Duke vs. NC State

Should I go to Duke University or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or NC State 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. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
Duke University North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
Duke University North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

 Duke NC State
Location Durham, NC Raleigh, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 18,023 36,700
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #123
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke NC State
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $28,276
Room & Board $16,651 $12,748
Avg Net Price $23,694 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 71%

Admission

 Duke NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 35,568
Admitted 3,174 16,779
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 47.2%
Enrolled % 55% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 28/33
SAT Range 1490/1570 1280/1460
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Duke NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Duke NC State
Graduation Rate 94% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $77 $214

Diversity

 Duke NC State
% Men 45% 51%
% Women 55% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 74%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Duke NC State
% In-State 12% 83%
% Out-of-State 74% 14%

Campus

 Duke NC State
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

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or NC State?

  • Duke University is 824.8% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 113.7% higher at Duke than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($60,435.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Duke ($14,852 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 30.6% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,748 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Duke University (71% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 525.7% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($57,444 vs. $9,181)

Duke vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 186 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke or NC State? 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 NC State and Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (94% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $51,700 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $57,200)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $13,282 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($7,500 vs. $20,782)
  • Duke graduates are paying $137 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($77 vs. $214)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 76%)

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