Duke University
Durham, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 5.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 96/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Duke scores 96 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. Completion rate is 96.8%. Median debt is $13,000. Computer Science leads by volume: 410 graduates, $133,356 year-one, $195,809 year-four. Economics (199 graduates) earns $98,649 year-one and $161,149 year-four, both strong absolute figures. The data confirms what employer pipelines suggest: Duke's brand does substantial work in finance, healthcare, and consulting, particularly on the East Coast, and the completion-rate ceiling of 96.8% reflects an unusually low attrition rate.
The median graduate earns $97,800 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Duke University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,758/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,758/yr |
| Average net price | $29,612/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $118,448 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $97,800 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $93,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $13,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $138 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 96.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,442 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $68,758/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,612/year, or roughly $118,448 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $735/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $54,230/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $13,000, which works out to about $138 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($93,200) and comes to 0.14, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $735 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | -$361 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $5,706 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,100 |
| $110,001+ | $54,230 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $735 net price per year at Duke. The 30001-48000 bracket is -$361 - a negative figure indicating net grants exceed costs for that income tier. These figures confirm that access is real for admitted students below $48,000 household income.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket rises to $5,706, and the 75001-110000 bracket jumps to $17,100. Middle-income families will find Duke more affordable than sticker price suggests.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $54,230 per year at Duke - roughly $217,000 all-in over four years. Against a 4.1-year payback and $93,200 average 6-year earnings, the full-pay math works for graduates entering finance, consulting, and engineering. For students in lower-earning tracks - nursing, environmental science, public policy - the payback against $217,000 requires careful analysis.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Duke University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $195,809 | A |
| Registered Nursing | $87,763 | B |
| Economics | $161,149 | A |
| Biology | $83,192 | B |
| Public Policy Analysis | $103,071 | A |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $39,359 | B+ |
| International Relations | $88,459 | B+ |
| Computer Engineering | $174,522 | A |
| Biomedical Engineering | $105,921 | A |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $73,140 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Duke CS is the highest-volume program: 410 graduates, $133,356 median at year one, $195,809 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.101 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $13,500. The placement runs into software engineering, data science, and quantitative roles at major technology firms, financial institutions, and consulting firms. Duke CS benefits from geographic proximity to Research Triangle Park, one of the largest technology employment clusters on the East Coast, as well as national recruiting by employers.
Economics
Economics is Duke's second-largest program at 199 graduates: $98,649 year-one and $161,149 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.136 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $13,437. Duke economics graduates have active recruiting pipelines at bulge-bracket banks and major consulting firms. The year-one figure is $98k, and the year-four trajectory to $161k reflects promotion into senior analyst and associate roles in finance and consulting.
Mathematics
Mathematics (83 graduates) earns $121,088 at year one and $297,029 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.107 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $13,000. The extraordinary year-four figure ($297k) reflects a Duke math graduate cohort that skews heavily toward quantitative finance: hedge funds, proprietary trading desks, and financial engineering roles where four-year compensation including equity and bonuses reaches that level. This is not a typical math-major outcome; it is specific to Duke's Wall Street pipeline.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering (110 graduates) earns $111,145 at year one and $174,522 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.130 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $14,500. Duke CompE graduates go into hardware design, systems engineering, robotics, and software roles where the engineering-and-CS combined training is valued. The year-four figure of $174k reflects progression in roles that blend software and hardware depth.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Duke's second-largest program at 224 graduates, earning $77,288 at year one and $87,763 at year four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.375 (ROI grade B) with median debt of $29,000 - the highest debt in Duke's program set, reflecting nursing-specific borrowing patterns. Duke's School of Nursing places graduates into acute care, research, and hospital administration roles, with Duke University Hospital providing a direct clinical pipeline. The year-one figure of $77k is competitive for nursing nationally; the four-year figure reflects progression into charge nurse and specialty roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 90.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 91.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 92.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 93.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Duke University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 5.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 760-800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 740-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 34-35 |
| Enrollment | 6,442 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 14.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $19,001 |
Duke admits 5.71% of applicants. SAT Math 760-800 and Reading 740-770 are the mid-ranges; ACT 34-35 composite. Duke's admissions process evaluates the full applicant including essays, recommendations, and extracurricular leadership - athletic recruitment plays a documented role given Duke's ACC sports profile. Legacy preferences and athletic recruitment are real factors in a pool this small.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Duke's completion rate is 96.8%. Median debt is $13,000. Duke's average 6-year earnings of $93,200 reflect a program mix that includes both high-earning technical and finance tracks and a nursing program that adds healthcare salary at volume - a combination that supports the aggregate figure.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University (this school) | 96 | $29,612 | $97,800 |
| Vanderbilt University | 97 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 96 | $18,809 | $87,555 |
| Brown University | 96 | $25,184 | $93,487 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
Who Thrives Here
Duke admits 5.71% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 760-800 Math and 740-770 Reading; ACT 34-35. The Pell rate is 14%, suggesting a less economically diverse student body by this measure. The program mix is notable: Duke has both a strong engineering school and a strong liberal arts college, giving students who want exposure to technical and humanities fields more flexibility than pure-STEM schools. The healthcare and policy pipelines are particularly active.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Duke University is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $118,448 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $97,800 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.1 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 96.8% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $13,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $93,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Duke University: Common Questions
Is Duke University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Duke University pays off. It scores 96/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $29,612 a year after aid ($118,448 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $97,800 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.1 years to earn back.
How much does Duke University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $29,612 a year, or roughly $118,448 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Duke University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $97,800 ten years after enrolling, roughly $56,000 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Duke University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 4.1 years for Duke University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Duke University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $13,000, against average earnings of $93,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Duke University?
The six-year graduation rate is 96.8%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.