MBA at Yale School of Management vs Harvard Business School

Overview Comparison
Yale School of ManagementHarvard Business School
ProgramsPG Programs -14
Doctorate Programs -3
PG Programs -4
Doctorate Programs -1
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees  79500
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 22214 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees  73440
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 14340 Per Year

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 8 for Business by US News 2024
# 9 for Business by Times Higher Education 2023
# 5 for Business by US News 2024
# 2 for Business by Times Higher Education 2023
application#2156 Applicants
# 345 Admissions
# 16 % Acceptance Rate
#10351 Applicants
# 941 Admissions
# 11 % Acceptance Rate
exam scoresGMAT - 690/800GRE updated - 322/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 100/120Duolingo - 130/160GMAT - 730/800GRE updated - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 109/120
Admission Criteria/Better to Have

GPA of 3.66 average and preferably 720 GMAT Score. Average Work Experience required around 5 years.



cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -74500Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -73440
Return on Investment/Average Package#Average Salary150000#Average Salary115000
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesMar 24, 2023 (Decision Deadline for 2023 Intake Round 2)
Apr 11, 2023 (Application Deadline for 2023 Intake Round 3)
May 18, 2023 (Decision Deadline for 2023 Intake Round 3)
Sep 6, 2023 (Application Deadline Round 1)
Jan 3, 2024 (Application Deadline Round 2)
Comparison Notes

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.