Business/Corporate Communications at Harvard University

Harvard's undergraduate Business/Corporate Communications program shows an unexpected pattern: estimated first-year earnings of $41,494 fall significantly below what similar programs produce in Massachusetts. At Bentley University, the only in-state program with reported data, graduates earn $57,141—nearly $16,000 more. Even the national median for this major matches Harvard's estimated figure at $41,494, which means this program isn't commanding the premium you'd expect from the nation's most selective university.

The estimated debt of $23,250 is reasonable on its own, creating a manageable 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio. But context matters here: you're looking at Harvard-level tuition and selectivity (3% admission rate, 1553 average SAT) paired with earnings that don't reflect that investment in the first year. This could mean several things—perhaps graduates are pursuing graduate school immediately, taking lower-paying positions at nonprofits or startups, or the small sample size is masking higher typical outcomes.

The key question is whether your child would use Harvard's network and prestige to eventually exceed these initial earnings, or whether they'd be better served by a strong business communications program that places graduates into higher-paying roles immediately. Given the lack of reported data for this specific program, talk directly with Harvard's career services about actual placement outcomes for recent Business/Corporate Communications graduates—where they go, what they earn, and how quickly compensation grows.