Which is better: Harvard Undergrad or HBS?

Harvard College has the lower acceptance rate, but HBS alumni are much more likely to be wealthy in their lifetimes.

Which do you consider the more prestigious Harvard affiliation, and why?

8 Comments
 

Business school will never have the same prestige as undergrad

I genuinely believe your average Imperial undergrad would run circles around your average HBS MBA candidate. GSB MBA candidates are another story but even then HSM and Oxbridge undergrads will run circles around them.

I think the tiering goes something like:

Harvard/Oxford > Yale Law/Harvard Medical > MIT/Cambridge/Stanford > GSB > Yale/Princeton > HBS > LBS > Rest

From a global laymen’s perspective there will be less distinction over the specific degree earned so the tiering goes like:

Harvard/Oxford > MIT/Cambridge/Stanford > Yale/Princeton > Rest

 
Most Helpful

There are many threads on this already, but Harvard UG > Harvard MBA and it's not even close.  Most MBA students nowadays struck out of a PE/MBB promotion, wanted a 2-year break, or (are most often) people who started to shine later in their professional development (i.e. during a non-target UG or multiple promotions in FP&A).

The best JDs and MDs still need law/medical school.  The same isn't true for business and finance.

 

Nesciunt nesciunt adipisci ex dolores voluptatem consequatur quisquam. Consequuntur quidem voluptatum voluptas voluptates nobis accusamus occaecati. Laborum itaque pariatur ut totam molestiae.

Nihil occaecati eum sed facere ducimus. Consequuntur ipsum qui cumque quasi autem. Pariatur unde eveniet rerum perspiciatis placeat omnis. Ex sapiente hic non sunt optio fuga in. Illo exercitationem labore quo ad porro unde.

incentives trumph ethics

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”