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Harvard MBA Class of 2024 - Analysis (Peer School Comparison)

For the Class of 2024, HBS received 8,264 applications, out of which 1,015 were enrolled. The MBA program had 9,773 applicants the year before, which resulted in a class size of 1,010. Applicants were aware of the deferred admissions. The end of the pandemic and the continued restrictions that affect experiential learning have affected the application volume. Moreover, applicants no longer do the lottery-style applying to top schools. They are deeply aware of their admission chances.

The school has continued with the stringent entry criteria – 3.7 average undergraduate GPA and 730 median GMAT score - same as the previous year.

Harvard MBAClass Profile 2024
Application Volume8,264
Enrolled1015
Age (Average)5 years
GMAT Score (Median)730
GPA (Average)3.70
% Women46%
% International Students38%

The percentage of women in the Class of 2024 remained the same as last year’s, 46%. 38% of the class were international students, which was a percent above as compared to the previous year. Of the total international students, 14% were from Asia, 9% from Europe, 5% from Mexico, Central, and South America, 4% from Canada, 1% from Oceania, and 3% each from Africa and the Middle East.

Harvard MBA Class of 2024 - By Region
 

Harvard MBA (By Region)2024 Class
Canada4%
United States62%
Europe9%
Asia14%
Mexico, Central and South America5%
Middle East3%
Africa3%
Oceania1%

28% of the new HBS class completed an engineering degree as an undergraduate. A degree in business or commerce is held by 24% of the class, followed by an economics degree by 19%. 14% had studied math or physical sciences. 5% majored in the arts and humanities, while 10% majored in social studies.

Harvard MBA Class of 2024 - By Pre-MBA Undergraduate Degree

Harvard MBA Pre-MBA Undergraduate Degree2024 Class
Engineering28%
Business/Commerce24%
Social Sciences10%
Maths/Physical Sciences14%
Economics19%
Arts/Humanities5%

The HBS MBA Class of 2024 had an average of five years of work experience before enrolling. 16% of the class each had experience in venture capital/private equity and Consulting. The tech sector contributed 14%, and financial services contributed 10%. 9% of pre-MBA work experience for HBS students was in the manufacturing, industrial, energy, consumer products, retail, and e-commerce sectors.       

Harvard MBA Class of 2024 - By Pre-MBA Industry
 

Harvard MBA Pre-MBA Industry2024 Class
Consulting16%
Consumer Products / Retail / E-Commerce9%
Financial Services10%
Health Care / Biotech8%
Manufacturing / Industrial / Energy9%
Technology14%
Venture Capital / Private Equity16%
Nonprofit / Government / Education6%

Harvard MBA vs. Stanford MBA vs. Wharton MBA (2024 Class Profile)

Class ProfileHarvard MBA 2024 ClassStanford MBA 2024 ClassWharton MBA 2024 Class
Application Volume8,26461526319
Enrolled1015424877
Work Experience (Average)5 years4.9 years5 years
GMAT Score (Median/Average)730737733
GPA (Median/Average)3.703.763.6
% Women46%44%50%
% International Students38%37%35%
Pre-MBA Undergraduate Degree   
Business24%19%32%
Economics19%21%NA
Humanities/Social Science15%26%34%
STEM42%33%34%
Pre-MBA Industry   
Consulting16%20%27%
Investment Management/PE/VC16%20%16%
Technology14%15%12%
Financial Services10%4%5%
Healthcare8%5%5%
Government/Non-Profit6%8%11%
CPG/Retail/E-commerce9%7%3%
Investment BankingNANA8%

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About the Author 

Atul Jose - Founding Consultant F1GMAT

I am Atul Jose - the Founding Consultant at F1GMAT.

Over the past 15 years, I have helped MBA applicants gain admissions to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Chicago Booth, Kellogg, Columbia, Haas, Yale, NYU Stern, Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, IE, IESE, HEC Paris, McCombs, Tepper, and schools in the top 30 global MBA ranking. 

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