Princeton vs. Duke

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

Princeton Duke
Location Princeton, NJ Durham, NC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 8,842 18,023
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #3
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu duke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton Duke
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $60,435
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $60,435
Room & Board $18,630 $16,651
Avg Net Price $18,698 $23,694
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $57,444
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 42%

Admission

Princeton Duke
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 50,016
Admitted 2,167 3,174
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 6.3%
Enrolled % 69.2% 55%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 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

Princeton Duke
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Princeton Duke
Graduation Rate 96% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $108,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $77

Diversity

Princeton Duke
% Men 53% 45%
% Women 47% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 46%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 9% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Princeton Duke
% In-State 16% 12%
% Out-of-State 69% 74%

Campus

Princeton Duke
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 Princeton based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 8,842 students)

Princeton vs. Duke Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Duke?

  • Duke University is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.3% higher at Duke than Princeton University ($60,435.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Duke ($18,698 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 11.9% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,651 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Duke University (61% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 4.1% larger than aid received Duke University ($59,792 vs. $57,444)

Princeton vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 40 points higher than at Duke (1450)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Duke (33)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Princeton (3.93)
  • Duke has a higher acceptance rate (6.3%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton 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 Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Duke University (96% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Duke graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $108,900)
  • Duke University and Princeton graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($7,500 vs. $7,500)
  • Duke University and Princeton graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($77 vs. $77)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 83%)

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