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Compare Duke University vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Durham, NC · Chapel Hill, NC

Duke UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Cost
Price after aid (average)$29,612/yr$11,655/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$735/yr$2,004/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$13,000$14,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)-$361/yr$3,918/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$5,706/yr$8,538/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$17,100/yr$16,415/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$54,230/yr$24,396/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$138/mo$148/mo
Room & board (on campus)$18,128/yr$13,804/yr
Room & board (off campus)No data reported$13,804/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$536/yr$1,290/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$3,274/yr$2,932/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$87,072/yr$26,055/yr
Tuition (in-state)$68,758/yr$8,994/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$68,758/yr$41,203/yr
Students with Pell Grants14%20%
Students taking federal loans14%13%
Getting in
Students who get accepted5.7%15%
SAT range (middle 50%)1500–15701390–1530
SAT average15481439
ACT range (middle 50%)34–3528–34
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 35–36 · Math 32–35English 27–35 · Math 26–33
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received46,36557,902
Students accepted3,14510,850
Students who enrolled1,7424,699
Accepted students who enroll55%43%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores50%29%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores31%34%
High-school GPARequiredOptional (considered if sent)
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersRequiredRequired
Class rankNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
College-prep programRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testNot consideredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate97%91%
Freshmen who come back98%97%
Typical earnings 10 years in$97,800/yr$72,200/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$66,351–$171,770$48,337–$112,339
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)97%91%
White students graduating97%92%
Black students graduating92%88%
Hispanic students graduating96%92%
Asian students graduating98%95%
Typical earnings 6 years in$85,792/yr$57,057/yr
Earn more than a HS grad92%84%
Graduate on time87%84%
Pell students who graduate96%89%
First-gen students who finish93%85%
Low-income students who finish91%84%
Students who transfer out1%5.1%
Typical earnings 8 years in$95,882/yr$65,584/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies 17% · Engineering 15% · Social Sciences 14%Biological & Biomedical Sciences 15% · Social Sciences 14% · Business, Management & Marketing 9%
Most popular programMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 17% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 15% of degrees
2nd most popular programEngineering — 15% of degreesSocial Sciences — 14% of degrees
3rd most popular programSocial Sciences — 14% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 9% of degrees
4th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 12% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 11% of degreesCommunication & Journalism — 9% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies — $213,539/yrAdvanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences — $164,864/yr
Degrees in STEM43%34%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment6,44220,752
Students per professor5 : 115 : 1
Graduate students10,97611,553
Average professor pay$19,001/mo$15,046/mo
Full-time professors94%78%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$61,560$58,193
SettingCity (large)City (small)
LocationDurham, NCChapel Hill, NC
RegionSoutheastSoutheast
Founded18381789
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Public
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students11%5.6%
Men46%39%
Women54%61%
White students35%53%
Black students8.7%7.4%
Hispanic or Latino students11%9.7%
Asian students22%16%
Two or more races7.4%5.1%
Other / not reported5.7%3%
Special typeReligiously affiliatedNone
First-generation students13%20%
Part-time students0.4%3.1%
Students age 25+0.3%2.1%
Spent on teaching per student$87,044/yr$33,767/yr
Endowment$11.9B$5.7B
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing5,77510,006
Required to live on campusYes — for first-year studentsNo
Room charge (campus housing)$9,884/yr$7,366/yr
Meal plan charge$7,475/yr$5,650/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekNo data reported
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Religious affiliationUnited MethodistNo data reported
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — Army, Navy, Air ForceYes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditYesNo
Credit for life experienceNoYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineNoNo
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesNo
On-campus day careNoYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingNoYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planNoYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoYes
Prepaid tuition planYesNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FBSNCAA Division I-FBS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams2324
Student athletes730830
Athletic scholarships$30.1M$17.1M
Athletics budget$180.6M$180.8M
Athletics revenue$181.6M$180.8M
Recruiting spend$3.6M$4.2M

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.