Duke vs. Mason

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

 Duke Mason
Location Durham, NC Fairfax, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 18,023 39,049
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #228
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke Mason
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $35,377
Room & Board $16,651 $13,120
Avg Net Price $23,694 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 74%

Admission

 Duke Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 20,001
Admitted 3,174 18,001
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 90%
Enrolled % 55% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 25/31
SAT Range 1490/1570 1140/1350
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 3, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Duke Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Duke Mason
Graduation Rate 94% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $77 $204

Diversity

 Duke Mason
% Men 45% 48%
% Women 55% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 43%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Duke Mason
% In-State 12% 77%
% Out-of-State 74% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 18,023 students)

Duke vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Mason?

  • Duke University is 517% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.8% higher at Duke than George Mason University ($60,435.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Duke ($18,479 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 26.9% lower than costs at Duke University ($13,120 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Duke University (74% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 433.9% larger than aid received George Mason University ($57,444 vs. $10,760)

Duke vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 297 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than George Mason University (94% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $47,000 more per year than Mason graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $61,900)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,750)
  • Duke graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($77 vs. $204)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 73%)

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