What Harvard majors make the most money?
Asked by: Brett Jacobson | Last update: May 11, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (22 votes)
At Harvard, Computer Science, Economics, and Engineering majors often command the highest starting salaries, frequently exceeding $100,000, while graduate programs like Harvard Business School (HBS) MBAs, Law School (JD), and Medical School (MD) lead to the highest mid-career earnings in fields like investment banking, big law, and specialized medicine (e.g., dermatology, radiology).
What are the top 3 majors at Harvard?
Harvard's top majors consistently include Economics, Computer Science, and Government (Political Science), often followed closely by Biology/Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, and Applied Mathematics, reflecting strong interest in quantitative social sciences, technology, and life sciences, though exact rankings vary slightly by source and year. Economics, often listed as the #1 concentration, leads in student enrollment, alongside growing interest in CS.
Who gets paid the most at Harvard?
The most recent filing is for 2023, also called fiscal year 2024. The people with the highest income after Bacow at Harvard were Harvard Business School professors Paul Healy and Herman Leonard, who received close to $2 million. David Malan, a computer science professor, earned close to $1.4 million.
What is the hardest major at Harvard?
There's no single "hardest" major at Harvard, but Physical Sciences (like Chemistry, Physics) and Mathematics (especially Math 55) are consistently cited due to intense coursework, complex problem-solving, and demanding lab/problem sets, often with low average GPAs, while Engineering is tough due to extensive requirements, and Economics (especially theory courses) also ranks high for conceptual difficulty. Difficulty often depends on whether it's about hours, conceptual depth, or pre-med pressures.
Who is the richest Harvard student?
Mark Zuckerberg: The co-founder and CEO of Facebook famously dropped out of Harvard University to focus on building the social media platform, which has made him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Why Even Harvard’s Smartest Graduates Can’t Get a Job Now
Can a 2.5 GPA go to Harvard?
Getting into Harvard with a 2.5 GPA is highly improbable, as their admitted students typically have GPAs well above 3.8, but not strictly impossible due to holistic review; however, you'd need truly extraordinary achievements (like national awards, exceptional athletic recruitment, or major life overcoming) or a massive donation to stand out against the average applicant with a 4.2 average GPA, making it an uphill battle.
Which billionaire dropped out of Harvard?
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to pursue his software company, although he states “if things hadn't worked out, I could always go back to school. I was officially on leave.”
What are the top 3 hardest majors?
While "hardest" is subjective, the top contenders for most difficult majors consistently include Engineering (especially Aerospace, Chemical, Biomedical), Medicine, and Physics, often followed by Architecture, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Mathematics, due to demanding coursework, intense problem-solving, and extensive study hours. The difficulty often stems from high levels of abstraction, complex theory, heavy workloads, and rigorous application of advanced math and science.
What is the easiest Harvard course to get into?
The Easiest Courses At Harvard
- Neurobiology 95hfj: The Sleeping Brain. ...
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology 59: Plants and Human Affairs. ...
- Portuguese Ac: Beginning Portuguese for Spanish Speakers. ...
- Psychology 950: Psychology Live! ...
- Swedish A: Beginning Swedish Language and Literature.
What company hires the most Harvard graduates?
Finance and Investment Banking: Graduates frequently join firms like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Blackstone. Approximately 30% of HBS students enter this field. Consulting: McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Bain & Company are top destinations, hiring around 25% of business school graduates.
Who is the most famous professor at Harvard?
There's no single "most famous" as it depends on the field, but prominent names include Nobel laureates like Claudia Goldin (Economics) and Gary Ruvkun (Medicine), renowned public intellectuals like Steven Pinker (Cognitive Science) and Henry Louis Gates Jr. (African American Studies), and influential figures like Michael E. Porter (Business) and Cass R. Sunstein (Law).
What is Harvard ranked #1 in?
In the most recent version of the same six systems, Harvard ranked first in three of them, (U.S. News, CWUR, and URAOP), MIT was #1 in two of them (QS and Leiden), and the University of Oxford claimed the top spot in the Times Higher Education World University 2026 rankings.
Which ivy is best for economics?
While many Ivies excel, Harvard, Princeton, and UPenn (Wharton) are consistently cited as top choices for economics, with Harvard often ranked #1 overall, Princeton strong in theoretical/policy, and UPenn/Wharton dominant for finance-focused careers, though overall fit, faculty, and specific interests (theory vs. finance) matter most.
What are the most valuable majors?
25 valuable majors for college students
- Biomedical engineering. ...
- Computer science. ...
- Marine engineering. ...
- Pharmaceutical sciences. ...
- Computer engineering. ...
- Electrical engineering. ...
- Finance. ...
- Software engineering.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
Barack Obama's specific LSAT score has never been officially released, but it's widely believed to have been very high, likely in the 170-175 range, to gain admission to Harvard Law School with a relatively low undergraduate GPA. Analysts suggest he needed a score in the top percentiles (perhaps 94th-98th) to overcome his lower GPA and secure a spot at the prestigious institution, indicating a strong performance near the perfect 180 score.
What is the top 1% SAT score?
A top 1% SAT score is generally 1530 or above, with scores from 1530-1600 placing you in the 99th percentile or higher, meaning you scored better than 99% of test-takers, making it an excellent score for highly selective colleges. A score around 1450+ puts you in the top 10%, while aiming for 1500+ places you in the top 1-2% for elite admissions.
What is the lowest SAT score for Harvard?
There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1500 to have a chance at being considered.
What is the #1 easiest major?
There's no single #1 easiest major, as it depends on your skills, but Psychology, Communications, English, and Education consistently rank high for perceived ease due to less demanding technical requirements, focusing more on writing, soft skills, and human behavior. These majors often feature high GPAs and manageable coursework compared to STEM fields, offering broad career paths in fields like social work, marketing, public relations, and teaching.
What is the rarest major?
The "rarest" major can mean least common in enrollment or most unique, with extremely niche fields like Bagpiping Performance, Puppet Arts, Ecogastronomy, Egyptology, Fermentation Science, and Tea Husbandry often cited as very rare, alongside specialized engineering like Amusement Park Engineering, while less common but still sizable majors can include Library Science, Military Technologies, and some specialized Engineering or Physics combinations.
What is the no. 1 toughest degree in the world?
The top 10 hardest degrees in the world commonly include: (1) Medicine, (2) Engineering (various branches), (3) Chartered Accountancy, (4) Architecture, (5) Physics, (6) Aerospace Engineering, (7) Chemical Engineering, (8) Law, (9) Pharmacy, and (10) Mathematics.
What was Bill Gates' major at Harvard?
Gates did not stay at Harvard long enough to choose a concentration, but took mathematics (including Math 55) and graduate-level computer science courses.
Who is the richest student at Harvard University?
Harvard University has the most billionaire alumni, with its richest student being Mark Zuckerberg.
What is the hardest Ivy League to get into?
Harvard and Columbia are consistently ranked as the hardest Ivy League schools to get into, often battling for the lowest acceptance rates (around 3-4%) due to massive application volumes and intense selectivity, with Yale and Princeton close behind in difficulty. While acceptance rates fluctuate yearly, Harvard and Columbia typically see the fewest admits, followed by Princeton and Yale, with factors like application volume and institutional priorities playing significant roles.