Wake Forest vs. Duquesne University

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

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Location Winston Salem, NC Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 9,121 8,137
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #191
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wfu.edu duq.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Tuition (In State) $63,608 $47,146
Tuition (Out of State) $63,608 $47,146
Room & Board $17,848 $15,620
Avg Net Price $27,790 $35,125
Avg Grant Aid $55,090 $27,980
% Receiving Grant Aid 34% 100%

Admission

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,479 14,112
Admitted 3,768 11,128
Acceptance Rate 21.6% 78.9%
Enrolled % 36.8% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.8
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 32/34 26/31
SAT Range 1390/1510 1160/1350
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, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Graduation Rate 88% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $65,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $279

Diversity

Wake Forest Duquesne University
% Men 16% 13%
% Women 24% 23%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 81%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Wake Forest Duquesne University
% In-State 15% 70%
% Out-of-State 76% 27%

Campus

Wake Forest Duquesne University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Duquesne University based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 8,137 students)

Wake Forest vs. Duquesne University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or Duquesne University?

  • Wake Forest University is 34.9% more expensive to attend than Duquesne University for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $47,146.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.9% higher at Wake Forest than Duquesne University ($63,608.00 vs. $47,146.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than Duquesne University ($27,790 vs. $35,125)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duquesne University are 14.3% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($15,620 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Duquesne University than Wake Forest University (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 96.9% larger than aid received Duquesne University ($55,090 vs. $27,980)

Wake Forest vs. Duquesne University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Duquesne University has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)

Wake Forest vs. Duquesne University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wake Forest or Duquesne University? 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 Duquesne University and Wake Forest.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Duquesne University (88% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $12,100 more per year than Duquesne University graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $65,100)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Duquesne University graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Duquesne University graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Duquesne University students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 82%)

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