By Sally E. Avila Edwards, Caroline K. Hsu, and Thomas J. Mete
Harvard’s Class of 2026 came from all across the world — all 50 states and 98 countries are represented in the graduating class. After graduation, they will largely funnel into the same U.S. states and the same industries.
As with previous years, grads are largely set to live in New York, Massachusetts, and California to pursue jobs in consulting, finance, and technology. But this year, 15 percent of the class is heading out of the country — the highest percentage in a decade.
With 62 percent of respondents heading straight into the workforce, many graduates indicated they are worried about how artificial intelligence might impact their job prospects. Despite the concern, the vast majority of respondents reported satisfaction with their post-grad plans.
Across the Pond & Beyond
Though the vast majority of graduates will remain in the U.S. after graduation, 14 percent of graduates will be moving abroad — a 40 percent increase from last year. In keeping with trends from prior years, the majority of these graduates will make their way across the pond to Europe.
Massachusetts, New York, and California remain the most popular locations for graduates looking to stay in the States. Nearly a quarter of recent graduates will relocate to the Big Apple, with just under 35 percent of these seniors entering finance. Many graduates will choose to stay in the area, with 17 percent of respondents planning to live in Massachusetts.
California is another hub for the Class of 2026 — 12 percent of respondents are planning on moving across the country to the Golden State. Almost 38 percent of those graduates plan to work in technology.
Corporate Pipeline
Among graduates entering the workforce, most are looking to make a living in consulting, finance, and tech jobs — a common trend across Harvard’s most recent alumni. Nearly a fifth reported heading into finance, while 17 and 15 percent are going into consulting and tech, respectively.
But grads are looking to move beyond these industries. Graduates most commonly reported hoping to work in healthcare by their 10-year reunion. Academia and legal professions are also target industries for the Class of 2026, with more than 15 and 10 percent of graduates reporting hopes to enter the fields, respectively.
As with past years, family income played a role in dictating graduates’ career plans. Technology was the top field for respondents with a family income under $40,000, with more than 40 percent of respondents opting to join the field. Graduates in higher income brackets entered the field at rates between 6 and 17 percent.
But consulting and finance remained popular across all income levels. Seniors who reported a family income between $250,000 and $500,000 were more likely to enter consulting than students in any other income bracket, and those with a family income of over $500,000 were more likely to enter finance than students in any other income bracket.
Nearly 40 percent of respondents may have plans other than entering the workforce. Ten percent said they planned to complete a fellowship after graduation, 12 percent planned to attend graduate school, and 6 percent planned to attend professional school in a field like law, health, or policy. Two percent planned to travel, and 9 percent didn’t yet know their plans.
Students with family incomes between $40,000 and $80,000 were most likely to continue their education immediately after college, with 28 percent of respondents in that bracket listing graduate or professional school as their next step.
Big Paydays
As in previous years, Harvard graduates are set to begin their careers with sizable first-year salaries. Roughly 56 percent of respondents will earn more than $90,000 a year, and 18 percent said they will earn north of $130,000.
Those entering tech, finance, and consulting will take home the largest paychecks. Among those entering tech nearly 58 percent of graduates will earn more than $130,000, and nearly three-quarters will make more than $110,000.
In finance, 31 percent of graduates will earn more than $130,000, 78 percent of graduates will earn more than $110,000, and roughly 92 percent will take home a payday of more than $90,000. Consulting salaries were similarly high: Roughly half of graduates entering the field reported salaries above $110,000, and 86 percent said they would earn more than $90,000, though none expected to take home more than $130,000.
Men were overrepresented at the highest end of the salary range, with 31 percent of male graduates reporting that they anticipated earning more than $130,000 next year, compared to 6 percent of female graduates. The disparities remained present within high-earning fields.
Money and status loomed large for graduates entering into consulting and finance. More than half of respondents in those fields said salary or prestige were the main drivers of their postgraduate plans, compared with just 13 percent of other graduates. In each other sector, respondents most commonly cited either passion, social impact, or preparing for grad school as their top motivation.
Even with lofty salaries, roughly 64 percent of respondents will enter the post-college world with financial support from their parents, though only 20 percent expected to receive “substantial” financial support.
A Shaky Outlook for Jobs
While the Class of 2026 secured six-figure salaries in large numbers, many expressed a bleak view on the labor market they navigated during their senior year job searches. Roughly 57 percent of respondents said it was a somewhat or very bad time to enter the workforce.
The anxiety of securing plans beyond Harvard was particularly pronounced in industries facing disruption amid the adoption of artificial intelligence, which may be reducing hiring for entry-level positions.
More than half of graduates said that artificial intelligence would reduce their job prospects, a concern felt most acutely by those entering publishing and media, and consulting, with around 70 percent of respondents.
Artificial intelligence has quickly shifted anxiety into action for many graduates. About one in five respondents said they had changed their career plans due to advancements in artificial intelligence. That figure reached roughly 36 percent among graduates entering tech, even as nearly 57 percent in the field anticipated artificial intelligence would harm their career in the industry.
Yet for all the unease, graduates are largely at peace with where they have landed after Harvard. About 77 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their post-graduate plans.
Looking Back
Most surveyed respondents look back on their Harvard experience favorably, with 95 percent saying they would choose Harvard again.
Satisfaction with overall academic paths was lower: 79 percent of respondents said they would choose their concentration again. Among Harvard’s 10 most popular concentrations, Government concentrators were the least satisfied, with 32 percent saying they would not pursue the concentration again.
Graduates had a favorable view of their senior thesis experience. Of the nearly 60 percent of respondents who completed a senior thesis, 92 percent said they would choose to write a thesis again. Of students who did not complete a thesis, roughly one-third of students wished they had.
When asked about their blocking groups, one-third of respondents indicated they would not choose their block again.
Even so, respondents reported leaving Harvard with strong social networks. On average, respondents said they had 10 close friends at Harvard. Nearly half — 46 percent — said they anticipated staying in touch with more than 10 classmates after graduation, while another 21 percent expected to remain in contact with at least seven.
Strollers Someday
Most surveyed seniors expressed interest in traditional family milestones.
More than 91 percent of respondents said they hope to get married in the future, while just 1 percent said they do not. A slightly lower percentage — 82 percent — said they hope to have children someday.