Harvard vs. Duke

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

Harvard Duke
Location Cambridge, MA Durham, NC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,631 18,023
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #3
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu duke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Duke
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $60,435
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $60,435
Room & Board $19,502 $16,651
Avg Net Price $19,491 $23,694
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $57,444
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 42%

Admission

Harvard Duke
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 50,016
Admitted 1,984 3,174
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 6.3%
Enrolled % 83% 55%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.94
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1490/1570
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 1, 2024 Jan 3, 2024

Academics

Harvard Duke
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Harvard Duke
Graduation Rate 97% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $108,900
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $77

Diversity

Harvard Duke
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 46%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Harvard Duke
% In-State 15% 12%
% Out-of-State 69% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Duke based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 18,023 students)

Harvard vs. Duke Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Duke?

  • Duke University is 14.8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at Duke than Harvard University ($60,435.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Duke ($19,491 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 17.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,651 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Duke University (56% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 7.6% larger than aid received Duke University ($61,801 vs. $57,444)

Harvard vs. Duke Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 47 points higher than at Duke (1450)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Duke (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Duke (3.94)
  • Duke has a higher acceptance rate (6.3%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Duke Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Duke University (97% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $27,800 more per year than Duke graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $108,900)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Duke graduates. ($6,500 vs. $7,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Duke graduates. ($67 vs. $77)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 70%)

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