Duke vs. UofSC

Should I go to Duke University or University of South Carolina Columbia? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or UofSC 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 South Carolina Columbia comparison
Duke University University of South Carolina Columbia College 3 College 4
Duke University University of South Carolina Columbia
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Overview

 Duke UofSC
Location Durham, NC Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 17,112 36,579
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #210
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke UofSC
Tuition (In State) $63,450 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $63,450 $34,534
Room & Board $17,458 $12,558
Avg Net Price $23,422 $26,068
Avg Grant Aid $59,327 $6,762
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 91%

Admission

 Duke UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 46,365 46,682
Admitted 3,145 28,706
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 61.5%
Enrolled % 55.4% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 26/32
SAT Range 1510/1570 1180/1380
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 Dec 1, 2025

Academics

 Duke UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Duke UofSC
Graduation Rate 94% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $77 $240

Diversity

 Duke UofSC
% Men 27% 8%
% Women 35% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 77%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Duke UofSC
% In-State 12% 54%
% Out-of-State 74% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (36,579 students vs. 17,112 students)

Duke vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or UofSC?

  • Duke University is 416.4% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($63,450.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.7% higher at Duke than University of South Carolina Columbia ($63,450.00 vs. $34,534.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than UofSC ($23,422 vs. $26,068)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 39% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,558 vs. $17,458)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Duke University (91% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 777.4% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($59,327 vs. $6,762)

Duke vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 230 points higher than at UofSC (1220)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UofSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (61.5%) than Duke (6.8%)

Duke vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (94% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $57,200 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $51,700)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $15,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($7,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Duke graduates are paying $163 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($77 vs. $240)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

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