MBA at Wharton vs MBA at Harvard Business School

MBA at Wharton or MBA at Harvard

Collegedunia Team logo

Collegedunia Team Content Curator

Content Curator

Wharton or Harvard, two of the highly ranked Business Schools in the US, offer MBA a variety of MBA programs. Let us find out how an MBA at Wharton is different from an MBA at Harvard. 

Overview Comparison
The Wharton SchoolHarvard Business School
ranking (overall)# 1 Financial Times 2025
# 2 Financial Times 2020
# 4 Financial Times 2019
# 13 Financial Times 2025
# 1 Financial Times 2020
# 2 Financial Times 2019
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees  38732
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 38286 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees  90505
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 23470 Per Year
placement (average package)

Top recruiters: A.T. Kearney, Amazon, Amazon Studios, American Express, Alpine Investors, Bayshore Global Management, EY-Parthenon, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase, YouTube, Yelp, Xandr, Xiaomi.



Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 1 for Business by US News 2025
# 9 for Business by QS World University 2025
# 13 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 1 for Business by QS World University 2025
# 6 for Business by US News 2025
# 7 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
application-#9856 Applicants
# 930 Admissions
# 9 % Acceptance Rate
exam scoresDuolingo - 130/160GMAT - 735/800GRE - 325/340IELTS - 7.0/9TOEFL - 100/120Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -132404Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesJan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake)
Feb 20, 2026 (Round 2 Interview Invitations for 2026 Intake)
Mar 31, 2026 (Round 2 Decisions for 2026 Intake)
Apr 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake)
Apr 17, 2026 (Round 3 Interview Invitations for 2026 Intake)
May 12, 2026 (Round 3 Decisions for 2026 Intake)
Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake)
Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Decision Date for Fall 2026 Intake)
Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake)
Mar 25, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date for Fall 2026 Intake)
Comparison Notes

Owing to a brand strength in the US, Wharton and Harvard Business School, both are the US’s best business schools. Some of the factors to consider when planning to study MBA in USA are:

  • The international student percentage at Harvard Business is 35% while at Penn Wharton is only 19%.
  • GRE score equivalents for MBA at Harvard is 148-170 (Verbal) and 145-170 (Quantitative). However, GRE score equivalents for MBA at Wharton are 161 (Verbal and Quant).
  • Wharton slides ahead of Harvard for students who look forward to staying within the city. Harvard University, on the other hand, offers a closely-knit student community in a smaller town.
  • UG major of students at Penn Wharton were Humanities (38%), Business (34%), and STEM (28%). UG majors of students at Harvard were Engineering (26%), Business/Commerce (22%), and Economics (19%). 
  • Harvard Business School students are offered better internship opportunities over Wharton MBA students. 
  • Sing-on bonus for both Wharton and Harvard Business School is 30,000 USD. 

Though both the schools offer a pool of opportunities, the choice of opting between either of the two depends majorly on the student. Choices can be made on the basis of tuition fees, rankings, and more.