Duke vs. Penn State

Deciding between Duke University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Duke University
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Duke Durham, NC
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Duke Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Duke 17,499
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Duke Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Duke #2
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Duke United Methodist
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Duke Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Duke
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Duke $68,758
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Duke $68,758
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Duke $18,128
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Duke $21,981
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Duke $65,522
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Duke 43%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Duke 51,795
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Duke 2,957
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Duke 5.7%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Duke 58.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Duke 1540
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Duke 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Duke 3.94
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Duke A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Duke Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Duke Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Duke 34/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Duke 1500/1570
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Duke Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Duke Jan 3, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Duke 5:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Duke
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • Engineering (16%)
    • Human Services (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Duke 94%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Duke $108,900
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Duke 89%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Duke $7,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Duke $77
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Duke 44%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Duke 56%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Duke Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Duke No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Duke 46%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Duke 22%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Duke 10%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Duke 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Duke 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Duke 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Duke 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Duke 10%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Duke 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Duke 15%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Duke 73%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Duke Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Duke Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Duke Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Duke No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Duke No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Duke University in Durham, NC with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Duke based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 17,499 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Duke University is located in Durham, NC (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Duke University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Duke University 5:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Duke vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Duke University than Penn State ($21,981 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 20.2% lower than at Duke University ($14,474 vs. $18,128).
  • Duke University is 233.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $48,114 more per year; $68,758.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 64.5% higher at Duke than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,968 more per year; $68,758.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Duke University than at Penn State Main Campus (43% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 478% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($65,522 vs. $11,336).

Duke vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Duke or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Duke.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Duke University (1540) is 210 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Duke students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Duke University 1500/1570; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Duke University 34/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Duke - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Duke Jan 3, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Duke (5.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 58.8% at Duke vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Duke vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Duke and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Duke University's six-year graduation rate (94%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Duke University earn a median of about $53,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($108,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Duke University graduates have a $19,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($7,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Duke graduates have an estimated $200 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($77 vs. $277).
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.