Duke vs. Clemson

Should I go to Duke University or Clemson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or Clemson 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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Duke University vs. Clemson University comparison
Duke University Clemson University College 3 College 4
Duke University Clemson University
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Overview

Duke Clemson
Location Durham, NC Clemson, SC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 18,023 28,466
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #133
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu clemson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Duke Clemson
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $14,118
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $38,062
Room & Board $16,651 $12,350
Avg Net Price $23,694 $24,577
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $10,430
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 79%

Admission

Duke Clemson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 52,819
Admitted 3,174 22,704
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 43%
Enrolled % 55% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 28/32
SAT Range 1490/1570 1220/1410
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 3, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Duke Clemson
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Duke Clemson
Graduation Rate 94% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $57,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $222

Diversity

Duke Clemson
% Men 45% 48%
% Women 55% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 83%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Duke Clemson
% In-State 12% 52%
% Out-of-State 74% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clemson University is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (28,466 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. Clemson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Clemson?

  • Duke University is 328.1% more expensive to attend than Clemson for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $14,118.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.8% higher at Duke than Clemson University ($60,435.00 vs. $38,062.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than Clemson ($23,694 vs. $24,577)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 34.8% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,350 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clemson University than Duke University (79% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 450.8% larger than aid received Clemson University ($57,444 vs. $10,430)

Duke vs. Clemson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 175 points higher than at Clemson (1275)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Clemson (29)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Clemson (3.75)
  • Clemson has a higher acceptance rate (43%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. Clemson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke or Clemson? 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 Clemson and Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Clemson University (94% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $51,800 more per year than Clemson graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $57,100)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $14,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Clemson graduates. ($7,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Duke graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Clemson graduates. ($77 vs. $222)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clemson students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 78%)

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