Congratulations! That is an envible position to be in
In my mind the Tier 1 firm in general makes for the better option for the following reasons
1. Branding and Prestige - which is a big part of why a lot of people look to consulting
2. Exit opportunities - much greater choice of opportunities post T1 exit vs T2 exit. This is because proportionately, a lot of T1 alumni are in top roles across all industries. They often help others from MBB to also get into these companies and are excellent at responding to requests for help etc.
3. Pay - yes it may appear like the T2 is paying more to start off with, but pay progression in T1 is usually much quicker and greater than T2
When to consider T2
1. Lifestyle - Definitely more emphasis on a better lifestyle than T1
2. Industry or function expertize - some firms are excellent in doing particular types of work and are well known for it (e.g., ZS associates for mapping pharma sale rep territories). If that work interests you more than general consulting then it is a better choice
All the best,
Udayan
(edited)