Duke: What the Numbers Actually Say
Duke reads like an Ivy in every column but two. The admit rate, the aid, the outcomes — all of it sits comfortably in that company. What sets it apart is social: two-fifths of Duke women join sororities — the highest share of any school profiled here — and nearly a third of men join fraternities. Whether that is the argument for Duke or against it depends entirely on the applicant, which is why it belongs at the top of the page rather than buried.
Duke admitted 5.2% of 55,541 applicants. The average net price after aid is $29,612, a family earning under $30,000 pays about $735, and students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $121,600 ten years after entry — among the strongest mobility figures in the country.
At a glance
| Duke University | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Durham, NC | |
| Undergraduates | 6,525 | |
| Acceptance rate | 5.2% | |
| Applicants / admits | 55,541 / 2,910 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1510–1570 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 34–35 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 7:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $29,612 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $97,800 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,000 | $23,000 |
US medians are across every college reporting the figure to the College Scorecard — roughly 1,700 for net price and 1,800 for earnings.
Admissions: what Duke says it weighs
Duke drew 55,541 applications and admitted 2,910 — 5.2% — with 60.1% of admits enrolling. The early round is binding Early Decision.
| Application factor | Duke University says | How common that is |
|---|---|---|
| Academic GPA | Very important | 91% of schools say the same |
| Application Essay | Very important | 34% of schools say the same |
| Character/personal qualities | Very important | 27% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important | only 18% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Very important | 32% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Very important | 26% of schools say the same |
| Talent/ability | Very important | only 14% of schools say the same |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered | 40% of schools say the same |
| Class rank | Considered | only 18% of schools say the same |
| First generation | Considered | 65% of schools say the same |
| Geographical residence | Considered | 34% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Considered | 41% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Considered | 45% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Considered | 34% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% of schools say the same |
The school’s own ratings from its Common Data Set filing, set against the 362 filings in our dataset. Bold rows are ratings fewer than a quarter of schools share — the places this school’s process is genuinely unusual. Declared weight is not submission policy; requirements change year to year and should be checked directly.
The filing sits close to the elite consensus: talent and extracurriculars at the top of the scale — minority ratings nationally — and, unusually for this tier, class rank still considered. Demonstrated interest is not considered; the binding ED round is the only commitment signal Duke’s process reads.
The admitted middle 50% runs 740–780 on SAT reading and 770–790 on maths, with 48% of enrolled first-years having submitted an SAT score — a share that describes the class, not the current submission rules.
Cost
The sticker is about $97,133 — the highest listed price of the schools profiled here — and the average net price after grants is $29,612. Duke meets 100% of demonstrated need with an average first-year grant of $76,455.
| Family income | Duke University | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $735 / year | $15,238 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $5,706 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $17,100 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $54,230 / year | $25,893 |
Average net price actually paid by aided US students at each income level, from the College Scorecard. Sticker price is what almost nobody at these income levels pays.
The spread by income is the point: about $735 a year under $30,000, against $54,230 above $110,000. 22.9% of students borrow, and the median graduate leaves owing $13,000 — lower than nine in ten US colleges.
Campus: the Greek flagship of the elite tier
30% of Duke men join a fraternity and 42% of women join a sorority — the highest sorority share of any school profiled here, and a genuine shaper of social life on a campus where 100% of first-years live in university housing. The classroom alongside it: a 7:1 student–faculty ratio with 71% of course sections under 20 students.
Outcomes
Median earnings, 10 years after entry · US median $53,038
Earnings of students from the lowest-income third · US median $42,600
Average net price after aid · US median $20,150
Median debt at graduation · US median $23,000
Bar length is the share of US colleges this school beats on each measure; the tick marks the national median. Price and debt are inverted, so a longer bar is always the better outcome. Source: College Scorecard.
Median earnings reach $97,800 ten years after enrolling, and the mobility figure stands out even in this company: students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $121,600 a decade after they started. 97% of first-years return and 96.1% graduate within six years.
Frequently asked questions
What is Duke’s acceptance rate?
5.2%. Duke received 55,541 applications and admitted 2,910 students; 60.1% of those admitted enrolled.
How much does Duke actually cost?
The sticker of about $97,133 is the highest of the schools profiled here — and the average net price after grants is $29,612. A family earning under $30,000 pays about $735; Duke meets 100% of demonstrated need.
How big is Greek life at Duke?
Large by any elite-school measure: 30% of men join fraternities and 42% of women join sororities. It is the single clearest difference between Duke and the Ivies it otherwise resembles.
What SAT scores do you need for Duke?
The admitted middle 50% scored 740–780 on reading and 770–790 on maths. A quarter of admitted students scored below those ranges.
Do Duke graduates earn more?
Median earnings are $97,800 ten years after enrolling, and students from the lowest-income third of families earn a mean $121,600 ten years after entry — among the half-dozen strongest mobility figures in the country.
See how you stack up
FitFinder weighs schools like Duke against your own grades, activities and priorities — not a national average.
Join the waitlist →