Duke University
Private nonprofit four-year university in Durham, NC that costs an average of $23,706 a year after financial aid, admits 5.7% of applicants and graduates 96% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$23,706
Acceptance rate
5.7%
Graduation rate
96%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$113,937
Private nonprofitLarge city6,442 undergraduates
Cost of Duke University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $90,696 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $72,795 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $19,247 |
| Books and supplies | $536 |
| Average net price after aid | $23,706 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $6,652 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $4,608 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $16,813 |
| $110,001+ | $48,954 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Duke University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 5.7% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,548 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 740–770 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 760–800 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 34–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 96% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $95,364 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $113,937 |
| Rank in North Carolina (earnings) | 1st of 55 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $13,000 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $148 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 19% |
| Students with federal loans | 13% |
Majors and programs at Duke University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (63)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | 210 | $149,622 | $12,000 |
| Computer Science | 831 | $148,493 | $12,000 |
| Statistics | 143 | $131,046 | $13,500 |
| Mathematics | 165 | $130,467 | $13,875 |
| Economics | 395 | $124,433 | $13,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 148 | $88,721 | $13,250 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 430 | $87,034 | $15,000 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 306 | $70,713 | $13,625 |
| Sociology | 73 | $67,720 | — |
| Political Science and Government | 210 | $66,320 | $12,537 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 33 | $61,032 | — |
| International and Comparative Education | 41 | $55,225 | — |
| History | 62 | $53,104 | — |
| English Language and Literature | 59 | $52,808 | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 262 | $52,659 | $10,500 |
| Public Health | 33 | $51,770 | $15,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 98 | $46,081 | $12,703 |
| Area Studies | 69 | $45,694 | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 45 | $44,371 | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 184 | $39,386 | $13,000 |
| Biology | 340 | $39,214 | $14,196 |
| Anthropology | 24 | — | — |
| Behavioral Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 10 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 33 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 191 | — | $14,125 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 43 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 53 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 31 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 2 | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 2 | — | — |
| Computational Science | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 1 | — | — |
| Dance | 3 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 10 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 8 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | 10 | — | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 13 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 13 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 12 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Journalism | — | — | — |
| Literature | 22 | — | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 10 | — | — |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | — | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 540 | — | — |
| Music | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 32 | — | — |
| Physics | 34 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 8 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 39 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 10 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 37 | — | — |
Certificate programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (24)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | — | $183,985 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | $122,097 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | — | $97,511 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | $64,395 | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | $61,539 | — |
| Religious Education | — | $49,458 | — |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | — | $30,288 | — |
| Anthropology | — | — | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Engineering | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | — | — | — |
| History | — | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | — | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | — | — | — |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | — | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | — | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | — | — | — |
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other | — | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (74)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Business | 120 | $216,512 | $138,905 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 128 | $196,585 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 470 | $180,247 | $118,030 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 571 | $129,756 | $54,798 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 270 | $124,843 | $138,780 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 69 | $123,633 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 2,061 | $122,674 | $70,300 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 406 | $111,341 | $83,122 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 193 | $91,874 | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 256 | $79,570 | $65,858 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 75 | $78,609 | $56,454 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 338 | $73,924 | $54,073 |
| Public Health | 61 | $71,129 | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 47 | $59,138 | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 263 | $51,010 | $50,269 |
| Biology | 94 | $31,646 | $69,633 |
| Anthropology | 4 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 31 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 126 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 44 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 6 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 16 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Computational Science | — | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 25 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 165 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 17 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 99 | — | — |
| Dance | 5 | — | — |
| Data Science | 74 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 16 | — | — |
| Economics | 157 | — | — |
| Economics and Computer Science | 48 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 249 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | 2 | — | — |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | 181 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 14 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | — | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 18 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 30 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 30 | — | — |
| Forestry | 20 | — | — |
| Genetics | 3 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 3 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | — | — | — |
| History | 13 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 95 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 47 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 51 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 72 | — | — |
| Music | 4 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 2 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 3 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 1 | — | — |
| Physics | 67 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 30 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 54 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 6 | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 36 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 17 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| Sociology | 5 | — | — |
| Statistics | 105 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | — | — | — |
| Systems Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 20 | — | — |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | — | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (46)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | — | $215,478 | $166,757 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 16 | $163,051 | $122,626 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 79 | $114,810 | — |
| Physics | 37 | $91,307 | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | $74,705 | $173,276 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 11 | $73,405 | $42,252 |
| Medicine | — | $67,376 | $158,998 |
| English Language and Literature | 21 | $59,139 | — |
| Anthropology | 8 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 31 | — | — |
| Biology | 19 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 16 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 15 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 43 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 27 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 29 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 15 | — | — |
| Economics | 28 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 70 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 7 | — | — |
| Genetics | 52 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| History | 11 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 33 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 8 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 19 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 33 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 12 | — | — |
| Music | 13 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 12 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 21 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 16 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 4 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 14 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 26 | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 10 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 1 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 10 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 31 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 11 | — | — |
| Statistics | 19 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (10)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | — | — |
| Law | 515 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Medicine | 250 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 196 | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 186 | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 64 | — | — |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | — | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (45)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 16 | — | — |
| Anthropology | — | — | — |
| Area Studies | 18 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | — | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 4 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 126 | — | $82,961 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 22 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 47 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 1 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 125 | — | $80,277 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 14 | — | $63,293 |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | $42,989 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 23 | — | $90,977 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 24 | — | — |
| History | — | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 3 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 22 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Materials Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 7 | — | — |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 30 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | — | — | — |
| Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | — | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 7 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 1 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 181 | — | $60,853 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | — | — | $39,862 |
| Religious Education | — | — | $36,606 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 11 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other | 10 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 2 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 133 | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | — | — | $29,417 |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, Other | 37 | — | $39,103 |
Similar colleges in North Carolina
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elon University | Elon | $35,785 | 66% | $82,524 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | $28,165 | 22% | $104,443 |
| High Point University | High Point | $41,019 | 75% | $73,547 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | $25,057 | 87% | $59,026 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | $21,511 | 91% | $57,646 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | $15,060 | 13% | $89,297 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | $21,150 | 77% | $53,543 |
| University of Mount Olive | Mount Olive | $18,927 | 76% | $54,851 |
About Duke University
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Durham, NC |
| Setting | Large city |
| Undergraduates | 6,442 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 5 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Website | duke.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Duke University's acceptance rate?
Duke University admits 5.7% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,548 on the SAT.
How much does Duke University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $90,696 a year (tuition and fees: $72,795). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $23,706 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $6,652.
How much do Duke University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $113,937 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 1st of 55 similar colleges in North Carolina. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer engineering ($149,622 a year after graduation).
What is Duke University's graduation rate?
96% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% of first-year students return for a second year.