I have [X] years of work experience. Is it too late for me to apply to consulting?

There isn’t a set threshold for each firm that they have to be under. However, as someone gets further along in their career (and further away from graduation) it is harder to transition into these firms (especially for the generalist positions).

For the entry-level undergrad/non-MBA master’s roles, firms typically want people with less than 3 years of work experience.

For the entry-level post MBA/PhD/JD roles, firms typically want people with 4-8 years of work experience.

Once someone has over 8 years of work experience, it can be much harder to get your foot in the door.

However, for the firms who have specialized roles in certain practice areas, it is more common to hire people with over 8 years of work experience since they are applying for an expert role in a certain practice area.