Sandberg was born in 1969, in Washington, D.C., in a Jewish family. In 1987 started a Bachelor's degree in economics at Harvard College. She graduated in 1991 with the highest honor, "summa cum laude". In 1993 she started at Harvard Business School. In 1995 she earned her M.B.A. with highest distinction. After this Sandberg worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company for a year.