BC vs. Duke

Should I go to Boston College or Duke University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or Duke is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Boston College vs. Duke University comparison
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Boston College Duke University
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Overview

BC Duke
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Durham, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 15,287 18,023
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #3
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu duke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Duke
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $60,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $60,435
Room & Board $16,120 $16,651
Avg Net Price $30,559 $23,694
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $57,444
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 42%

Admission

BC Duke
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 50,016
Admitted 6,748 3,174
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 6.3%
Enrolled % 34.6% 55%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1435/1540 1490/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025 Jan 3, 2025

Academics

BC Duke
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

BC Duke
Graduation Rate 91% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $108,900
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $77

Diversity

BC Duke
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 46%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

BC Duke
% In-State 21% 12%
% Out-of-State 71% 74%

Campus

BC Duke
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Duke University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. Duke Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Duke?

  • Boston College is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Duke for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $60,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at BC than Duke University ($62,950.00 vs. $60,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than BC ($23,694 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 3.3% lower than costs at Duke University ($16,120 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Duke University than Boston College (42% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 14.9% larger than aid received Boston College ($57,444 vs. $49,992)

BC vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or Duke? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Duke or BC .

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 70 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Duke (6.3%)

BC vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or Duke? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Duke and BC.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Boston College (94% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $18,000 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $90,900)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,000)
  • Duke graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($77 vs. $196)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Duke students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 89%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/