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Vanderbilt UNC Chapel Hill Harvard Georgetown Penn Princeton Stanford Northwestern Cornell William & Mary Davidson Johns Hopkins| Duke University | Washington and Lee University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
| Location | Durham, NC | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 17,112 | 2,277 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #3 | #28 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | duke.edu | wlu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,450 | $63,315 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,450 | $63,315 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,458 | $17,685 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,422 | $24,667 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,327 | $58,323 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 41% | 63% |
Admission |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 46,365 | 6,820 | ||
| Admitted | 3,145 | 1,184 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.8% | 17.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.4% | 42.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.94 | 3.87 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1570 | 1410/1530 | ||
| 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 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 91% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $108,900 | $89,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $222 |
Diversity |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 35% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 82% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 12% | 17% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Duke | Washington and Lee | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Duke University is larger than than Washington and Lee based on total student enrollment (17,112 students vs. 2,277 students)
Duke vs. Washington and Lee Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Duke or Washington and Lee?
- Duke University is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Washington and Lee for in-state tuition ($63,450.00 vs. $63,315.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Duke than Washington and Lee University ($63,450.00 vs. $63,315.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than Washington and Lee ($23,422 vs. $24,667)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 1.3% lower than costs at Washington and Lee University ($17,458 vs. $17,685)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Washington and Lee University than Duke University (63% vs. 41%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 1.7% larger than aid received Washington and Lee University ($59,327 vs. $58,323)
Duke vs. Washington and Lee Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Duke or Washington and Lee? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Washington and Lee or Duke .
- The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 55 points higher than at Washington and Lee (1395)
- Incoming Duke students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Washington and Lee (32)
- Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Washington and Lee (3.87)
- Washington and Lee has a higher acceptance rate (17.4%) than Duke (6.8%)
Duke vs. Washington and Lee Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Duke or Washington and Lee? 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 Washington and Lee and Duke.
- The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Washington and Lee University (94% vs. 91%)
- Graduates from Duke University earn on average $19,900 more per year than Washington and Lee graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $89,000)
- Duke University students graduate with a $14,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington and Lee graduates. ($7,500 vs. $21,500)
- Duke graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Washington and Lee graduates. ($77 vs. $222)
- More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington and Lee students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/