Duke vs. UNCG

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

 Duke UNCG
Location Durham, NC Greensboro, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 17,112 17,743
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #692
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu uncg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke UNCG
Tuition (In State) $63,450 $4,422
Tuition (Out of State) $63,450 $20,168
Room & Board $17,458 $10,534
Avg Net Price $23,422 $10,592
Avg Grant Aid $59,327 $8,921
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 83%

Admission

 Duke UNCG
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 46,365 12,379
Admitted 3,145 11,120
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 89.8%
Enrolled % 55.4% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.59
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 22/27
SAT Range 1510/1570 1100/1280
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, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 Duke UNCG
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 Duke UNCG
Graduation Rate 94% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $22,737
Median Loan Payment $77 $235

Diversity

 Duke UNCG
% Men 27% 6%
% Women 35% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 52%
% Black 10% 28%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Duke UNCG
% In-State 12% 93%
% Out-of-State 74% 5%

Campus

 Duke UNCG
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

  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (17,743 students vs. 17,112 students)

Duke vs. UNCG Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or UNCG?

  • Duke University is 1,334.9% more expensive to attend than UNCG for in-state tuition ($63,450.00 vs. $4,422.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 214.6% higher at Duke than University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($63,450.00 vs. $20,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than Duke ($10,592 vs. $23,422)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are 65.7% lower than costs at Duke University ($10,534 vs. $17,458)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than Duke University (83% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 565% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($59,327 vs. $8,921)

Duke vs. UNCG Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 415 points higher than at UNCG (1035)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UNCG (23)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UNCG (3.59)
  • UNCG has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than Duke (6.8%)

Duke vs. UNCG Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (94% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $69,800 more per year than UNCG graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $39,100)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $15,237 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCG graduates. ($7,500 vs. $22,737)
  • Duke graduates are paying $158 less per month on federal student loans than UNCG graduates. ($77 vs. $235)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCG students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 56%)

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