Harvard Business School

Boston, United States - Founded 1908

Harvard Business School was founded in 1908 and offers one MBA program, a two-year full-time degree in Boston. The MBA Class of 2027 has 943 students, drawn from 9,409 applications received in the 2024-2025 academic year; 44% are women and 37% are international, from 62 countries. Median scores for the Class of 2027 were 685 on the GMAT Focus Edition (middle 80% 645-735) and 730 on the GMAT 10th Edition (middle 80% 690-770). The average undergraduate GPA was 3.76 and average work experience was 4.9 years. Teaching uses the case method, with about 500 cases read over the two years. For the Class of 2025, the median base salary was $184,500 and the median signing bonus was $30,000; 65% of the class sought employment and 90% of those received an offer within three months of graduation. HBS ranks #10 in the Financial Times Global MBA 2026 and tied #4 in US News Best Business Schools 2026. Applicants to the Class of 2029, entering in fall 2027, apply in Round 1 (September 9, 2026) or Round 2 (January 5, 2027).

Class size

943

Median GMAT

685

Median salary

$184,500

Class profile

Applications

9,409

Avg GPA

3.8

GMAT range

Intl students

37%

Women

44%

Avg work exp

4.9 yrs

Avg age

GRE accepted

Yes

Undergraduate majors

Engineering: 24%Business / Commerce: 22%Economics: 19%Math / Physical Sciences: 19%Social Sciences: 11%Arts / Humanities: 5%

Pre-MBA industries

Consulting: 19%Venture Capital / Private Equity: 16%Technology: 13%Financial Services: 10%Consumer Products / Retail / E-Commerce: 9%Health Care / Biotech: 8%Manufacturing / Industrial / Energy: 8%Nonprofit / Government / Education: 6%Media / Entertainment / Travel: 5%Military: 3%Services: 2%

Employment

Median base salary

$184,500

Signing bonus

$30,000

Placement (3 mo)

Offers at grad

Changed industry

Changed function

Industry	% of class
Technology	22%
Consulting	21%
Private Equity	14%
Investment Management / Hedge Fund	7%
Health Care	6%
Investment Banking	6%
Manufacturing	5%
Nonprofit / Government	4%
Venture Capital	4%
Entertainment / Media	3%
Other Financial Services	3%
Services	3%
Consumer Products	2%

Programs

Type	Program	Duration	Format	Tuition	Class size
Full-time MBA	MBA	24 months	Full-time, on-campus	$84,760 (2026-27)	943
Early-career	2+2 Program	24 months, after 2 to 4 years of work	Two to four years of approved work, then the full-time, on-campus MBA	$84,760 (2026-27)	-
Joint degree	Joint Degree Programs	24 months	Full-time, on-campus	Varies by program	-

All full-time MBA programs compared All early-career MBA programs compared

Admissions

Round	Deadline	Decision by
Round 1	September 9, 2026, 12:00 PM ET	December 10, 2026
Round 2	January 5, 2027, 12:00 PM ET	March 25, 2027
2+2 Round (deferred admission)	April 28, 2027, 12:00 PM ET	June 30, 2027

Application fee

$250

Tuition

$84,760 (2026-27)

Total cost

$130,318 (2026-27, single student, 9 months)

Interview

By invitation only. Interviews are 30 minutes, conducted by an MBA Admissions Board member who has reviewed your application, on campus, in hub cities, or via Zoom. A written post-interview reflection is due within 24 hours.

English test

Required

Deferral

Postponements and deferrals are granted rarely, case by case. College and master’s students can apply for deferred admission through the 2+2 Program.

FAQ

What GMAT score do I need for HBS?

HBS has no minimum score. For the Class of 2027 the median was 685 on the GMAT Focus Edition (middle 80% 645-735) and 730 on the GMAT 10th Edition (middle 80% 690-770).

What is the HBS acceptance rate?

HBS does not publish an acceptance rate on its class profile. It received 9,409 applications in the 2024-2025 academic year for a Class of 2027 of 943 students.

How many rounds does HBS have?

Two rounds for the Class of 2029 (entering fall 2027): Round 1 closes September 9, 2026 with decisions December 10, 2026; Round 2 closes January 5, 2027 with decisions March 25, 2027. A separate 2+2 round closes April 28, 2027.

What is the median salary for HBS graduates?

The Class of 2025 median base salary was $184,500. The median signing bonus was $30,000; HBS reports 58% receiving one.

Sources

1Harvard Business School, Class profile
2Harvard Business School, Admissions
3Harvard Business School, Employment report (checked October 15, 2026)

Campus photo by ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.