Duke vs Georgetown - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Duke: 5.7% against 13.5% (Georgetown).
Real money goes to international students at Duke ($90,599 on average), while Georgetown stops at $75,050.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Duke: a midpoint of 1548 against 1480, a difference of 68 points.
The fight for an admitted student is won more often by Duke: 58.8% of them enrol, against 43.9%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Duke is the more selective of the two (5.71% vs 13.5% acceptance). Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#39 vs #501-600). Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $98K). Duke has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,172 vs $74,732 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Duke for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Georgetown for: higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Duke is more selective (5.71% vs 13.5% acceptance); Duke has a higher median SAT (1548 vs 1480).
Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $98K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 94.8%).
Duke has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,172 vs $74,732); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $63,415).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Duke | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #39 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #27 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.71% | 13.5% |
| Yield rate | 58.8% | 43.9% |
| Median SAT | 1548 | 1480 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 51,795 | 26,822 |
| International students | 10.6% | 14.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $98K | $103K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $67K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $172K | $168K |
| Graduation rate | 96.8% | 94.8% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 96.3% |
| Median debt | $13,000 | $15,500 |
| Tuition · year | $73,172 | $74,732 |
| Avg. aid package | $72,437 | $63,415 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,515 | $33,272 |
| Application fee | - | $75 |
| Enrollment | 17,499 | 19,905 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Duke or Georgetown?
It's harder to get into Duke. Duke accepts 5.71% of applicants, while Georgetown accepts 13.5%.
Do Duke or Georgetown graduates earn more?
Georgetown graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $103K vs $98K.
How much is tuition at Duke vs Georgetown?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,172 per year at Duke and $74,732 per year at Georgetown.
What SAT score do you need for Duke or Georgetown?
The median admitted SAT score is 1548 at Duke and 1480 at Georgetown; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Duke or Georgetown?
Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #39 for Duke vs #501-600 for Georgetown.
Which university offers more financial aid - Duke or Georgetown?
The average aid package is $72,437 at Duke and $63,415 at Georgetown.
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