Duke University
Duke University — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
What we think of Duke University
Duke delivers strong outcomes but at a materially higher effective cost than most applicants realize. A $29,612 average net price for a school with a 5.7% admit rate is unusually expensive relative to peers admitting at the same selectivity. Harvard admits at similar rates and charges about $19k. Princeton about $6k. MIT about $20k. The gap accumulates: over four years, the total cost difference between Duke and Princeton can exceed $95,000 for middle-income families.
The mechanism is aid formula. Duke meets full demonstrated financial need, but its formula assumes higher family contributions than the top-tier need-blind privates at comparable incomes. Merit aid exists — the Robertson Scholarship and the A.B. Duke Scholarship — but is limited to a small number of exceptional applicants and does not affect the average net price for most admitted students.
Where Duke is genuinely distinctive is the pre-medical pipeline (Duke University Hospital and School of Medicine are integrated with undergraduate research), the pre-law pipeline into the Duke School of Law, and the alumni network in the Southeast (particularly finance, consulting, and healthcare in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Atlanta). Trinity College is broad and strong; the Pratt School of Engineering is competitive but not top-5.
Bottom line: strong outcomes, first-rate pre-med and pre-law pipelines, and an unusually loyal alumni network in the Southeast. But if you are admitted to Duke and to a school in the top-value private tier, the aid math almost always favors the other school for middle and low-income families. Compare the specific aid letters carefully before deciding — this is a school where the sticker versus real price gap matters.
Duke University at a Glance
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.
1931
95 years old
$40M
$40 million
17,325
6,525 undergrad · 10,976 grad
3,982
7,000 acres
25 residence halls
Identity
How to Apply to Duke University
Official admissions pageJanuary 2
November 1 (Early Decision, binding)
$85
Fee waiver available
2 required
Testing policy
Recommendation letters
Essays
Interview
Fee waiver
Is Duke University Worth It?
Duke University is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $29,612/year net price and $97,800 median earnings, graduates earn 3.3× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.2 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 96% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
The catch: admission is extremely selective at just 6%, making this an option only for top-tier applicants.
Median student debt of $13,000 is manageable at just 13% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
Bottom line: Duke University delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How Duke University compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #14 of 21 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Yale University | 100 | $23,777 | $100,533 |
| #2 | University of Chicago | 100 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| #3 | Johns Hopkins University | 100 | $18,809 | $87,555 |
| #4 | Harvard University | 100 | $19,066 | $101,817 |
| #5 | Princeton University | 100 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| #6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 100 | $21,590 | $102,491 |
| #14 | Duke University | 80 | $29,612 | $97,800 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of Duke University's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at Duke University
The highest-earning program at Duke University is Computer Science at $99,600/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Natural Resources Conservation and Research at $32,300/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Science graduate from Duke University earns $99,600, while a Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduate earns $32,300. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Science graduates carry $7,890 in median debt vs. $8,225 for Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $29,612/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $99,600 | $99,600 | $7,890 |
| Computer Engineering | $95,200 | $95,200 | $10,000 |
| Economics | $89,800 | $89,800 | $10,500 |
| Mathematics | $74,700 | $74,700 | $5,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $73,500 | $73,500 | $10,080 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $71,700 | $71,700 | $7,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $62,700 | $62,700 | $18,750 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $59,300 | $59,300 | $9,750 |
| History | $51,400 | $51,400 | $10,534 |
| Political Science and Government | $47,400 | $47,400 | $9,000 |
| International and Comparative Education | $45,400 | $45,400 | $9,965 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $40,000 | $40,000 | N/A |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $39,900 | $39,900 | $9,300 |
| Psychology, General | $39,100 | $39,100 | $10,600 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $38,700 | $38,700 | $9,434 |
| Sociology | $37,300 | $37,300 | $13,945 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $35,900 | $35,900 | $8,170 |
| Biology, General | $34,300 | $34,300 | $7,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $32,300 | $32,300 | $8,225 |
Similar Colleges in NC
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Student Body
- 6,442 students
- Admission Rate
- 6%
- Graduation Rate
- 96%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $29,612
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $97,800
- Median Student Debt
- $13,000