Durham, NC · Private · 6,442 undergraduates · urban
Duke University
Extremely selective
Duke is the Southern research university most visibly associated with basketball, Gothic West Campus, and a polished residential experience. First-years begin together on East Campus before moving into the wider university, giving the class a common opening year. Durham, Duke Health, and the Research Triangle add clinical, research, and entrepreneurial work beyond the stone arches.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in career outcomes, and exceptional in academic standing.- Admission
- 6.8% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 96.6%
46,365 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$97,800 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Duke apart
The first year has its own campus
East Campus places first-years together before the undergraduate experience expands onto West Campus.
Health and research are close at hand
Duke Health and the Research Triangle support laboratory, clinical, and entrepreneurial work during the year.
School spirit is not a marketing abstraction
Basketball, tenting, and campus traditions create shared events that reach well beyond varsity athletes.
The Duke transition
One class begins together, then moves west
Duke uses campus geography to give students a common opening year before specialization.
Live on East Campus
Housing, advising, and shared spaces create early class-wide contact.
Move to West Campus
Academic departments, the Chapel, athletics, and student organizations become the center.
Use Durham and the region
Research, health care, service, and companies extend the experience beyond campus.
Can I get in?
6.8% admitted
Duke expects top academic performance and then looks for initiative, contribution, and a reason the student fits its collaborative residential culture. The application should show action, not merely enthusiasm.
Recent applicant pool
46,365About 7 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 50% submitted an SAT, and 31% submitted an ACT. Decide by comparing your score with the published range and the rest of your academic record.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Duke, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Duke weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Academic readiness
Grades and rigor must support work at a selective research university across the student’s intended fields.
Initiative with evidence
Show what changed because the student acted, whether in research, work, family, school, or community.
Collaborative contribution
Recommendations should reveal how the student improves a classroom or team.
A Duke-specific use case
Connect the student to a real academic or community feature rather than sports enthusiasm alone.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Duke offers Early Decision and Regular Decision. The strongest file connects academic direction with examples of initiative and community contribution.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Need-based aid can move Duke’s actual price well below the published total. Travel and the cost of living off campus later may affect the full comparison.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Duke University publishes three merit awards. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
Open across the university · Merit and financial need · Competitive · Renews
In the season card
These three awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Duke
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Technology, finance, consulting, medicine, research, public service, and graduate study draw from Duke. The Research Triangle and health system make serious work available during the academic year.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Computer Science
Admits separately
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Needs a prior degree or license
Economics
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Duke beyond the classroom
First-year East Campus creates a class-wide beginning; West Campus then concentrates academic and social activity around the Chapel. Basketball is highly visible, but Greek life, selective living history, clubs, arts, and Durham all shape the scene.
First-years begin together on East Campus
A common residential first year gives the class an identity before students move to West Campus and upper-level communities.
West Union is the daily crossroads
A broad set of food venues makes the central campus dining complex as much a social hub as a meal stop.
Research and school spirit coexist
Laboratories, service, arts, publications, entrepreneurship, athletics, and student government all recruit actively.
Basketball sets the calendar
Cameron games and tenting are major traditions, while Greek groups, clubs, arts, and Durham provide other social routes.
Durham has become part of the draw
Restaurants, arts, startups, nonprofits, hospitals, and nearby universities expand the options beyond campus.