Duke vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to Duke University or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or UNC Charlotte 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Vanderbilt UNC Chapel Hill Harvard Georgetown NC State UNCW Penn Princeton UNCG Stanford ECU Northwestern
Duke University vs. University of North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
Duke University University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
Duke University University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Duke UNC Charlotte
Location Durham, NC Charlotte, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 18,023 29,551
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #562
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Duke UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $17,936
Room & Board $16,651 $12,896
Avg Net Price $23,694 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 60%

Admission

Duke UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 21,355
Admitted 3,174 17,007
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 79.6%
Enrolled % 55% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 20/27
SAT Range 1490/1570 1070/1290
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Duke UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Duke UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 94% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $77 $237

Diversity

Duke UNC Charlotte
% Men 45% 49%
% Women 55% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 60%
% Black 10% 17%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Duke UNC Charlotte
% In-State 12% 89%
% Out-of-State 74% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or UNC Charlotte?

  • Duke University is 1,485.4% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 236.9% higher at Duke than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($60,435.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Duke ($13,951 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 29.1% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,896 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Duke University (60% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 626.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($57,444 vs. $7,907)

Duke vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 357 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (94% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $60,300 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $48,600)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $15,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($7,500 vs. $23,000)
  • Duke graduates are paying $160 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($77 vs. $237)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 61%)

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