Duke vs. Virginia Tech

Should I go to Duke University or Virginia Tech? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Duke or Virginia Tech 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. Virginia Tech comparison
Duke University Virginia Tech College 3 College 4
Duke University Virginia Tech
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Overview

Duke Virginia Tech
Location Durham, NC Blacksburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 18,023 38,170
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #142
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Duke Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $31,754
Room & Board $16,651 $12,680
Avg Net Price $23,694 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 57%

Admission

Duke Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 45,321
Admitted 3,174 25,825
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 57%
Enrolled % 55% 27.7%
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 1490/1570 1240/1430
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Duke Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

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 45% 57%
% Women 55% 43%
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% 64%
% Out-of-State 74% 32%

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 (38,170 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Virginia Tech?

  • Duke University is 399.3% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $12,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.3% higher at Duke than Virginia Tech ($60,435.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Duke ($19,301 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 31.3% lower than costs at Duke University ($12,680 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than Duke University (57% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 651% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($57,444 vs. $7,649)

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 (6.3%)

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/