Annually, numerous reputable organizations publish thousands of consulting opportunities for individual professionals. We collect and broadcast those announcements on DevelopmentAid, creating a valuable source of information about fees and per diems across the international development sector.
In 2025, more than 29,000 consultancy opportunities were posted on the DevelopmentAid platform from international development institutions, government bodies, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations and networks.
Beyond linking consultants with assignments, the published records provide insight into the fee levels organizations are prepared to offer for a wide range of consulting roles.
It’s worth noting that even though individual contracts vary depending on project requirements, funding rules, and other parameters, the data collected by DevelopmentAid provides practical benchmark figures that can help consultants better understand current fee levels in the international development market.
Consulting fees usually cover the consultant’s expertise and time, and as for the travel and living costs, such as daily allowances (per diem), accommodation, local transport, and international travel (unless the contract specifies an “all-inclusive” fee structure), these are often listed separately in the budget when applicable.
Short-term vs long-term consulting assignments
There’s no strict definition of short-term or long-term consulting—various organizations may structure consulting assignments in their own way, based on different parameters, such as project needs, funding requirements, and implementation timelines.
Short-term consultants (often hired by international organizations, consulting companies, and firms requiring flexible staffing solutions) offer their services for a specific project or period, and such contracts may last from a few days up to several months, according to the needs of the organization.
When it comes to long-term consulting assignments, these generally need consultants willing to work over several months or longer, thus agreeing on a monthly fee. Technical assistance is one of the common types of long‑term engagement.
Remember that each organization sets up its own contractual arrangements according to its project’s objectives and budget.
Daily consulting fee levels
According to DevelopmentAid’s database, organizations frequently differentiate consulting fees according to professional experience. Although requirements vary between assignments, many published opportunities classify consultants into three broad experience categories.
These figures represent consultant fees per working day published by organizations and employers on DevelopmentAid. They exclude Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA), per diem payments, travel expenses, taxes, and other contractual benefits.
Examples of consulting fees published on DevelopmentAid
These examples illustrate how daily consulting fees can vary depending on the assignment’s technical requirements, sector, duration, and level of expertise.
The graph below shows the average monthly salary for jobs in the Project Management sector in the U.S. in 2026.
Source: DevelopmentAid
If you’re an expert, become a member of DevelopmentAid and gain access to more detailed information on more than 118,000 job salaries.
The fee ranges presented above are based on consulting opportunities published by organizations and employers on DevelopmentAid. They should be viewed as market benchmarks, not fixed pricing standards.
Please note that actual consulting fees may differ depending on factors such as:
- the assignment’s scope and complexity;
- the consultant’s qualifications and specialist expertise;
- the funding organization or donor;
- the project’s location;
- contract duration, and
- market conditions at the time of recruitment.
For consultants, these benchmark figures provide a useful reference when evaluating new consulting opportunities or preparing financial proposals.
How consultants can use this information
Understanding current consulting fee levels can assist consultants looking for short-term or long-term projects to make more informed career decisions, as well as approach new projects with more realistic expectations.
The DevelopmentAid database helps consultants in numerous ways, namely:
- Compare the daily rate they anticipate with current fee levels outlined in published opportunities.
- Examine in more detail the consulting assignments before applying.
- Learn how fees vary across different sectors and experience levels.
Because the figures are based on opportunities published by organizations and employers on DevelopmentAid, they offer a practical snapshot of current hiring practices within the international development sector.
What are per diems?
Per diems, also referred to as Daily Subsistence Allowances (DSA), are payments that consultants receive separately from their fees and are meant to cover work-related expenses incurred during an assignment.
As mentioned previously, these allowances may cover accommodation, meals, local and international transportation, other daily expenses, or all at once while working away from their usual place of residence, depending on the project and contractual arrangements.
That being said, consultants should review each opportunity in detail to learn which expenses are covered.
Final word
We learned that several factors have a huge impact on consulting fees in international development, including professional experience, technical specialization, assignment requirements, project location, and budgets allocated for a project from an international organization.
By analyzing records published by organizations and employers on DevelopmentAid, consultants can learn lots of details regarding fee ranges within the development sector so they can compare expected daily rates and prepare stronger financial proposals.
Become a DevelopmentAid member to gain access to job opportunities, salary trends, organizations and donor profiles, webinars, exclusive reports, grants for individuals, customizable job alerts, tender alerts, and grant alerts, as well as CV tools and services, and much more.
