Duke vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Duke admits 5.7%, Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.
Real money goes to international students at Duke ($90,599 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Duke lists $92,955 against $57,284 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign), but after average aid what remains is $20,518 against $34,067.
Ten years on, graduates of Duke earn noticeably more: $98K against $81K.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
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 42.37% acceptance). Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#39 vs #55). Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $73,172 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, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Duke is more selective (5.71% vs 42.37% acceptance); Duke has a higher median SAT (1548 vs 1470).
Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $81K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $73,172); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Duke | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #39 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | #27 | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 5.71% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 58.8% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1548 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 51,795 | 73,742 |
| International students | 10.6% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $98K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $172K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 96.8% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $13,000 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $73,172 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $72,437 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,515 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | - | $50 |
| Enrollment | 17,499 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Duke or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Duke. Duke accepts 5.71% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Duke or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Duke graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $98K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Duke vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,172 per year at Duke and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Duke or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1548 at Duke and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Duke or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #39 for Duke vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Duke or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $72,437 at Duke and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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