More than half of Harvard University’s Class of 2018, which graduated Thursday, expects to earn at least $70,000 per year right out of school, and one-fifth of the undergraduates expect to make $90,000 or more, according to a survey.
About half of Harvard’s graduating class — 704 students — responded to an annual surveyconducted by the campus paper, The Harvard Crimson, this month. The survey covered a wide range of topics, including campus life, sex and dating, life after college, and politics.
Harvard grads certainly enjoy loftier starting pay than most: The average college graduate in the United States in 2016, the most recent year for which data were available, earned just over $50,000 after commencement, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Meanwhile, the Crimson survey also suggested that Ivy Leaguers are not immune to the gender pay gap. Of the men who responded, 60 percent expect to make at least $70,000, with 28 percent saying they will make $90,000 or more, and 17 percent planning to earn $110,000 or more. Comparatively, only 46 percent of women expect to make at least $70,000, 13 percent expect to earn at least $90,000, and just 5 percent expect salaries topping $110,000.
As to where those graduates will be working? The state that attracted the most graduating students — 150 of respondents — was New York, while 135 said they plan to stick around Massachusetts. More than 100 students plan to end up in California.
One particularly interesting stat: Just under half — 44 percent — of graduating seniors reported having sex for the first time at Harvard. And 21 percent of seniors who responded said they have never had sex.
When it comes to tech, Harvard students seemed to heavily favor Apple products during their time at school: 87 percent of those surveyed said they owned an iPhone, and 80 percent said they have a Mac computer.
As for politics, Harvard’s liberal reputation seems to be well-deserved. Of the seniors who responded, 89 percent said they voted for Hillary Clinton (who will be honored at Harvard on Friday) in the 2016 presidential election; 3 percent said they voted for Donald Trump.
In addition, two-thirds described themselves as “liberal’’ or “very liberal,’’ compared with 11 percent who identified as “conservative’’ or “very conservative.’’ A vast majority — 72 percent — said they think the country is on the wrong track.
However, that doesn’t mean the students of Harvard — which is known for churning out future political bigwigs — necessarily agree with establishment politics. Just 48 percent said they have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party; 37 percent had an unfavorable opinion. And only 6 percent viewed the Republican Party favorably; 84 percent viewed it unfavorably.
