Harvard Business School (HBS), which is part of the Ivy League and M7, is consistently ranked as one of the best business schools in the world. The Harvard MBA program is known for bringing together some of the brightest young business minds.
Students in the Harvard MBA class of 2024 come from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries, including finance, consulting, technology, manufacturing, the non-profit sector, and the arts.
If getting into Harvard Business School is a goal of yours, our Harvard MBA Class Profile Analysis will provide insight into the kind of applicants who are successful in getting into the school. Additionally, we will also provide employment reports, cost of attendance, and scholarships at Harvard Business School.
- General Information on Harvard Business School
- Harvard MBA – By the numbers
- Harvard MBA Class Profile 2024
- Harvard MBA Application Deadlines
- Harvard MBA employment numbers – Class of 2022
- Start-Ups
- Entrepreneurship
- 5-year hiring trend at Harvard Business School
- Harvard MBA – Cost of Attendance
- Harvard MBA Scholarships
- Final Thoughts
General Information on Harvard Business School
Location – Soldiers Field, Boston, MA 02163
Dean – Srikant Datar
Admissions Office – MBA Admissions, Harvard Business School, Dillon House, Soldiers Field Boston, MA 02163
Phone: +1-617-495-6128
Email: admissions@hbs.edu
Social media – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, TikTok
Harvard MBA – By the numbers
Here are a few important statistics for the latest class i.e. class of 2024 of the Harvard Business School
| Applications Received | 8264 |
| Class Size | 1015 |
| Median GMAT Score | 730 |
| GMAT Range | 540-790 |
| Median GRE Score | 326 |
| GRE Range | 297-340 |
| Average GPA | 3.70 |
| Work Experience (Average) | 5 years |
| Tuition Cost for a Single Person | $73,440 |
| Percentage of students that received a job offer | 95% |
| Median Base Salary | $175,000 |
| Median Signing Bonus | $30,000 |
| Median Performance Bonus | $40,000 |
Now, let’s take a look in detail at the latest incoming class i.e., the class of 2024 of Harvard Business School.
Harvard MBA Class Profile 2024
Enrollment
A total of 8,264 people applied to be a part of the HBS class of 2024. However, HBS gave a chance to 12% of the applicants and 1,105 students enrolled.
- Applications Received by Harvard Business School – 8264
- Total Enrolled – 1015
- Enrollment rate – 12.2%
Diversity
Business Schools care a lot about maintaining diversity in the class. Nearly half (46%) of the HBS class of 2024 is female and 38% of students are foreign-born. The biggest chunk of international students comes from Asia (14%) followed by Europe (9%) and Mexico, Central, and South America put together (5%). More details are below.
- % women in the HBS class of 2024 – 46%
- % international students in the HBS class of 2024 – 38%
| Geographical Area | % of HBS class of 2024 |
| United States | 62% |
| Asia | 14% |
| Europe | 9% |
| Mexico, Central, and South America | 5% |
| Canada | 4% |
| Middle East | 3% |
| Africa | 3% |
| Oceania | 1% |
Test Scores and GPA
Harvard Business School is home to some of the brightest minds in the world. So, it’s quite understandable that the GPA and test scores will be on the higher side. The average GPA of the HBS class of 2024 is 3.7, the median GMAT score is 730, and the median GRE score is 326.
Average GPA – 3.7
GMAT Score
- Median GMAT – 730
- GMAT Range: 540-790
- Median GMAT Quant – 48
- GMAT Quant Range: 34-51
- Median GMAT Verbal – 42
- GMAT Verbal Range: 29-51
GRE Score
- Median GRE – 326
- GRE Range – 297-340
- Median GRE Quant – 163
- GRE Quant Range: 150-170
- Median GRE Verbal – 163
- GRE Verbal Range: 147-170
- Percent applicants submitting GRE Scores – 30%
Undergraduate Major
The highest number of HBS class of 2024 students have a background in engineering (28%) followed by Business and Commerce (24%) and Economics (19%).
More details are in the table below:
| Undergraduate Major | Percentage of HBS class of 2024 |
| Engineering | 28% |
| Business/Commerce | 24% |
| Economics | 19% |
| Math/Physical Sciences | 14% |
| Social Sciences | 10% |
| Arts/Humanities | 5% |
Pre-MBA industry of HBS MBA Class of 2024
Every student in the HBS class of 2024 has some work experience. The average work experience being 5 years. 16% of the HBS class of 2024 has a background in Consulting and Venture Capital/Private Equity followed by Technology (14%) and Financial services (10%).
More details are in the table below:
| Pre-MBA industry | % of HBS class of 2024 |
| Consulting | 16% |
| Venture Capital/Private Equity | 16% |
| Technology | 14% |
| Financial Services | 10% |
| Manufacturing/Industrial/Energy | 9% |
| Consumer Products/Retail/E-Commerce | 9% |
| Health Care/Biotech | 8% |
| Nonprofit/Government/Education | 6% |
| Media/Entertainment/Travel | 4% |
| Military | 4% |
| Services | 3% |
Harvard MBA Application Deadlines
The application dates for the MBA Class of 2025 (incoming class of 2023) are
| Application Round | Deadline | Decisions |
| Round 1 | Sep 7, 2022 | Dec 8, 2022 |
| Round 2 | Jan 4, 2023 | Mar 29, 2023 |
The application deadline for 2023 HBS 2+2 applicants is:
| Application Round | Deadline | Decisions |
| 2+2 Round | Apr 27, 2023 | Jul 6, 2023 |
Now that you know the education and industry background of the latest class of Harvard Business School, you must have an idea of where you stand compared to them. To get into Harvard Business School try to match or exceed these numbers. Now, let’s take a look at the compensation that HBS MBA students get after they graduate.
Harvard MBA employment numbers - Class of 2022
The Harvard Business School class of 2022 received a median base salary of $175,000. Moreover, 63% of the class received a median signing bonus of $30,000 and 73% will receive a median performance bonus of $40,000.
Here are the details:
- Median Base Salary - $175,000
- Median Signing Bonus - $30,000 - 63% Receiving
- Median Performance Bonus - $40,000 - 73% Receiving
- 95% received an offer within 3 months of graduating
Employment by Industry
26% of the HBS MBA class of 2022 found employment in consulting followed by 19% in Technology, and 15% in Private Equity.
More details are in the below table.
| Industry | % HBS class of 2024 hired |
| Consulting | 26% |
| Technology | 19% |
| Private Equity | 15% |
| Investment Management / Hedge Fund | 8% |
| Venture Capital | 7% |
| Investment Banking | 3% |
| Other Financial Services | 1% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Consumer Products | 3% |
| Entertainment / Media | 3% |
| Nonprofit / Government | 3% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Services | 1% |
Harvard MBA Median Salary by Industry
Candidates finding employment in Venture Capita received the highest median salary of $178,000. Candidates who found a job in Consulting, Private Equity, Investment Management / Hedge Fund, Investment Banking, and Services received a median salary of $175,000. Technology companies paid a median salary of $165,000 to the HBS MBA class of 2022 students.
The median performance bonus was highest for Private Equity at $175,000. Investment Management / Hedge Fund gave a median performance bonus of $168,000.
More details are in the following table.
| Industry | Median Salary | Median Signing Bonus | Median Performance Bonus |
| Consulting | $175,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Technology | $165,000 | $30,000 | $26,000 |
| Private Equity | $175,000 | $30,000 | $175,000 |
| Investment Management / Hedge Fund | $175,000 | $50,000 | $168,000 |
| Venture Capital | $178,000 | $15,000 | $50,000 |
| Investment Banking | $175,000 | $50,000 | $125,000 |
| Other Financial Services | $139,000 | NA | NA |
| Health Care | $155,000 | $23,000 | $26,000 |
| Manufacturing | $150,000 | $30,000 | $25,000 |
| Consumer Products | $125,000 | $40,000 | $12,000 |
| Entertainment / Media | $154,000 | NA | $40,000 |
| Nonprofit / Government | $110,000 | NA | NA |
| Retail | $140,000 | $23,000 | NA |
| Services | $175,000 | NA | NA |
Employment by function
33% of the HBS MBA class of 2022 found employment in Finance, followed by 26% in Consulting, and 12% in Marketing.
More details are below.
| Function | % HBS class of 2024 hired |
| Finance | 33% |
| Consulting | 26% |
| Marketing | 12% |
| General Management | 10% |
| Strategic Planning | 8% |
| Business Development | 7% |
| Other | 4% |
Harvard MBA Median Salary by function
HBS class of 2022 students who found employment in Finance and Consulting received the highest median salaries of $175,000 followed by Marketing and Strategic Planning ($160,000), and Business Development ($155,000).
Jobs in finance also received the highest median performance bonus of $150,000.
| Function | Median Salary | Median Signing Bonus | Median Performance Bonus |
| Finance | $175,000 | $43,000 | $150,000 |
| Consulting | $175,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Marketing | $160,000 | $30,000 | $20,000 |
| General Management | $150,000 | $28,000 | $30,000 |
| Strategic Planning | $160,000 | $30,000 | $20,000 |
| Business Development | $155,000 | $25,000 | $31,000 |
| Other | $175,000 | $30,000 | $29,000 |
Harvard MBA Employment by Location
The majority (91%) of the HBS MBA class of 2022 found employment in the United States. A mere 9% chose to work outside the US. In the US, 47% found jobs in the North East and 24% in the West. More details are below.
Location
- United States - 91%
- International - 9%
United States
- Mid-Atlantic - 4%
- Midwest - 5%
- Northeast - 47%
- South - 6%
- Southwest - 5%
- West - 24%
International
- Asia - 2%
- Australia & Oceania - <1%
- Canada - <1%
- Europe - 3%
- Latin America - <1%
- Middle East & North Africa - 1%
- Sub-Saharan Africa - <1%
Start-Ups
14% of the HBS class of 2022 joined a Start-up. A start-up is defined here as an organization that is still private and 10 years of age or younger.
Median Base Salary at start-ups - $160,000
By Industry
- Consulting - 1%
- Consumer Products - 4%
- Entertainment / Media - 3%
- Financial Services - 4%
- Health Care - 18%
- Manufacturing - 15%
- Services - 3%
- Technology - 53%
By Function
- Business Development - 27%
- Consulting - 1%
- Finance - 9%
- General Management - 11%
- Marketing - 31%
- Strategic Planning - 16%
Entrepreneurship
106 students set up their own businesses. 39% decided to start a business in the Technology space and 20% in financial services.
More details are below.
- Number of Founders - 106
- Have a Cofounder - 67%
- Connected with a Cofounder at HBS - 38%
- Businesses Making a Social Impact - 50
Founded a business in Industry
- Consulting - 2%
- Consumer Products - 7%
- Financial Services - 20%
- Health Care - 13%
- Manufacturing - 4%
- Nonprofit / Government - 1%
- Retail - 1%
- Services - 13%
- Technology - 39%
5-year hiring trend at Harvard Business School
Trend by industry
The employment by industry trends has remained fairly the same for the last 5 years at Harvard Business School.
More details are below
| Industry | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Consulting | 25% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 26% |
| Consumer Products | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Entertainment / Media | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Health Care | 6% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 5% |
| Investment Banking | 6% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Investment Management / Hedge Fund | 6% | 4% | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 5% | 7% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Nonprofit / Government | 2% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Other Financial Services | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Private Equity | 12% | 15% | 18% | 14% | 15% |
| Retail | 3% | 3% | <1% | 1% | 1% |
| Services | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1% |
| Technology | 19% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| Venture Capital | 3% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 7% |
Trend by function
Jobs in Finance have seen an uptick since 2018 increasing from 29% to 33%. On the other hand, the share of jobs in General Management has decreased from 16% in 2018 to 10% in 2022.
| Function | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Business Development | 8% | 9% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
| Consulting | 26% | 22% | 26% | 25% | 26% |
| Finance | 29% | 29% | 32% | 33% | 33% |
| General Management | 16% | 16% | 14% | 11% | 10% |
| Marketing | 11% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Strategic Planning | 8% | 6% | 7% | 10% | 8% |
| Other | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
This is what the salaries look like at Harvard Business School. However, you should also know how much will it cost to attend Harvard Business School. The next section explains this in detail.
Harvard MBA - Cost of Attendance
The HBS Cost of Attendance includes both direct and indirect expenses. Direct expenses, tuition and fees, are charged directly to the student bill. Indirect expenses, such as living expenses, are more flexible. This annual cost of attendance assumes a nine (9) month academic year and a moderate student lifestyle
| Single | Married | Married with One Child | Married with Two Children | |
| Tuition | $73,440 | $73,440 | $73,440 | $73,440 |
| HUHS Student Health Fee (SHF) | $1,304 | $1,304 | $1,304 | $1,304 |
| Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) | $4,080 | $4,080 | $4,080 | $4,080 |
| HUSHP For Student Spouses/Dependents | $0 | $8,464 | $12,962 | $15,224 |
| Course & Program Materials Fee | $2,550 | $2,550 | $2,550 | $2,550 |
| Room & Utilities (9 Months) | $14,850*($1,650/mo) | $23,120**($2,569/mo) | $29,700***($3,300/mo) | $29,700($3,300/mo) |
| Living Expenses (9 Months) | $16,540($1,838/mo) | $21,350($2,372/mo) | $25,880($2,876/mo) | $31,010($3,446/mo) |
| Total | $112,764 | $134,308 | $149,916 | $157,308 |
| Computer (Variable; Not Included In Above Budgets) | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
*based on average area market rate for 2 bedroom apartment w/roommate
**based on average area market rate for 1 bedroom apartment
***based on average area market rate for 2 bedroom apartment
Harvard MBA Scholarships
Business school is a valuable investment in your future. HBS supports this investment by offering need-based scholarships to both domestic and international students. HBS Scholarships are gifts that do not need to be paid back. Approximately 50 percent of students receive a need-based scholarship from HBS and the average scholarship is approximately $42,000 per year, or $84,000 total.
In August of 2022, HBS announced that it will provide full-tuition scholarships to students with the greatest financial need and will offer new scholarships to more students from middle-income backgrounds.
How ‘Need’ is determined
The financial aid team determines financial need based on the following factors:
- Gross income from the prior three years
- Assets
- Socioeconomic background
- Undergraduate debt
Scholarships are based on a standardized formula for all students. Students with higher earnings contribute at a higher rate than students with lower earnings. If you are married and/or have children, we also consider a portion of your spouse’s income and assets, as well as your higher cost of living.
Each financial aid package is different and may include a combination of need-based scholarships and student loans. Some HBS students receive additional funding through HBS Complementary Fellowships. As part of the shared investment, HBS students meet the remaining cost of their MBA using personal savings and/or outside funding.
Final Thoughts
Getting an MBA from Harvard Business School is a dream for most MBA applicants. Harvard Business School is one of the best business schools in the world, so getting into it can be hard. Even though there is no foolproof method to ensure admission to HBS, you can improve your chances significantly by working diligently on your application. We can help you get into Harvard Business School. Our consultants include HBS alumni who will give you the most accurate advice and guidance you’ll need to get into HBS. So, get started now.
