<p>Probably around the same to start, maybe a bit less (for consulting), or more for higher-end finance jobs such as venture capital or hedge funds.</p>
<p>However, what is attractive in consulting and banking is not so much starting pay, but rather later pay, which tends to ramp up quickly, especially in banking. But, most important of all, those jobs open doors to other career pathways. Most engineering jobs - of which the DWP jobs would almost certainly be included - provide a pathway only to other engineering jobs, or in some cases, project management jobs. Consulting allows you to try on a myriad of roles in multiple industries so you can decide on what you really like to do.</p>