What Harvard MBAs Made This Year

An aerial view of Harvard Business School with the iconic Baker Library in the center

DECLINING INTEREST BY HARVARD MBAS IN JOINING STARTUPS

MBAs who decided to accept offers from nonprofits, education or the government—the only sector where median starting salaries were below six figures at $90,000—doubled to 4% from 2% last year.

Otherwise, the year-over-year changes in industry preferences tended to be slight. Harvard grads going into healthcare dipped a percent to 7% this year, while those taking jobs in consumer products edged a percent higher to 4%. The number of MBAs who chose manufacturing (5%), services (4%), and media and entertainment (3%) remained unchanged from last year.

There seems to be slightly less interest this year in employment in a startup. Harvard reported that just 4% of the Class of 2017 joined a startup, down from 9% two years ago and 7% in 2016. The number of founders in the class—64—remained unchanged from last year but was down from 84 in 2015.

HBS said there were 937 members of the Class of 2017, of which 76% were seeking employment this year. Roughly 13% were sponsored by their employers and will return to them or are already employed. Another 7% started companies, while 1% decided to continue their education.