Compensation Watch ’22: Deloitte Lifts the Lid on Raises (UPDATED)

[Updated post from June 6 with new data from Going Concern’s 2013 comp thread.]

Big 4 compensation season kicked off a little more than a week ago when Deloitte employees got their comp statements and then proceeded to head over to r/accounting to whip it out and show it off for all to see.

Since the last time Deloitters got their comp statements in May 2021, the firm in December bumped up base pay for employees whose salaries were below market rates. And in an attempt to keep Green Dotters from leaving the firm for greener pastures during the Great Resignation, Deloitte offered retention bonuses in its audit and tax practices.

At Deloitte & Touche, management dangled a one-time retention bonus to second-years through senior managers in audit, with the amounts varying by level ($20,000 and $35,000). Those who took the retention payment have to remain at Deloitte through the end of May 2023. If they end up leaving the firm before then, they have to pay back the bonus in full. The bonus was paid out last January. A similar deal was offered to seniors and managers in Deloitte’s tax practice last February, as those who took the one-time $20,000 retention bonus must remain loyal to the Green Dot for the next two years or pay it all back if they renege on their loyalty. Bonuses were paid out in April.

So that leads us to Deloitte’s latest round of raises. How did they compare to previous years? To find out, I examined the 2022 comp thread on Reddit, as well as both 2021 (here and here), 2020, and 2019 Deloitte comp threads on Reddit. I also went back in the archive and looked at the 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013 comp threads on Going Concern. I made sure not to duplicate raise info from the same Redditor who posted in both 2021 comp threads. And I calculated the average raise percentage for each step up in rank or promotion where data was available (i.e, A1->A2, A2->S1, S1->S2, TC1->TC2, etc).

These averages don’t take into account factors like location/cost of living, line of service, academic degrees, scatterplot positioning, and bonuses/awards. This is just the average percentage of how much base pay increased per step up in rank/promotion.

Here they are (2022 raise percentage in bold):

A1->A2

• 14.7% (2022)
• 8.1% (2021)
• 6.6% (2020)
• 7.5% (2019)
• 5.7% (2017)
• 10% (2016)
• 5.3% (2015)
• 4.7% (2014)
• 5.6% (2013)

A2->S1

• 22.4% (2022)
• 18.6% (2021)
• 7% (2020)
• 16% (2019)
• 10% (2017)
• 14.5% (2016)
• 12.4% (2015)
• 11.6% (2014)
• 10.4% (2013)

S1->S2

• 11.6% (2022)
• 14.9% (2021)
• 0% (2020)
• 12.3% (2019)
• 7.9% (2017)
• 9% (2016)
• 12.3% (2015)
• 7% (2014)
• 6.8% (2013)

S2->S3

• 14.1% (2022)
• 10.5% (2021)
• 0% (2020)
• 11.8% (2019)
• 8.4% (2017)
• N/A (2016)
• 7.2% (2015)
• 9.8% (2014)
• 7.7% (2013)

S3->M1

• 20.1% (2022)
• 20.7% (2021)
• 5.9% (2020)
• 27.5% (2019)
• 13% (2017)
• N/A (2016)
• 14.1% (2015; only one entry)
• 13.5% (2014)
• 16.2% (2013)

M1->M2

• 11% (2022)
• 13.2% (2021)
• 0% (2020)
• N/A (2019)
• N/A (2017)
• 8% (2016; only one entry)
• N/A (2015)
• 5% (2014)
• N/A (2013)

M2->M3

• 13.3% (2022)
• 9.3% (2021)
• 0% (2020)
• 11% (2019)
• N/A (2017)
• 5% (2016; only one entry)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• N/A (2013)

TC1->TC2

• 16.9% (2022)
• 6.2% (2021)
• 2.5% (2020)
• 9.3% (2019)
• 5% (2017)
• 8.5% (2016)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• N/A (2013)

TC2->SC1

• 18.4% (2022)
• 14.9% (2021)
• 1.7% (2020)
• 17.5% (2019)
• 12.5% (2017)
• 11.8% (2016)
• 11.2% (2015; only one entry)
• 12.1% (2014; only one entry)
• N/A (2013)

SC1->SC2

• 24.6% (2022)
• N/A (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• 4.5% (2019)
• N/A% (2017)
• 12% (2016; only one entry)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• 3.7% (2013)

SC2->SC3

• N/A (2022)
• N/A (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• 12% (2019)
• N/A% (2017)
• 4% (2016; only one entry)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• 4.1% (2013; only one entry)

M3->SM1

• 22.4% (2022)
• N/A (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• 7% (2019)
• N/A% (2017)
• 14% (2016; only one entry)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• 13% (2013; only one entry)

M4->SM1

• 19.3% (2022)
• N/A (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• N/A (2019)
• N/A% (2017)
• N/A (2016)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• N/A (2013)

SM1->SM2

• 13% (2022; only one entry)
• 10% (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• N/A (2019)
• N/A (2017)
• N/A (2016)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• N/A (2013)

SM2->SM3

• N/A (2022)
• 7% (2021)
• N/A (2020)
• N/A (2019)
• N/A (2017)
• N/A (2016)
• N/A (2015)
• N/A (2014)
• N/A (2013)

It looks like second-year associates and first-year seniors were among the biggest winners. Managers didn’t do too badly either. Anything else stand out? Let us know in the comment section.