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Penn State JMU NC State Vanderbilt UNC Chapel Hill Purdue Harvard Georgetown Penn Princeton Clemson UofSC| Duke University | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | Durham, NC | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 17,112 | 38,294 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #3 | #145 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | duke.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,450 | $12,698 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,450 | $33,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,458 | $14,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,422 | $22,205 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,327 | $8,542 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 41% | 55% |
Admission |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 46,365 | 47,208 | ||
| Admitted | 3,145 | 26,923 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.8% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.4% | 26.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.94 | 3.97 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1570 | 1240/1420 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $108,900 | $65,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $23,966 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $247 |
Diversity |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 35% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 10% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 12% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 33% | ||
Campus |
Duke | Virginia Tech | ||
| 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
- Virginia Tech is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (38,294 students vs. 17,112 students)
Duke vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Duke or Virginia Tech?
- Duke University is 399.7% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($63,450.00 vs. $12,698.00)
- Out of state tuition is 90.5% higher at Duke than Virginia Tech ($63,450.00 vs. $33,310.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Duke ($22,205 vs. $23,422)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 17.3% lower than costs at Duke University ($14,888 vs. $17,458)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than Duke University (55% vs. 41%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 594.5% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($59,327 vs. $8,542)
Duke vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Duke or Virginia Tech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Virginia Tech or Duke .
- The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 240 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
- Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Duke (3.94)
- Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Duke (6.8%)
Duke vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Duke or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Duke.
- The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Virginia Tech (94% vs. 82%)
- Graduates from Duke University earn on average $43,900 more per year than Virginia Tech graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $65,000)
- Duke University students graduate with a $16,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($7,500 vs. $23,966)
- Duke graduates are paying $170 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($77 vs. $247)
- More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Virginia Tech students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 81%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/