Cold email software for consultants
Acqro gives management consultants and fractional executives cold email that researches each prospect's company before writing. Below: verified federal data on the industry across all 50 states, the buyers it sells to, and a playbook for outreach that earns replies.
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How many consultants are in the United States?
The United States had 104,494 establishments in NAICS 541611, administrative management and general management consulting services, in 2023, employing 869,457 people. The largest markets by establishments were California, Florida and Texas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns.
Consultants in the US by the numbers
- US establishments
- 104,494+7.0% vs 2022Census CBP 2023, NAICS 541611
- Paid employees
- 869,457Census CBP 2023
- Average annual pay
- $121,753Census CBP 2023
- Firms under 10 employees
- 90.4%Census CBP 2023
- Largest state
- CaliforniaBy establishments, CBP 2023
Census does not publish a separate category for management consultants and fractional executives; figures use NAICS 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, the closest official industry. 90.4% of establishments have fewer than 10 employees, so most firms in the industry run outbound with a founder or a very small sales team. The 9,529 firms with 10 to 249 employees are the ones most likely to be building a repeatable outbound process.
The five largest states hold 46.9% of all establishments. Among states with at least 100 establishments, the fastest growth between 2022 and 2023 was in Wyoming (+23.2%), Alaska (+16.2%) and Kansas (+12.9%). Growing markets bring new competitors and new buyers at the same time, which rewards outreach that is specific rather than volume-driven.
Consultants by state
All states and DC ranked by number of establishments, with the change since 2022.
| Rank | State | Establishments | Employees | Change vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 17,851 | 88,119 | +7.4% |
| 2 | Florida | 11,375 | 58,879 | +5.8% |
| 3 | Texas | 9,705 | 80,499 | +9.7% |
| 4 | New York | 6,148 | 65,663 | +6.3% |
| 5 | North Carolina | 3,887 | 24,772 | +8.3% |
| 6 | Virginia | 3,791 | 77,188 | +6.3% |
| 7 | Illinois | 3,736 | 54,063 | +1.7% |
| 8 | Colorado | 3,325 | 18,633 | +6.6% |
| 9 | Georgia | 3,281 | 29,014 | +4.9% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 2,834 | 21,592 | +6.3% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 2,606 | 26,406 | +7.0% |
| 12 | Arizona | 2,493 | 20,643 | +8.9% |
| 13 | Maryland | 2,466 | 34,791 | +3.9% |
| 14 | Washington | 2,300 | 23,151 | +6.4% |
| 15 | Utah | 2,118 | 8,394 | +10.3% |
| 16 | Ohio | 2,064 | 17,887 | +5.1% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 1,893 | 30,405 | +8.4% |
| 18 | Michigan | 1,750 | 20,612 | +8.7% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 1,526 | 10,788 | +9.1% |
| 20 | Nevada | 1,478 | 5,931 | +7.3% |
| 21 | Indiana | 1,286 | 10,296 | +10.2% |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 1,094 | 7,733 | +8.3% |
| 23 | Tennessee | 1,063 | 14,403 | +7.9% |
| 24 | Missouri | 1,027 | 9,223 | +4.9% |
| 25 | Oregon | 1,013 | 5,635 | +4.0% |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 963 | 6,499 | +9.1% |
| 27 | South Carolina | 942 | 10,808 | +4.9% |
| 28 | District of Columbia | 925 | 23,247 | +8.6% |
| 29 | Louisiana | 853 | 4,893 | +2.2% |
| 30 | Connecticut | 760 | 5,673 | +6.4% |
| 31 | Alabama | 675 | 6,169 | +3.4% |
| 32 | Kansas | 666 | 5,866 | +12.9% |
| 33 | Kentucky | 652 | 4,956 | +5.3% |
| 34 | Arkansas | 559 | 3,362 | +4.9% |
| 35 | Iowa | 525 | 3,626 | +12.7% |
| 36 | Idaho | 516 | 3,866 | +9.6% |
| 37 | Wyoming | 488 | 891 | +23.2% |
| 38 | Delaware | 457 | 2,127 | +8.8% |
| 39 | Nebraska | 437 | 3,782 | +5.3% |
| 40 | Montana | 417 | 1,401 | +7.8% |
| 41 | New Mexico | 310 | 2,323 | +3.0% |
| 42 | Maine | 307 | 1,483 | −2.8% |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 303 | 2,240 | +5.2% |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 281 | 1,266 | +8.5% |
| 45 | Mississippi | 258 | 2,525 | +10.3% |
| 46 | Hawaii | 244 | 1,922 | +5.2% |
| 47 | South Dakota | 220 | 856 | +7.3% |
| 48 | Vermont | 167 | 535 | +9.9% |
| 49 | Alaska | 165 | 1,770 | +16.2% |
| 50 | West Virginia | 159 | — | +6.7% |
| 51 | North Dakota | 135 | 812 | +7.1% |
Who consultants sell to
Common buyer industries for management consultants and fractional executives, with US establishment counts and how many have 10 to 249 employees.
| Buyer industry | Establishments | 10–249 employees | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 284,452 | 123,720 | 12,335,234 |
| Wholesale Trade | 382,081 | 113,787 | 6,236,357 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 117,417 | 29,623 | 1,741,313 |
| Offices of Physicians | 218,066 | 58,939 | 2,771,935 |
How consultants should run cold email
Management consultants and fractional executives sell strategy, operations and interim leadership expertise to companies facing growth, change or performance problems. These are the contacts, triggers and messages that make a first email relevant rather than generic.
Who to email
- CEO or founder
- COO or general manager
- Owner of a family business
- Board member or investor at portfolio companies
Signals worth researching
- Leadership departures or new executive hires
- Acquisitions, new funding or ownership changes
- Expansion into new locations or markets
- Public restructuring or cost-cutting announcements
What to say
- Anchor the message to the business event and the decision it forces
- Share a relevant point of view rather than a service description
- Propose a short working session with a defined takeaway
What to avoid
- Vague offers to 'help you grow'
- Long biographies in the first message
Cold email for consultants, answered
How many consultants are there in the US?
There were 104,494 establishments in NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) in 2023, employing 869,457 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
Which states have the most consultants?
By establishments in 2023: California (17,851), Florida (11,375), Texas (9,705), New York (6,148) and North Carolina (3,887). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
How do consultants use cold email without sounding salesy?
Lead with a specific observation about the company and a genuine point of view on the decision it faces. Consultants sell judgement, so a message that demonstrates judgement about the prospect's situation is more persuasive than any description of services.
Which companies are most receptive to consulting outreach?
Companies in transition: new leadership, new ownership, rapid growth, expansion or restructuring. These events create decisions that outside expertise can help with, and they are usually visible in public announcements and job posts.
Is cold email legal in the United States?
Yes. The federal CAN-SPAM Act permits commercial email to business contacts without prior consent, provided the message identifies the sender accurately, uses a truthful subject line, includes a valid physical postal address and a working opt-out, and honours opt-out requests promptly. CAN-SPAM applies in every state and preempts most state commercial email laws, except provisions aimed at falsity or deception. This is general information, not legal advice.
Explore related pages
Consultants by state
Other industries
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a federal statistical release and is shown with its source and reference year. Figures the agencies withhold or publish with high noise are left out rather than estimated. Page updated September 17, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and 2022: establishments, paid employment for the pay period including March 12, annual payroll, and establishments by employment size. Industries use NAICS 2017 codes.
- Industry definition: NAICS 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, used as the closest official category for management consultants and fractional executives.
Built for consultants who sell to a finite list
Acqro researches every account on your list and writes the first email from what it finds.
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