Admit rate has ranged 6%–8% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Duke University is a Southern Ivy powerhouse where pre-professional ambition collides with Gothic architecture and basketball mania. With a 6% acceptance rate and a median SAT of 1550, Duke selects for academic superstars—then pushes them harder, especially in its world-renowned medical and engineering programs. The campus hums with a mix of Southern charm and cutthroat intensity, where Greek life dominates socially but research labs and Cameron Indoor Stadium compete for students' devotion.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
6,442
In-state tuition
$68,758
Out-of-state tuition
$68,758
Campus Size
8,600 acres
Acceptance Rate
5.7%
Total Annual Cost
$84,517
Student-Faculty Ratio
5:1
5-Year Median Earnings
$104,271
6-Year Graduation Rate
96%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$97,800
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
3.3×
Median debt at graduation
$13,000
Graduation rate
97%
First-year retention
98%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
89%
Pell (lower-income) share
32%
First-generation share
13%
Endowment / student
$1,845,699
Financial health
2.3 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$106,898
Computer Engineering$97,071
Economics$90,856
Statistics$83,546
Mathematics$81,333
Mechanical Engineering$80,964
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
5
Per 1,000 students
0.78
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
101
Summer high
88°F
Winter low
36°F
Annual rain
48.6"
Annual snow
2.8"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
1,407
Scholarly works
268,852
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Share of this school’s graduates who go on to earn research doctorates (2010–20), by national rank and per-capita yield (NSF institutional-yield ratio). A signal of a research-oriented student culture — not a causal promise, since it partly reflects who enrolls. Only top producers appear. Source: NSF NCSES, Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.6%
Bottom → top quintile
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Duke University?
Duke University's acceptance rate is approximately 6% (Durham, NC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Duke University?
Admitted students at Duke University typically score 1500–1570 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Duke University cost?
At Duke University, the average net price (after aid) is about $29,612 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Duke University?
Duke University enrolls approximately 6,442 undergraduate students.
Where is Duke University located?
Duke University is located in Durham, NC.
Admissions
Getting into Duke is a feat reserved for the academic elite—only 5.7% of applicants received admission in the most recent cycle, with Early Decision offering a slightly better shot at 13.75%. The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1520–1570, while ACT scores cluster between 34–36. Nearly all successful applicants rank in the top 10% of their high school class, with an average GPA of 4.2. Standardized test scores remain 'very important' per Duke's Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare., though the university emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone. with heavy weight given to rigor of coursework, essays, and extracurricular impact. One Reddit post from an admitted ED student revealed admissions officers prize 'intellectual vitality' and 'demonstrated leadership' above perfect scores.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$75,114
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$63,970
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
50%
From bottom quintile
3%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Duke's academic identity orbits around two gravitational centers: its #3-ranked hospital system and a liberal arts core that encourages intellectual cross-pollination. The university offers 63 majors and 61 minors across Trinity College (arts & sciences) and the Pratt School of Engineering, with particularly dominant programs in:
Medicine/Nursing: Duke's medical research pipeline is legendary, with 71% of pre-meds securing MD admissions (well above national averages)
Computer Science: Now the most popular major, fueled by Durham's 'Silicon Valley of the South' tech boom
Economics/Political Science: A feeder for Wall Street and DC, with Duke in DC and DukeEngage programs providing real-world policy immersion
With a 5:1 student-faculty ratio and 71% of classes under 20 students, Duke emphasizes mentorship—though students note the workload is 'relentless,' especially in STEM tracks. The university's 'Program II' allows students to design their own majors, a flexibility rare among research powerhouses.
Duke's 8,600-acre campus—a mix of Gothic spires and cutting-edge research facilities—hosts a work-hard, play-hard culture where 34% of undergrads join Greek life and basketball games become religious experiences. Key facets:
Social Hierarchy: Fraternities and selective living groups (SLGs) dominate the party scene, creating what one Reddit user called 'a soft tier system for social access'
Traditions: From tenting for weeks to score Cameron Indoor seats to the midnight LDOC (Last Day of Classes) concert, Duke rituals bond students across cliques
Competitive Undercurrent: The 'effortless perfection' pressure is real—students report feeling they must excel academically while maintaining a vibrant social presence
Yet the university fosters tight-knit communities through 400+ clubs, including the famously quirky Duke Lemur Center and Rubik's Cube team. Durham's food and music scene provides an off-campus escape.
A Duke degree is a golden ticket: 96% graduate within six years (vs. 53% national average), and alumni command median earnings of $104,271 within five years—nearly triple the national benchmark. The ROI is staggering:
Short-term: 83% of engineering grads land jobs averaging $95,000+, with Big Tech and consulting firms heavily recruiting on campus
Long-term: 20-year earnings potential hits $2M+, per federal data
Advanced Degrees: 13% head directly to grad school, with Duke Med and Law among top feeders
The university's alumni network—particularly in finance (Goldman Sachs' CEO is a Duke alum) and healthcare—provides unparalleled career leverage. Even humanities majors outperform peers, earning $74,497 just one year post-graduation.
At $84,517 total annual cost, Duke isn't cheap—but its need-blind admissions and $26,337 average net price (after aid) make it more accessible than sticker shock suggests. The university meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans for families earning <$150k/year, using grants and work-study instead. Key details:
Merit Scholarships: Few exist (Duke prefers Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements.), but the Robertson Scholars program covers full tuition for leadership standouts
Hidden Costs: Students report spending $2,000+/year on social events, Greek dues, and lab fees
ROI Justification: The 2.3-year payback period on Duke's $211K degree cost is among the fastest in higher ed
Prospective students should use Duke's MyinTuition calculator for personalized estimates—the university awards over $149M annually in undergrad aid.
Duke occupies a rare sweet spot: the academic rigor of the Ivies with the school spirit of a Big Ten campus. Its medical and engineering pipelines rival MIT and Hopkins, while the Fuqua School of Business feeds Wall Street. The Cameron Crazies—Duke's notoriously rabid basketball fans—turn games into performance art, proving nerds can have swagger. What truly sets Duke apart is its 'and/both' culture: students can be pre-med and a cappella stars, econ majors and humanitarian activists. This duality comes at a cost—the pressure to 'do it all' is palpable—but for those who thrive on intensity, Duke offers a launchpad like no other.
Duke University logo · sourceAbout - Duke University · sourceAbout the Campus | Facilities Management · sourceDuke University's West Campus Union by Grimshaw | 2016-11-01 | Architectural Record · source
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