Which is better Harvard Business School or the Wharton School?
Both of these Business schools are considered exceptional in terms of rankings acceptance and graduates' average salaries, commonly ROI.
The table compares these three best Business schools in depth:
Criteria | Wharton | Harvard Business School | Stanford GSB |
|---|---|---|---|
Location | Philadelphia, PA | Boston, MA | Stanford, CA |
Acceptance Rate (Class 2026) | 22.7% | 9.1% | 7.0% |
ROI (Salary/Tuition) | 2.0x | 2.4x | 2.3x |
QS World MBA Ranking (2026) | #1 | #2 | #4 |
Top Companies Hiring | McKinsey, BCG, Goldman Sachs, Google | McKinsey, Bain, Goldman Sachs, Google | McKinsey, BCG, Google, Apple |
Alumni Network Size | 107,000+ global alumni (largest MBA alumni network) | 90,662 alumni in 173 countries | ~33,700 living alumni (smaller but highly influential) |
International Student Percentage | 31% | 39% | 36% |
Entrepreneurship Support | Extensive courses & global startup resources | Rock Center, Innovation Labs, and large startup competitions | Strong Silicon Valley ties, global chapters & startup ecosystem |
Class Profile Diversity | 50% Female, 31% International | 39% International, increasing gender & ethnic diversity | High diversity, with strong international and gender balance |
Average Age at Admission | 27 years | 27 years | 27 years |
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Industry | Mean Salary in USD |
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