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Durham, NC · Elon, NC
| Duke University | Elon University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $29,612/yr | $41,555/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $735/yr | $26,523/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $13,000 | $20,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | -$361/yr | $23,514/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $5,706/yr | $24,064/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,100/yr | $34,472/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $54,230/yr | $49,743/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $138/mo | $217/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $18,128/yr | $14,985/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | No data reported | $14,985/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $536/yr | $900/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,274/yr | $2,600/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $87,072/yr | $62,266/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $68,758/yr | $46,958/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $68,758/yr | $46,958/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 14% | 9.9% |
| Students taking federal loans | 14% | 24% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 5.7% | 66% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1500–1570 | 1130–1280 |
| SAT average | 1548 | 1208 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 34–35 | 23–28 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 35–36 · Math 32–35 | English 23–27 · Math 21–27 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 46,365 | 18,791 |
| Students accepted | 3,145 | 12,649 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,742 | 1,677 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 55% | 13% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 50% | 2% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 31% | 1% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Not considered | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 97% | 84% |
| Freshmen who come back | 98% | 90% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $97,800/yr | $74,545/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $66,351–$171,770 | $46,849–$107,869 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 97% | 83% |
| White students graduating | 97% | 84% |
| Black students graduating | 92% | 87% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 96% | 82% |
| Asian students graduating | 98% | 83% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $85,792/yr | $58,082/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 92% | 84% |
| Graduate on time | 87% | 80% |
| Pell students who graduate | 96% | 82% |
| First-gen students who finish | 93% | 14% |
| Low-income students who finish | 91% | No data reported |
| Students who transfer out | 1% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $95,882/yr | $65,954/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 17% · Engineering 15% · Social Sciences 14% | Business, Management & Marketing 30% · Communication & Journalism 18% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 8% |
| Most popular program | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 17% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 30% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 15% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 18% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Social Sciences — 14% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 12% of degrees | Psychology — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 11% of degrees | Social Sciences — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies — $213,539/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $105,947/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 43% | 10% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 6,442 | 6,452 |
| Students per professor | 5 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 10,976 | 787 |
| Average professor pay | $19,001/mo | $10,563/mo |
| Full-time professors | 94% | 82% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $61,560 | $112,797 |
| Setting | City (large) | Suburb (midsize) |
| Location | Durham, NC | Elon, NC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1838 | 1889 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 11% | 1.8% |
| Men | 46% | 41% |
| Women | 54% | 59% |
| White students | 35% | 76% |
| Black students | 8.7% | 5.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 7.2% |
| Asian students | 22% | 2.2% |
| Two or more races | 7.4% | 3.3% |
| Other / not reported | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | None |
| First-generation students | 13% | 9.1% |
| Part-time students | 0.4% | 2.8% |
| Students age 25+ | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $87,044/yr | $19,988/yr |
| Endowment | $11.9B | $365.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 5,775 | 4,196 |
| Required to live on campus | Yes — for first-year students | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,884/yr | $7,056/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $7,475/yr | $7,422/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Four-one-four plan |
| Religious affiliation | United Methodist | No data reported |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | No | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FCS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 23 | 15 |
| Student athletes | 730 | 438 |
| Athletic scholarships | $30.1M | $13.6M |
| Athletics budget | $180.6M | $38.2M |
| Athletics revenue | $181.6M | $38.2M |
| Recruiting spend | $3.6M | $489,793 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.