphabetically: CAPE Inclusion, changeforce, The Nova Collective, Paradigm, Prismatic, and WEBB Advisory Group. Large management consultancies also run DEI practices for enterprise-wide programs.
- How much do DEI consulting firms charge?
- Prices vary widely by firm size and scope. Hacking the Case Interview reports that boutique DEI firms typically charge $25,000 to $250,000 for project work, with hourly rates of $200 to $600 or more, while large firm programs run $250,000 to over $2 million. CRW Diversity does not publish prices, so ask Celeste Warren directly.
- Is DEI consulting only for large companies?
- No. Celeste Warren’s experience comes from a Fortune 100 company, but her work begins with each organization’s own situation and no size limit is stated. For context, B:CIVIC reports that 85% of its members are small businesses, and it maintains a DEI practitioner list to support them.
- Is this directory of DEI consulting firms independent?
- No. This directory is published by Celeste Warren Consulting, the firm behind CRW Diversity, which is listed first as its publisher’s own pick. Other firms are described with neutral facts from their own public pages or a public practitioner list, and they are not ranked against each other. The methodology page explains how entries were chosen.