Duke vs. UVA

Should I go to Duke University or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or UVA 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. 

William & Mary Vanderbilt UNC Chapel Hill Harvard Georgetown Penn Princeton JMU Virginia Tech Stanford Michigan Northwestern
Duke University vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
Duke University University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
Duke University University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Duke UVA
Location Durham, NC Charlottesville, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 18,023 26,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #59
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke UVA
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $51,870
Room & Board $16,651 $12,890
Avg Net Price $23,694 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 34%

Admission

 Duke UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 50,926
Admitted 3,174 9,503
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 18.7%
Enrolled % 55% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 1400/1540
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

Academics

 Duke UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Duke UVA
Graduation Rate 94% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $201

Diversity

 Duke UVA
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 46% 60%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

 Duke UVA
% In-State 12% 62%
% Out-of-State 74% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or UVA?

  • Duke University is 255.9% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.5% higher at Duke than University of Virginia Main Campus ($60,435.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than Duke ($19,469 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 29.2% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,890 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Duke University than University of Virginia Main Campus (42% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 114.2% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($57,444 vs. $26,818)

Duke vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 86 points higher than at UVA (1364)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Duke is the same as at University of Virginia Main Campus (94% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $31,700 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $77,200)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Duke graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($77 vs. $201)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVA students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 86%)

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