Northwestern vs. Duke

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

Northwestern Duke
Location Evanston, IL Durham, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 23,161 18,023
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #3
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu duke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Duke
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $60,435
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $60,435
Room & Board $19,440 $16,651
Avg Net Price $22,095 $23,694
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $57,444
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 42%

Admission

Northwestern Duke
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 50,016
Admitted 3,695 3,174
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 6.3%
Enrolled % 55.2% 55%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 1490/1570
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 1, 2025 Jan 3, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Duke
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Duke
Graduation Rate 94% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $108,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $200 $77

Diversity

Northwestern Duke
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 46%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 8% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Northwestern Duke
% In-State 22% 12%
% Out-of-State 67% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 18,023 students)

Northwestern vs. Duke Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Duke?

  • Northwestern University is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Duke for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $60,435.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Northwestern than Duke University ($62,391.00 vs. $60,435.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Duke ($22,095 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 16.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($16,651 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Duke University (50% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 7.4% larger than aid received Duke University ($61,716 vs. $57,444)

Northwestern vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 10 points higher than at Duke (1450)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Duke (33)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
  • Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Duke (6.3%)

Northwestern vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is the same as at Duke University (94% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $19,100 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $89,800)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $11,878 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,378)
  • Duke graduates are paying $123 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($77 vs. $200)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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