What are the differences in the base versus variable (e.g. bonus) pay for SWE versus consultant? At one point I was in a travel heavy role and I got a fairly g

What are the differences in the base versus variable (e.g. bonus) pay for SWE versus consultant? At one point I was in a travel heavy role and I got a fairly good bonus based on utilization/billable hours. Overall the consultants made more than the SWEs in the same company at similar levels because of the bonuses. The above wasn't true for the associate (basically entry level) and regular consultant levels. Level 1 and 2 SWEs could make more money and had far more career options. I got tired of travel and moved on to a low-travel role at a different company where I got a paid more. You should explore that. That being said, I'd have gladly taken a 10% paycut (at least temporarily) to stop traveling. Consulting roles require a different set of skills than a pure engineering role so it might make sense to switch jobs and hone your skills for 6 months or so. Then interview and move on. Or, if you perform well, ask for a promotion.