USC vs. Duke

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

 USC Duke
Location Los Angeles, CA Durham, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 47,147 17,112
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #36 #3
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usc.edu duke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Duke
Tuition (In State) $66,640 $63,450
Tuition (Out of State) $66,640 $63,450
Room & Board $19,198 $17,458
Avg Net Price $41,496 $23,422
Avg Grant Aid $43,208 $59,327
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 41%

Admission

 USC Duke
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,808 46,365
Admitted 8,094 3,145
Acceptance Rate 10% 6.8%
Enrolled % 44.9% 55.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 34/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1510/1570
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 3, 2026

Academics

 USC Duke
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 USC Duke
Graduation Rate 90% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,500 $108,900
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,375 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $231 $77

Diversity

 USC Duke
% Men 25% 27%
% Women 30% 35%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 46%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 14% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 USC Duke
% In-State 43% 12%
% Out-of-State 38% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern California is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (47,147 students vs. 17,112 students)

USC vs. Duke Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC or Duke?

  • University of Southern California is 5% more expensive to attend than Duke for in-state tuition ($66,640.00 vs. $63,450.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at USC than Duke University ($66,640.00 vs. $63,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than USC ($23,422 vs. $41,496)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 10% lower than costs at University of Southern California ($17,458 vs. $19,198)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern California than Duke University (68% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 37.3% larger than aid received University of Southern California ($59,327 vs. $43,208)

USC vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 59 points higher than at USC (1391)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at USC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at USC (3.83)
  • USC has a higher acceptance rate (10%) than Duke (6.8%)

USC vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC 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 USC.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than University of Southern California (94% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $23,400 more per year than USC graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $85,500)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $14,875 lower median federal student loan debt than USC graduates. ($7,500 vs. $22,375)
  • Duke graduates are paying $154 less per month on federal student loans than USC graduates. ($77 vs. $231)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC 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/