MBA 

at Harvard University, Cambridge

Harvard University Cambridge MBA tuition fees for the academic year 2025-26 is USD 78,700 (Around INR 69 lakh). This is the 9-month total estimate. The median base salary for the Class of 2024 MBA graduates is USD 175,000 (Around INR 1.53 Cr.). Considering the returns, it can be said that studying MBA would be worth an investment. A few of the industries where the graduates of this university have been hired are Consulting, Technology, Private Equity, Health Care, etc. 

As per the placement record of the Class of 2024 at Harvard University, 85% of the graduates received a job offer. The median base salary was USD 175,000 (Around INR 1.5 Cr.) and the median signing bonus was USD 30,000. 

• Here are the job industries where Harvard MBA graduates have been hired are Consulting, Private Equity, Technology, Healthcare, Hedge Fund, etc. 

• A few of the job functions where the graduates have been hired are Finance, Consulting, General Management, Marketing, Strategic Planning, etc. 

Approximately 50% of Harvard MBA students receive a need-based scholarship from HBS, with 10 per cent of the student body – those with the greatest financial need receiving full-tuition scholarships. The awards range from USD 2,500 – USD 76,000 per year (Around INR 2.17 Lacs – INR 66 lakh). Also, note that the annual need-based scholarship last year was USD 46,000 – USD 92,000 over two years (Around INR 40 Lacs – 80 lakh).

While the business schools like Harvard, Stanford GSB, and Wharton are among the top schools to pursue Business and Management, Wharton is the least selective of all three. 

Wharton's larger class size (866 in MBA Class 2026) is the main reason for its accessibility. Wharton seeks students with strong quantitative and diverse professional backgrounds, which makes it more accessible than Harvard and Stanford. 

Mentioned below are the offer rates to the most prestigious b schools in the world:

Harvard Business School (HBS) is one of the most prestigious MBA courses globally. The duration of Harvard MBA course is 2 years. In the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025, Harvard Business School ranks at #3 position. The annual Harvard University tuition fees for MBA course is USD 78,700 (Around INR 68 lakh). On the other hand, the average salary for the MBA graduates is USD 175,000 (Around INR 1.5 Cr.) for the Class of 2024 graduates. This means that studying the MBA course would lead to a greater ROI. Also, the need-based scholarships are available for international students with an average award of USD 47,000 per year (Around INR 40.4 lakh).

The final answer to selecting a place to study MBA programme at INSEAD or Harvard depends on the students’ preference or the target location for career. However, according to the alumni of INSEAD Singapore, here are some of the few points that make INSEAD Singapore a great school:

• If students are looking for a career worldwide, then the applicants can choose INSEAD Singapore as it truly provides with a global network
• Also, students at INSEAD are quite diverse
• A lot of students’ friends who have passed from INSEAD have now positions like CEOs, major directors of NGOs, etc. In all, INSEAD’s alumni network is quite global

Getting into Harvard University is quite competitive but not impossible. Applicants can get into Harvard once they have outstanding academic grades. For the Class of 2028, 1,937 of the 54,008 applicants to class were granted admission, This is equivalent to 3.6%. Apart from the academic achievements, Harvard University also looks for these qualities in students:

• Growth & Potential
• Interests & Activities (Extracurricular)
• Personal Character
• Contribution to the Harvard Community

According to an unofficial ranking body, Harvard University acceptance rate is 3% for Indian students, and the early acceptance rate of 7.6%. This means that the students who apply early may have higher selection chances. The low acceptance percentage symbolizes that the university is too stringent not only for Indians but for each country. Along with fulfilling the basic eligibility criteria, students must provide relevant work experience or internships in some cases and submit the mandatory documents. The crucial list includes standardized test scores, essays, a resume, transcripts, English language requirements, a letter of recommendation, and more.

Let us compare the tuition fees range of Harvard University and the University of Oxford for UG and PG courses:

The starting range of the tuition fees at Oxford for UG course is less than Harvard, whereas, the upper range of the fees is roughly same. However, studying PG courses at Oxford University is costlier than Harvard University. 

Harvard and Oxford University are known to be some of the top ranked universities in the world. Some of the factors that help in comparing the two universities are given as follows: