Please note: Figures on this page were amended on 4th April 2023 to reflect an update in our methodology for calculating our gender pay gap. You can find out more here.
UK companies with 250 or more employees are legally required to calculate and report their gender pay gap figures and this is the fourth year of mandatory reporting. Our data includes UK employees of McKinsey & Company, including Partners and Senior Partners.
The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of all men and women across a workforce, calculated on the snapshot date of 5 April 2020. It is not the same as unequal pay (paying men and women differently for performing the same work), which has been unlawful since 1970. Within our Firm, men and women with the same performance and experience in equivalent roles are paid equally.
For 2020, our mean (average) hourly rate gap is 34.7%, which is 3.6% higher than 2019. Our mean bonus gap remains unchanged at 71.3%.
Proportion of employees who received bonus pay:
Male 90.7%
Female 86.5%
Our gender pay gap reflects the fact that we have a larger proportion of men in senior roles and we still have some way to go to achieve parity. We have made great strides in recruitment with 47% share of women in the UK for 2020 – but having a larger proportion of women in our entry level roles can also widen the gap. Until we have much stronger representation of women at senior levels, we will continue to see fluctuations in our reporting numbers and a gap will exist.
2020 Pay Quartiles
| Quartile | Male | Female |
| Upper | 72.8% | 27.2% |
| Upper middle | 62.4% | 37.6% |
| Lower middle | 50.5% | 49.5% |
| Lower | 31.2% | 68.8% |
Building strong foundations
The case for gender parity is clear and it is critical to our long-term success. Our research has consistently demonstrated the performance benefits of a diverse workforce. We know that being open to different perspectives helps us to better understand and support our clients, innovate, and manage risk.
However, our research over the past year has also shown just how dramatically the pandemic has impacted women more acutely. Many have grappled with a “double shift” of household responsibilities and a more difficult remote-work experience. As we embed new norms over the coming months in the hybrid world of work, this will improve our ability to attract and retain talented women wishing to achieve their personal and professional ambitions.
While there are no quick “fixes”, we are putting strong foundations in place and are taking progressive steps to help us create a better, more diverse and inclusive firm for the future.
Click here for more information on how McKinsey is building a more diverse workforce.
I confirm the data reported is accurate.
Michael Edwards
(Director of People and Operations)
