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Duke University

Duke University

Durham, NC · City · 6,442 students
Nov 2 · Early Decision (binding) · in 31 days
Checked Sep 2026 · admissions.duke.edu
$29,612
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
$0
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
96%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
70% typical
$97,800
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$63,395 typical
6%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
About

Duke University is a premier research institution in Durham, North Carolina, highly regarded for top-ranked programs in biomedical engineering at the Pratt School of Engineering, public policy at the Sanford School, economics, and pre-health tracks. As a key anchor of the Research Triangle, the university sets itself apart with abundant undergraduate research opportunities and signature initiatives like DukeEngage, which fully funds immersive, global civic service projects. The student experience embodies a spirited "work hard, play hard" culture, where rigorous academic drive is balanced by fierce school pride fueled by the legendary "Cameron Crazies" during basketball season. Undergraduates live and learn within a vibrant, close-knit residential community framed by stunning Collegiate Gothic architecture and the sprawling 7,000-acre Duke Forest.


Wikipedia:Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke established the Duke Endowment and the institution changed its name to honor his deceased father, Washington Duke.

Location
Durham, NC, 27708 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
RDU · Raleigh-Durham
12 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$68,758
Housing & food (on campus)$18,128
Books & supplies$536
Cost of attendance$87,072
Average net price$29,612
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$68,758
Housing & food (on campus)$18,128
Books & supplies$536
Cost of attendance$87,072
Average net price$29,612
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$735
$30–48k
$-361
$48–75k
$5,706
$75–110k
$17,100
$110k+
$54,230
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
96%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
87%
Back for yr 2
98%
Transferred
1%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
97% graduated · 1% transferred · 2% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$85,792
10 yrs after entry$97,800
Debt
Median at graduation$13,000
Monthly payment$138
Middle 50% owe$3.8k–$19.5k
90th percentile$26,500
Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
6%
Test policy
Test optional
Checked Sep 2026
SAT average
1548
R 740–770 · M 760–800
ACT midpoint
34
Comp 34–35 · E 35–36 · M 32–35
SAT middle 50%: 1500–1570
40080012001600
Application deadlines · first-year, fall 2027 entry
Early Decision
Nov 2 2026
binding in 31 days
If admitted, you must enroll and withdraw other applications.
Regular Decision
Jan 4 2027
in 94 days
Not binding: the standard deadline.
Checked Sep 2026 · admissions.duke.edu · Confirm on the school's site before you apply.

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Essay prompts
How much essays count at Duke University: Important (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)
Source: Duke University's Common Data Set for 2025-26 — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).
From Duke University (admissions.duke.edu) · 2026–27 application · checked Sep 28, 2026
  • What is your impression of Duke as a university and community, and why do you believe it is a good match for your goals, values, and interests? If there is something specific that attracts you to our academic offerings in Trinity College of Arts and Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering, or to our co-curricular opportunities, feel free to include that, too.
    250 words max
  • We all belong to communities defined by place, faith, family, culture, interests or shared experience. Tell us about a community that has shaped who you are, any way it has set you apart, and what you've learned from being part of it that you hope to bring to Duke.
    250 words max
  • Choose one of three
    • We believe a wide range of viewpoints and experiences is essential to maintaining Duke's vibrant living and learning community. Please share anything in this context that might help us better understand you and your potential contributions to Duke.
      250 words max · Optional
    • Meaningful dialogue often involves respectful disagreement. Provide an example of a difference of opinion you've had with someone you care about. What did you learn from it?
      250 words max · Optional
    • What's the last thing that you've been really excited about?
      250 words max · Optional

Quoted from Duke University's own page; answered in the Common Application. The application itself is the final word.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 46%Women 54%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
5 : 1
Pell grant
14%
First-gen
13%
Family income
$61,560
Independent
21%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
0%
Race & ethnicity
White
35%
Hispanic
11%
Black
9%
Asian
22%
Two or more
7%
Non-resident
11%
Unknown
5%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Fencing
    Men's · Women's
  • Field Hockey
    Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Lacrosse
    Men's · Women's
  • Rowing
    Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$85,792
After 10 yrs
$97,800
Computer Science410
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other281
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing224
Economics199
Biology, General169
Public Policy Analysis144
Research and Experimental Psychology133
Political Science and Government111
Computer Engineering110
Biomedical/Medical Engineering102
Neurobiology and Neurosciences95
Mathematics83
Statistics83
Mechanical Engineering73
Natural Resources Conservation and Research54
History45
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$11.9B
Full-time faculty
94%
Faculty salary
$19,001/mo
Teaching spend
$87,044
per student
Federal loans
14%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R1 — very high research
$1.6B research spending · 423 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

Wondering if Duke University is the right fit for you?

SchoolScout builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list
Financial aid & net cost estimates
Deep dives on any school
Scholarship search