HBS MBA: acceptance rate, tuition, GMAT and salary (2026)
Harvard Business School, Harvard University · Boston, Massachusetts · Data checked Nov 4, 2026 · Sources
Harvard Business School at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts ranks #4 in our composite of the four major MBA rankings. The Class of 2027 full-time class has 943 students, with a median GMAT of 730. Tuition is $84,760 per year (MBA Program 2026-27 tuition, single student (9-month year)), within a published annual budget of $130,318. Graduates in the Class of 2025 employment report earned a median base salary of $184,500, and 90% had offers within three months of graduation.
- Only two application rounds for the Class of 2029 (matriculating fall 2027)
- Class of 2025: about 150 graduates launching their own ventures
- GMAT Focus Edition median 685 (middle 80%: 645–735) alongside the classic-scale median of 730
Admissions and class profile
| Class year | Class of 2027 |
|---|---|
| Applications | 9,409 |
| Class size | 943 |
| Acceptance rate | — |
| Median GMAT | 730 |
| Average GMAT | — |
| GMAT middle 80% | — |
| GRE (verbal / quant) | 164 / 164 |
| Undergraduate GPA | 3.76 |
| Work experience | 4.9 years |
| Average age | — |
| Women | 44% |
| International students | 37% |
Tuition and cost of attendance
| Tuition per year | $84,760 |
|---|---|
| Basis | MBA Program 2026-27 tuition, single student (9-month year) |
| Published cost of attendance per year | $130,318 |
| Program length | — |
| Formats offered | full-time |
Model the ROI with these numbers
See the guides on what an MBA really costs and scholarships and fellowships.
Employment outcomes
| Employment report | Class of 2025 |
|---|---|
| Median base salary | $184,500 |
| Mean base salary | — |
| Median signing bonus | $30,000 |
| With offers 3 months after graduation | 90% |
Where graduates go
| Industry | Share of class |
|---|---|
| Financial Services | 34% |
| Technology | 22% |
| Consulting | 21% |
Application deadlines
| Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Round 2 | Jan 5, 2027 |
Dates are for the application cycle currently open and are checked against the school's page on the date shown above. Confirm on the school's site before relying on them. See the application timeline guide for how the rounds differ.
Where HBS ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Composite (this site) | Average of the four lists below | #4 |
| U.S. News | 2026 Best Business Schools (Full-Time MBA) | #4 |
| Financial Times | Global MBA Ranking 2026 | #10 |
| Bloomberg Businessweek | Best Business Schools 2025-26 (US) | #4 |
| QS | QS Global MBA Rankings 2027 | #2 |
Positions are cited from each publisher's latest edition; see the methodology. A dash means the school was not listed in that edition.
Compare HBS with similar schools
Other top MBA programs in Massachusetts
- MIT Sloan School of Management (#3 composite)
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at HBS?
HBS does not publish an admit count, so an exact acceptance rate is not available. It received 9,409 applications for the Class of 2027 class.
What GMAT score do you need for HBS?
The median GMAT for the Class of 2027 class was 730. There is no published minimum, and the school accepts the GRE as well.
How much does the HBS MBA cost?
Tuition is $84,760 per year (MBA Program 2026-27 tuition, single student (9-month year)), and the school's full annual cost-of-attendance budget, including fees and living expenses, is about $130,318. Over a two-year program, budget for two years of these costs plus the salary you give up.
What is the average salary after a HBS MBA?
The Class of 2025 employment report shows a median base salary of $184,500 plus a median signing bonus of $30,000, with 90% of job seekers holding offers three months after graduation.
Sources
Official pages from Harvard Business School; each figure above was read from the page listed on the date shown.
- https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile (accessed Nov 4, 2026)
- https://www.hbs.edu/mba/financial-aid/tuition-assistance/cost-of-attendance (accessed Nov 3, 2026)
- https://www.hbs.edu/mba/career-journey (accessed Nov 3, 2026)
- https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/application-dates (accessed Nov 3, 2026)
- https://www.hbs.edu/recruiting/employment-data/Pages/default.aspx (accessed Nov 4, 2026)
- https://www.hbs.edu/
Data notes: HBS published two GMAT sets without naming either: 'GMAT' median 685, middle 80% 645-735 (verbal median 86, quant 84) and 'GMAT 10th Edition' median 730, 80% 690-770. Rechecked 2026-11-04 in a browser: the page labels the second set explicitly 'GMAT 10th Edition' (verbal 38-47, quant 45-50 scales) and the first simply 'GMAT' with section ranges 82-90/79-89, which are Focus Edition scales, so median_gmat 685 is the GMAT Focus median and 730 is the classic/10th-edition median; the page reports medians, not averages (avg_gmat null). 34% of the class submitted GMAT (Focus), 28% GMAT 10th edition, 44% GRE. GRE values are medians (164/164), not averages. Acceptance rate null: admits not listed. Class of 2025 salary and bonus read 2026-11-04 in a browser from the HBS Recruiting Employment Data page (status as of three months post-graduation): median base 184,500; median signing bonus 30,000 (58% receiving); median variable bonus 46,125 (67% receiving); 65% sought employment, 90% of seekers received an offer, 84% accepted. top_employers stays null: the Hiring Organizations page lists employers alphabetically with no hire counts. Mean salary not published. Industry shares are Class of 2025 accepted full-time roles. Age, founded, program length null/unverified. A Class of 2028 profile may exist but fetched page showed Class of 2027. Classic-scale median GMAT 730 is shown for comparability; HBS also reports a GMAT Focus Edition median of 685 (middle 80% range 645–735) for the Class of 2027.