MBA at Yale vs MBA at Harvard, where to study in USA?

MBA at Yale School of Management vs Harvard Business School

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Collegedunia Team

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Deciding between an MBA at Yale School of Management and Harvard Business School depends on your priorities. Yale SOM offers a close-knit community, focusing on purpose-driven leadership and integrating societal impact. Harvard Business School provides a prestigious program with a broad network, emphasizing leadership and general management. Both schools have their unique strengths, with Yale focusing on social impact and Harvard offering a comprehensive leadership education. Consider your desired campus culture, career goals, and values when making your choice.

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Yale School of ManagementHarvard Business School
Programs+BcTMq -12
uAFC26 -3
+BcTMq -4
uAFC26 -1
Cost to Study78XRnV  85400
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78XRnV  90505
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4fro2k + zNMGDV - 23470 j5deyA

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ranking# 7 sQv06Y Management by QS World University 2026
# 1 sQv06Y Business by QS World University 2025
# 6 sQv06Y Business by US News 2025
# 7 sQv06Y Business by Times Higher Education 2025
application#2156 bJZm1W
# 345 hPqZrl
# 16 7Aoied
#9856 bJZm1W
# 930 hPqZrl
# 9 7Aoied
sjq1dk-Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120
documents requiredF4a/y1F4a/y1
application datesMar 19, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Deadline for 2026-27 Intake)
Apr 14, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for 2026-27 Intake)
May 14, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Deadline for 2026-27 Intake)
Sep 10, 2026 (Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026-27 Intake)
Dec 4, 2026 (Round 1 Decision Deadline for 2026-27 Intake)
Jan 6, 2027 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026-27 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)
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Being two reputed Ivy League schools, the Yale School of Management and the Harvard Business School rank high on the list of top business schools globally, with Yale at #14 and Harvard at #1 as per the Financial Times MBA Rankings 2020. Even US News has ranked them at #9 and #6 respectively.

Though the rankings make Harvard seem like the obvious choice, some other factors must also be kept in mind:

  • Salary Increase: Graduating with an MBA from Yale got alumni a salary increase of 128% while that from Harvard got alumni an increase of 110%.
  • Employment: 91% of graduates from Yale were offered employment opportunities within three months of graduation while it was 88% for Harvard. 
  • Acceptance Rate: Yale also has a higher acceptance rate of 16% as compared to Harvard’s 11%. Moreover, Yale also has slightly lower requirements for GPA and GMAT scores than Harvard.
  • Total Cost: The tuition fees and living costs for studying in Yale is lower than that for Harvard. 
  • Yale is considered to have more value for money than Harvard, according to the Financial Times Rankings, considering the education expenses and salary received after placement. 
  • International Students: Yale has 44% international students while Harvard has 33%.
  • Women: Harvard is slightly better in female representation with 44% of the student population being women, while it is 42% at Yale.

For choosing between the two business schools, you must keep all the above-mentioned details in mind. This will help you take a more informed choice.