Duke vs Stony Brook - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Duke: 5.7% against 49% (Stony Brook).
Average aid for an international student is $90,599 (Duke) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Duke starts at $92,955 against $55,085 and ends at $20,518 against $39,824 (Stony Brook).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Duke: $98K against $75K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 49.04% acceptance). Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#39 vs #301-400). Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 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 Stony Brook 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 49.04% acceptance); Duke has a higher median SAT (1548 vs 1410).
Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $75K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $73,172); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Duke | Stony Brook |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #39 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #27 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.71% | 49.04% |
| Yield rate | 58.8% | 14.7% |
| Median SAT | 1548 | 1410 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 51,795 | 55,880 |
| International students | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $98K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $49K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $172K | $107K |
| Graduation rate | 96.8% | 75.6% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 89.7% |
| Median debt | $13,000 | $18,228 |
| Tuition · year | $73,172 | $32,741 |
| Avg. aid package | $72,437 | $15,261 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,515 | $23,558 |
| Application fee | - | - |
| Enrollment | 17,499 | 26,689 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Duke or Stony Brook?
It's harder to get into Duke. Duke accepts 5.71% of applicants, while Stony Brook accepts 49.04%.
Do Duke or Stony Brook graduates earn more?
Duke graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $98K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Duke vs Stony Brook?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,172 per year at Duke and $32,741 per year at Stony Brook.
What SAT score do you need for Duke or Stony Brook?
The median admitted SAT score is 1548 at Duke and 1410 at Stony Brook; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Duke or Stony Brook?
Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #39 for Duke vs #301-400 for Stony Brook.
Which university offers more financial aid - Duke or Stony Brook?
The average aid package is $72,437 at Duke and $15,261 at Stony Brook.
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