A post-MBA salary calculator

The median starting salary for MBA graduates is roughly $120K. That’s significant when compared to the $69,320 median salary for bachelor’s degree grads. After inputting specifics (e.g., work experience and the country one studies in), this MBA salary calculator figures out a more accurate estimate tailored to you.

Tech, finance, and consulting industries hire roughly 70% of students from top MBA programs.

The average salary for Harvard MBA grads within 3 months of graduating is $193,837.

The average salary for Harvard MBA grads within 3 months of graduating is $193,837.

The MBA has been the most popular graduate degree in America since 2010

Referring to MBA programs as “corporate America’s breeding ground,” comedian Dan Toomey recently interviewed experts on MBAs like Adam Grant, as well as MBA students themselves, to get a better idea of why the degree is so popular. Warning: profane language and content.

Most part-time MBA students finish the degree in about 2 to 4 years

In addition to the classic full-time MBA, there are a few variations to this degree. These include Executive MBAs (for senior managers), 4+1 MBA programs, and more, which are detailed in this article.

Most MBA programs require between 2 and 5 years of professional experience

There’s no blanket rule for MBA programs about how much work experience an applicant should have. However, an admissions officer at an Ivy League business school said that while they’ve seen great candidates with only a year of experience, they also saw applicants who would clearly benefit from more.

A list of MBA jargon, complete with a ‘corporate BS generator’

From the classroom to the boardroom, MBA students hear plenty of corporate jargon in their lifetimes (think: “bandwidth,” “turnkey solution,” “modularize,” and more). This website—a relic from the internet—includes an MBA jargon dictionary and a corporate BS generator tool that creates helpful phrases for office life, like “incubate synergistic e-markets.”

Finance is among the most popular specializations for MBA students

MBA specializations allow students to concentrate on a specific field during their studies. Other popular concentrations include marketing, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Learn more about MBA specializations in this article.

A guide to the MBA admissions process

From taking the GMAT or GRE to securing letters of recommendation from academic and professional references, the business school application can be a lengthy one. This article from the Princeton Review highlights the key things you need to do to apply to most MBA programs in the US.

The pedigree of one’s MBA program matters a lot to elite employers

One expert even said that having an MBA from a prestigious school is “non-negotiable” for certain employers, such as elite management consulting, investment banking, and private equity.

Is college worth it?

Higher education has long been viewed as a stepping stone to more stable and higher-paying careers. Estimates suggest a college degree nearly triples average lifetime earnings. But the perception of value is different—only 22% of Americans say college is worth taking out loans for.

The lifetime cost of the American dream exceeds $5M

A new analysis suggests it costs millions of dollars to maintain the American dream over a lifetime. The price tag includes retirement, healthcare, higher education, homeownership, and other core elements of a comfortable life for the average American.

Evaluating college endowment returns

According to a new study, US college and university endowments achieved an average net return of 11.2% in fiscal year 2024. Harvard University maintained its position as the largest endowment, valued at $53.2B. Read this Forbes article to learn more about how institutions manage and grow their financial resources through endowments.

The American Dream costs more than $4M

The estimated cost of the American Dream—including buying a house, yearly vacations, retiring, raising two children, getting married, and more—is $4.4M, according to recent data from Investopedia. This illustrated graphic shows the estimated cost of the American dream per household over the course of their lifetime. See it here.

Entry-level investment bankers boast $200K paychecks, but it's not all base salary.

Many investment bankers work on mergers and acquisitions

At some point in their careers, many investment bankers work on facilitating or advising clients on mergers or acquisitions. From analyzing industry group trends to deal negotiations, an M&A in investment banking explainer outlines how investment bankers handle these business transactions.

Investment bankers are architects of the largest financial transactions in the world

Working up to 120 hours a week, investment bankers help major corporations navigate IPOs, mergers, and more. Despite long hours and a high-pressure environment, investment banking remains a critical industry that shapes the global financial landscape.

Use this mortgage calculator to estimate how much you can borrow, factoring in fundamentals such as financial standing, property cost, loan length, and more.

Calculate your student loan payments

As of summer 2024, interest rates on federal student loans ranged from 6.5% for undergraduates to above 9% for loans taken out by parents (private loans can exceed 17%). The interest rate determines how quickly the amount owed grows. Use this calculator to estimate your monthly payments.

Women were barred from MBA enrollment for half a century

In 1908, Harvard launched the first modern MBA—and only admitted male candidates. The first full-year traditional female MBA students wouldn’t enroll at Harvard until 1963. Learn more about the history of the first women to receive their MBAs on Harvard’s website.

Difficulty of getting into every Ivy League school

Harvard graduates have the highest average starting salary in the country at $91,700. But getting to graduation at any Ivy League school like Harvard is no easy feat. This visual breaks down exactly how difficult getting into an Ivy League school is, from Yale to Cornell, including average admission rates, median SAT scores, and more. See the graphic here.

Use this college navigator tool to make informed decisions about college options

Balancing the benefits and costs of higher education on a school-by-school basis can be overwhelming. This database from the National Center for Education Statistics provides an easily searchable database with comprehensive information on costs, student aid, outcomes for alumni, retention rates, and much more.

Harvard Business School adapted its law school's ‘case method’ in MBA classes

Many MBA programs include classes structured around the “case method” rather than traditional lectures. In classes using the case method, students solve real-world business problems without being given the answers ahead of time, rather than listening to a lecture and taking notes.

Companies pay multiple fees as part of the IPO process

When a company decides to approach IPO, it typically hires investment bankers—who earn about 7% of the IPO’s gross proceeds—to help set the organization’s target valuation range and schedule an IPO date. But that isn't the only fee associated with the IPO process.

See US News’ most recent business school ranking

Although Harvard is often cited as the most prestigious MBA program in the US (given that it is considered to have pioneered the modern version of the MBA), US News ranked the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton as 2025’s best business school.

If you'd invested $1K in Apple stock in 2005, you'd have roughly $130K as of 2025

Over the past 20 years, Apple stock generated an annualized total return of about 27.6%. Learn more about how those numbers came to be in this article.

The average cost for an in-state, public university is close to $30K per year

To cover the cost, students turn to a variety of sources. Parental contributions plus savings funds cover about half of the expenses on average, with students relying on other sources—typically federal aid, in the form of scholarships and loans—to cover the rest.

Use this annuity income calculator to estimate how much money someone can expect in their annuity payouts, depending on factors such as how much they invest and how long they expect to be paid.

Run your numbers in this marriage tax calculator

When it comes to federal income taxes, not every couple benefits from getting married. This calculator lets you see how much two specific people might pay if they were to get married based on their individual income levels and more. Specifically, the calculator compares the taxes a married couple would pay if they filed a joint return with what they would pay if they were unmarried and each filed as single.

Mental illness in the US costs roughly $282B annually nationwide.

A ‘rent vs. buy’ financial calculator

The New York Times built a continuously updated financial calculator to help potential homebuyers figure out which makes more sense given their individual situation: buying or renting a home. It takes into account how long someone plans to own the home for, mortgage rates, and more.

The cost of college has more than tripled over the past five decades

Determining the all-in cost for each student’s specific circumstances can be tricky. But what is behind the rise in price? Analysts point to a number of factors—lack of transparency around cost, expansive government support, increased administrative burdens at schools, and more.

See how the cost of college tuition has changed overtime

Since the middle of the 20th century, higher education has been viewed as a stepping stone to well-paying professional careers for millions of Americans. But, it can be costly. As of 2024, annual tuition currently ranges from around $10K for an in-state, four-year public university to almost $40K for private institutions.

In some expensive US cities, a $100K salary hardly offers a comfortable living

After tax, a $100K salary leaves you between $70K and $80K, depending on where you live. The value of what's left over varies significantly from city to city, with considerations like rent and grocery costs impacting how much money you lose.

College football generates over $13B annually—but many programs run at a loss.

A look at Harvard University's endowment

​Harvard University holds the world's largest academic endowment, valued at $53.2B in fiscal year 2024. This official Harvard webpage explains how the endowment supports the university's mission, funding areas like financial aid, faculty positions, and research initiatives.

Use this tool to calculate the dollar value of your parental mental load, from meal planning to coordinating after-school care, then see resources that help generate solutions.