617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
OFFICE OF CAREER ADVANCEMENT
2016 EMPLOYMENT OVERVIEW
Updated 4/17
PAGE 2
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
Harvard Kennedy School (hks) alumni have chosen a
range of career paths immediately following their May
2016 graduation. The 2016 Employment Overview provides
just a snapshot of how hks graduates are engaging in
public service around the globe. State/Provincial Government 5%
City/Local/Regional Government 3%
National/Federal Government 25%
Private Sector 41%
NGO and Nonprofit 19%
Unspecified 2%
IGO 5%
Employment Sector
2016 HIGHLIGHTS
541Working in 61 countries, 27 U.S. states
and in Washington, DC
The U.S. federal government is the top employer of HKS graduates; the World Bank Group is the top employer in international
development, engaging 13 graduates. Strategy consulting continues to be a draw,
with 40 graduates working at McKinsey & Company and
Boston Consulting Group in 11 countries.
50 in 18 U.S. departments and agencies
One MPP 2016 joined the WHF 2016-2017 class
One White House Fellow
Graduates reported they were employed, running for elected office, or continuing
their education
93%
This highlights the diverse interests and career trajectories of HKS graduates
86%
May graduates
settled
Employers engaged one graduate
The HKS Office of Career Advancement (oca) collected data from March through October 2016 using a variety of tech-niques, including an exit survey and follow-up survey in September as well as individual email inquiries. Ninety-four
percent of 2016 May graduates provided responses.
Four accepted PMF positions at the time of this publication
10U.S. Presidential
Management Fellows Program finalists
Introduction
PAGE 3
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
IGO/Public NGO/Nonprofit Private Unspecified
0
10
20
30
40
50
60Employment Sector Comparison
Data collected annually by end of October
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
39% 31% 27%
46% 16% 33%
2015
5%
2%2014
5%
3%
1%
2%
37% 30% 31%
47% 17% 31%
36% 26% 35%
42% 18% 39%
33% 27% 38%
48% 19% 30%
3%
2013
2012
0 20 40 60 80 100
35% 19% 43%
40% 19% 39%
Employment sector comparison between U.S. citizens/permanent residents and international students over the past five years
Employment Sector and Citizenship
IGO/Public Private
Unspecified 3%2016
2%
PrivateNGO/Nonprofit
U.S.
Int’l
U.S.
Int’l
U.S.
Int’l
U.S.
Int’l
U.S.
Int’l
3%
2007–2016 Employment Sector ComparisonJust under 60 percent of survey respondents in the HKS Class of 2016
reported employment in the public and NGO/nonprofit sectors. As can be
seen in the bar graph below, following a 2008–2009 public sector spike,
the breakdown of employment has remained fairly consistent — two-thirds
choosing positions in the public or nonprofit sectors immediately following
graduation. The ten percentage point bump this year in for-profit choices is
reflected most noticeably in MPPs and in our two-year MPAs.
PAGE 4
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
Class of 2016
SECTOR mpp mpa/id mpa mc/mpa
Public/National $61,110 n/a n/a $124,340
Public/State $75,550 n/a n/a $80,000*
Public/Local $81,000 n/a n/a $140,000*
Public/igo n/a $65,000* n/a n/a
Nonprofit/ngo $70,000 $59,500* $87,000* $90,000
Private $120,000 $103,000* $140,000 $137,500
Reported Salaries
Annual median salary for U.S.-based employment
Based on 212 reports n/a: fewer than three reports *Five reports or fewer
32%
Government/Military
20%Consulting/Advisory
9%Education
7%International Development
6%Finance
4%Data/Technology/Science
3%Advocacy/Public Interest
3%Healthcare
2%Legal Services
2%Communications
2%Research
(including think tanks)
10%Other
Joint and Concurrent DegreesThe two-year MPP, MPA/ID, and MPA programs allow a joint or con-
current track for students to earn a second professional degree (i.e.,
an MBA, MD, or JD) from a professional school either at Harvard or
at a partner academic institution. Twenty-nine percent of 2016 HKS
graduates pursued a joint or concurrent degree.
Salaries post-HKSSalary reporting and cross-country comparison is challenging,
particularly with graduates employed in the developing world; we,
therefore, restrict our reporting to U.S.-based salaries. Of those
reporting employment in the U.S., 88 percent indicated a sala-
ry. Within the U.S., location has a significant impact on salary,
particularly at the local and state government levels. Our joint and
concurrent graduates’ reported salaries include corporate positions
as well as clerkships and medical residencies.
Employment by IndustryThe Class of 2016 reported employment in a range of industries.
Below is a reflection of the top industry choices.
PAGE 5
Master in Public PolicyThe two-year Master in Public Policy (mpp) is
a rigorous program that prepares students to
understand complex policy problems and
to craft concrete solutions. Through courses,
exercises, and fieldwork, students master a
conceptual tool kit that draws on the social
sciences but is adapted for action. mpp
candidates arrive at Harvard Kennedy School
committed to improving the world, and
they equip themselves to do so by developing
broad-spectrum analytic competency. This defin-
ing feature of the mpp translates into intellectual
honesty, a hunger for evidence, and the capacity
to extract answerable questions from the messy
clutter of real-world public problems. Students
develop familiarity with a wide range of analytic
methods and the habit of picking the right tool
to fit the task.
Employment by Industry
27%Consulting /
Advisory
24%Government /
Military
10%Education
5%International Development
4%Healthcare
4%Legal Services
4%Technology /
Science
4%Finance
3%Research
(including think tanks)
2%Advocacy /
Public Interest
2%Communications
11%Other
National/Federal Government 18%
Private Sector 47%
City/Local/Regional Government 3%
Unspecified 2%
State/Provincial Government 5%
IGO 3%
Employment Sector
NGO and Nonprofit 22%
IGO/Public NGO/Nonprofit Private Unspecified
Employment Sector Comparison
Data collected annually by end of October
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
MPPclass of 2016
196 students
57 international
representing 28 countries joint or concurrent degrees
24 mba, 11 law, 4 md, 2 divinity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
PAGE 6
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
IGO and Public Sector
Bank of England
City of Boston, MA
City of New York, NY
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Government of Mexico
Government of Ontario
Government of the Republic of Korea
Government of Singapore
Government of Victoria
International Finance Corporation
Reserve Bank of Australia
State of Colorado
State of Michigan
United Nations
University of California, San Francisco
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Congress
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of State
U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Navy
U.S. Office of Management and Budget
U.S. Social Security Administration
USAID
The World Bank
NGO and Nonprofit
AFL CIO
Annenberg Institute for School Reform
Boston Community Capital
Catholic Charities
Cato Institute
Chamber Foundation
Columbia University
Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice
Harvard University
Health and Aging Policy Fellowship Program
Hope Border Institute
ICER
IDEA Public Schools
Mercator Institute for China Studies
Mercy Corps
Minority Business Development Agency
National Head Start Association
Preservation of Affordable Housing
Third Way
Tumml
Uncommon School
University of Management and Technology
Urban Institute
World Economic Forum
Private Sector
Albright Stonebridge Group
Alibaba Inc.
The Atlantic
Bain & Company
Booz Allen Hamilton
Boston Consulting Group
Carlisle & Company
CBS News
Daily Pnut*
Deloitte Consulting
E.ON Climate & Renewables
Eli Lilly
Fannie Mae
Financial Times
FTI Consulting
Fundação Getulio Vargas
Global Strategy Group
Grab
Hive Globl*
ICF International
J.P. Morgan
McKinsey & Company
Microsoft
National Basketball Association
Neighbor.ly
Ninebot*
Oliver Wyman
Oscar
Paul Hastings LLP
Promontory Financial Group
Prudential Global Investment Management
Purpose
rePlan/ERM Group
Sirona Strategies
Swedbank
Toll Brothers
United Cultures Innovation Center for International Cooperation LLC
MPP GRADUATES WHO EARNED JOINT/CONCURRENT DEGREES
IGO and Public Sector
State of Arizona
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina
NGO and Nonprofit
Boston Medical Center
FSG
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Partners Healthcare
Public International Law & Policy Group
Robin Hood Foundation
University of Maryland Medical Center
Private Sector
Bain & Company
Beacon Communities
Boston Consulting Group
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Dechert LLP
L.E.K. Consulting
LeapFrog Investments
Lending Club
McKinsey & Company
Oliver Wyman
Shearman & Sterling
Sidley Austin
StellarEmploy
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
* New venture
Employers of 2016 MPP Graduates
PAGE 7
Employment by Industry
27%Government /
Military
20%Consulting /
Advisory
18%International Development
12%Education
5%Data / Technology /
Science
5%Finance
5%Research
(including think tanks)
2%Human / Social
Services
2%Philanthropy
2%Real Estate / Construction
2%Transportation
Employment Sector
National/Federal Government 18%Private Sector 36%
IGO 16%
NGO and Nonprofit 21%
State/Provincial Government 7%
City/Local/Regional Government 2%
Master in Public Administration / International DevelopmentThe two-year Master in Public Administration in
International Development (mpa/id) is designed
to prepare the next generation of leaders in inter-
national development. It is an economics-cen-
tered multidisciplinary program that combines
rigorous training in analytic and quantitative
methods with an emphasis on policy and prac-
tice. Applicants must demonstrate competence in
economics and quantitative analysis as well as
leadership potential in international develop-
ment. Most admitted candidates have at least
three years of development-related work experi-
ence, typically in developing or transitional
economy countries.
MPA/ID
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
IGO/Public NGO/Nonprofit Private Unspecified
Employment Sector Comparison
Data collected annually by end of October
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
class of 2016
64 students
51 international
representing 25 countries joint or concurrent degrees
12 mba
PAGE 8
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
IGO and Public Sector
Capital Markets Board of Turkey
Central Bank of the Dominican Republic
Government of Argentina
Government of Bogota
Government of Mexico
Government of Myanmar
Government of Nagaland
Government of Peru
Government of Punjab
Government of Turkey
Government of West Bengal
Inter-American Development Bank
State of South Carolina
United Nations World Food Programme
The World Bank
NGO and Nonprofit
APPRISE
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
CEES (Centro de Estudios Educativos y Sociales)
Columbia University
Harvard University
Institute for New Economic Thinking
International Rescue Committee
Jameel Poverty Action Lab
University of Montevideo
Private Sector
AB Win-win II LLC
Acumen LLC
Bankable Frontier Associates
Dalberg Global Development Advisors
McKinsey & Company
Oliver Wyman
Tabar Holding
Tappl*
Young Leaders for Active Citizenship*
MPA/ID GRADUATES WHO EARNED JOINT/CONCURRENT DEGREES
Private Sector
A.T. Kearney
Alter Global*
HCS Capital Partners
HelloAva Inc.*
Hyperloop Technologies
Lori Systems*
McKinsey & Company
Moore Capital
* New venture
Employers of 2016 MPA/ID Graduates
PAGE 9
Private Sector 69%
Unspecified 5%
Employment Sector
National/Federal Government 10%
NGO and Nonprofit 11%
IGO 3%
State/Provincial Government 2%
Employment by Industry
29%Consulting /
Advisory
16%Finance
13%Government
10%Education
9%Technology /
Science
5%Advocacy /
Public Interest
5%International Development
3%Hospitality /
Leisure / Sports
3%Legal Services
2%Communications
5%Other
Master in Public AdministrationThe two-year Master in Public Administration
(mpa) prepares established professionals and
concurrent degree students for positions of sig-
nificant responsibility in the public, private, and
nonprofit sectors. The program is designed for stu-
dents with a record of high academic distinction
and exceptional professional accomplishment and
promise. Applicants are expected to have substan-
tial graduate-level training and at least three years
of work experience. mpa students have significant
latitude in selecting courses and designing their
field of study. They may choose courses from a
range of disciplines and study under virtually any
hks faculty member. The program fosters a strong
sense of community through student-organized
seminars, informal weekly gatherings with class-
mates, small-group dinners, and other social
events. Students also work closely with the faculty
on developing leadership skills and networks to
prepare for their post-hks careers.
MPA
01020304050607080
IGO/Public NGO/Nonprofit Private Unspecified
Employment Sector Comparison
Data collected annually by end of October
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
class of 2016
74 students
38 international
representing 25 countries concurrent degrees
38 mba, 6 law, 1 divinity
PAGE 10
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
IGO and Public Sector
Government of Argentina
Government of Japan
Government of Mexico
Government of Oman
Government of Turkey
United Nations Office for Project Services
The World Bank
NGO and Nonprofit
Boston Schools Fund
Global Catholic Climate Movement*
Harvard University
Private Sector
Airbnb
Amazon
Boston Consulting Group
Geslleschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit
LarrainVial AGF
McKinsey & Company
MPA GRADUATES WHO EARNED CONCURRENT DEGREES
IGO and Public Sector
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
NGO and Nonprofit
Clinton Health Access Initiative
Human Rights Watch
Wellesley Hills Congregational Church
Private Sector
Accenture Strategy
Amazon
American Express
Bain & Company
Barclays
Bechtel Enterprises
Boston Consulting Group
Deloitte Consulting
Doblin, member of Monitor Deloitte
Edelman
Encourage Capital
Goldman Sachs
McKinsey & Company
Microsoft
Morgan Stanley
National Basketball Association
Nixon Peabody
Oxeon Partners
PIMCO
Reach Capital
Ruangguru*
Vend
* New venture
Employers of 2016 MPA Graduates
PAGE 11
Employment by Industry
49%Government / Military
10%Finance
6%International Development
5%Education
5%Advocacy /
Public Interest
4%Finance
4%Healthcare
2%Communications
2%Political Campaign
1%Agriculture /
Food Production
1%Arts / Culture
11%Other
National/Federal Government 40%
Private Sector 24%
IGO 5%
NGO and Nonprofit 18%
Unspecified 3%
State/Provincial Government 6%
Employment Sector
City/Local/Regional Government 4%
Mid-Career Master in Public AdministrationThe Mid-Career Master in Public Administration
(mc/mpa) is the longest-running program at Har-
vard Kennedy School. This intensive one-year
program offers a flexible curriculum to allow
highly accomplished mid-career leaders and pro-
fessionals to hone their skills, redefine their ca-
reer goals, or pursue specialized interests
through coursework at hks and at other graduate
schools at Harvard and in the Boston area. mc/
mpa students represent a range of professions
from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors
and come from more than 60 countries to study
innovative ways to tackle the world’s most com-
plex public challenges. Graduates have gone on
to become heads of state, cabinet ministers, mil-
itary officers, diplomats, journalists, chief execu-
tives, and non-governmental organization
directors.
MC/MPA
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
IGO/Public NGO/Nonprofit Private Unspecified
Employment Sector Comparison
* Data collected annually by end of October
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
class of 2016
207 students
116 international
89 edward s. mason fellows
representing 65 countries
PAGE 12
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
IGO and Public Sector
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court
Asian Development Bank
Central Bank of Malaysia
City of Cambridge, MA
City of Chelsea, MA
City of New York, NY
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Government of Abu Dhabi
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Government of Barbados
Government of Cameroon
Government of Colombia
Government of Ecuador
Government of Ethiopia
Government of Himachal Pradesh
Government of Ireland
Government of Israel
Government of Jamaica
Government of Japan
Government of Kazakhstan
Government of Liberia
Government of Norway
Government of the Philippines
Government of the Province of Taiwan
Government of the Republic of Korea
Government of Rwanda
Government of Singapore
Government of South Africa
Government of Thailand
Government of Turkey
Government of the UAE
Government of the United Kingdom
Government of Uttar Pradesh
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Miami-Dade County, FL
Palestinian Authority
U.S. Digital Service at the White House
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
United Nations Office for Project Services
University of Illinois
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency
U.S. Defense Language Institute
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Navy
U.S. Pentagon
U.S. Social Security Administration
The World Bank
NGO and Nonprofit
Africa Leadership Partners*
Agency for Transformation
American Communities Trust
CatchLight*
Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia
Crisis Management Initiative
docutribe*
Education for Sharing
Furman University
Harvard University
Health Poverty Action
Hiinga
Idea Public Schools
International Center for Tropical Agriculture
International Land Tenure Facility
Israeli American Council
Maccabi Healthcare Services
Mera Maan*
The Mission Continues
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Nigeria Governors’ Forum
One Sandwich at a Time
Partners in Health
Rakhine Advisory Commission
Success Academy
Trinity Lutheran Church
Private Sector
Accenture
Aftrac Limited
African Precedent*
Amartha*
Augustus Global
Booz Allen Hamilton
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
The Cohen Group
Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Crossdeck
Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI)
European Advisory Services and Research Group
GfK
Israelabs*
Kazimir Partners, Inc.
Landmark Business Centre
The Lantau Group
Leidos
Long-Stanton Group
McKinsey & Company
Moarbes LLC
Newtowne Partners*
Nexos Comunicaciones
Premier Healthcare
Presidio Network Solutions
Public Consulting Group
Stanley Black & Decker
Taste of Nature*
Uber
UBS Investment Bank
Vantage
YesEuropeLab*
* New venture
Employers of 2016 MC/MPA Graduates
Chile
Peru
Argentina
Ecuador
Colombia
Canada
Dominican Republic
1
4
2
3
4
3
Jamaica1
Liberia
Sierra LeoneNigeria
Kenya
United Arab Emirates
Israel
1 2
4
3
7
United Kingdom
Norway
Sweden
1
Switzerland
Turkey
Pakistan
3
India
2
5
KazakhstanGermany 2
China
Bangladesh
1
Hong Kong SAR2
2Indonesia
Republic of Korea
3 Japan
Philippines1
Malaysia1
Singapore
(see U.S. map)
Australia5
3
Finland1
Taiwan2
New Zealand1
6
10 2Lebanon
1Morocco
Myanmar
4
Saudia Arabia
1
1Palestine, State of
4
9
Thailand
2
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Cameroon2
1
1
2
Brazil
Mexico
Uruguay
1
Barbados1
Ethiopia
1
Rwanda1
Uganda1
Zimbabwe1
South Africa
3
Afghanistan14
4
Oman1
Jordan1
7
5
1
Ireland
2
Italy
Romania
1
6
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
Employment Outside the U.S.Where Class of 2016 graduates reported employment around the world*
KEY
6+ employed
2 to 5
1
Number of 2016 graduates per country
* 156 graduates reported PAGE 13
Colorado
Texas
California
Washington
Michigan
Ohio
South Carolina
Florida
Illinois
New York
Massachusetts
Georgia
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Maryland
Washington DC
Virginia
2
14
1
7
57
2
2
2
324
6
73
61
Connecticut
1
2
4
Idaho
1
Indiana
1
9
Rhode Island
4
Alaska
1
Arizona
1
Louisiana
1
Mississippi
2
North Dakota
1
Minnesota
1New Hampshire
1
North Carolina
6
Employment Within the U.S.Where Class of 2016 graduates reported employment in the United States*
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOLCAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161t [email protected] www.hks.harvard.edu/careert
KEY
8+ employed
2 to 7
1
Number of 2016 graduates per state
*280 graduates reported PAGE 14