Duke University
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Why Duke University Matters
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, NC ranked #24 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 6,442
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- 71
- Primary Strengths
- Social Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, Engineering
Why students choose Duke University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 6% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1500–1570. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $29,612 a year after grants and scholarships — 73% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $97,800 ten years after enrolling — 140% above the typical college, against $13,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 43% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.72 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 6%, Duke University is a place where ambitious students thrive. It attracts those who are serious about their education and want to dive deep into areas like Social Sciences, Computer Science, Biology, Engineering, and Health Professions. The community here is vibrant, and students often find themselves surrounded by peers who share a passion for learning and a drive to make an impact.
Looking ahead to life after graduation, students from Duke can expect strong earning potential, with a median salary of $97,800 a decade after they leave. That’s a solid return on investment, especially considering the affordable nature of the education relative to earnings. Graduates tend to find good job opportunities, reflecting the high graduation rate of 96%. This means that most students not only complete their degrees but also enter the workforce prepared and competitive.
On the financial side, the net price for students, after aid, stands at $29,612, which is manageable given the earnings potential. The typical debt load is $13,000, which is relatively low and suggests that many students can graduate without being weighed down by heavy financial burdens. This creates an environment where motivated individuals can thrive, especially those who are eager to leverage their education into successful careers.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Duke University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Duke University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University maintains an exceptionally competitive admissions profile, with an acceptance rate of only 6%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,548. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 96%.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Duke University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Duke University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $68,758 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $29,612 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $735 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $13,000.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Duke University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Duke University earn a median of $97,800 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
Where Grads Go
Duke University is a top feeder for:
Rank among programs feeding each employer.
Top employers of Duke University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.
How Duke Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Duke University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Duke University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $29,612/year ($118,448 total). Graduates earn $97,800 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,280,454 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,162,006 (19.3× your investment). The median debt is $13,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 96% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Duke University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Duke University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.60%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower — only about 3.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $196,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Duke University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
On the global stage, Times Higher Education places Duke University at #24 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 72/100, teaching at 67/100, and citation impact of 92/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Duke University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 11% nationally), with 269 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 72/100 research score.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Duke University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Duke University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Duke University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University maintains an exceptionally competitive admissions profile, with an acceptance rate of only 6%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,548. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 96%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Duke University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Duke University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $68,758 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $29,612 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $735 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $13,000.
Is Duke University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Duke University earn a median of $97,800 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Does Duke University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Duke University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.60%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower — only about 3.2% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $196,000, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Duke University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Duke University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.72 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Duke University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations +
On the global stage, Times Higher Education places Duke University at #24 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 72/100, teaching at 67/100, and citation impact of 92/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Compare Duke University
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Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Duke University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Duke University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Duke University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.72 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note