What makes Duke different
- Small classes. About 5 students for every faculty member.
- Interdisciplinary study. Public policy, interdisciplinary majors and computer science are among its largest fields.
- The Research Triangle. Durham is part of a region full of universities, hospitals and research companies.
What Duke students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): computer science (274), interdisciplinary studies (259), nursing (206), biology (158), economics (149) and public policy (142). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Duke if…
- You want a highly selective university with big-time athletics.
- You're interested in policy, computing, biology or crossing fields.
- You'd like a campus with a city and a research region around it.
Worth asking about
- How do students design interdisciplinary majors?
- What research opportunities are open to first-year students?
How Duke compares with the other ACC schools
Duke is one of the ACC's most selective universities. See how the 18 ACC schools differ.
FAQ
What is Duke's acceptance rate? 5.2% for fall 2025: 2,910 of 55,541 first-year applicants were admitted, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26. Source For fall 2024 it was 5.7%.
What is Duke known for? Its selectivity, small classes, public policy and interdisciplinary study.
How much does Duke cost? Published tuition and fees are $68,758 a year, before any aid; the total cost of attendance is $87,072.
How much is Duke tuition per semester? About $34,379 a semester, half the published $68,758 a year, before aid.
Is Duke an R1 university? Yes. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, Duke University is an R1 university, the group with the highest research spending and doctoral degrees. What R1 means →
How many students go to Duke? About 6,400 undergraduates (fall 2024).
Wondering if a smaller university fits you?
Lens's College Ideas suggest which kinds of colleges may suit you. Start with Lens →