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Vanderbilt Harvard Yale UNC Chapel Hill Georgetown Penn Cornell Stanford Brown Columbia Northwestern Johns Hopkins| Duke University | Princeton University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Duke | Princeton | ||
| Location | Durham, NC | Princeton, NJ | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 17,112 | 8,922 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #3 | #1 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | duke.edu | princeton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Duke | Princeton | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,450 | $59,710 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,450 | $59,710 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,458 | $19,380 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,422 | $19,811 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,327 | $60,629 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 41% | 60% |
Admission |
Duke | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 46,365 | 39,644 | ||
| Admitted | 3,145 | 1,782 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.8% | 4.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.4% | 76.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.94 | 3.93 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1570 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Duke | Princeton | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 5:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Duke | Princeton | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $108,900 | $113,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $7,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $77 |
Diversity |
Duke | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 35% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Duke | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 12% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Duke | Princeton | ||
| 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 (17,112 students vs. 8,922 students)
Duke vs. Princeton Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Duke or Princeton?
- Duke University is 6.3% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($63,450.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at Duke than Princeton University ($63,450.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Duke ($19,811 vs. $23,422)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 11% lower than costs at Princeton University ($17,458 vs. $19,380)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Duke University (60% vs. 41%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 2.2% larger than aid received Duke University ($60,629 vs. $59,327)
Duke vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Duke or Princeton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Princeton or Duke .
- 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 (6.8%) than Princeton (4.5%)
Duke vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Duke or Princeton? 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 Princeton and Duke.
- 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)
- Princeton University and Duke graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($7,500 vs. $7,500)
- Princeton University and Duke 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/