Tufts vs Duke - 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%, Tufts admits 11.5%.
Average aid for an international student is $90,599 (Duke) and $80,079 (Tufts).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Duke: $98K against $83K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Duke: a midpoint of 1548 against 1510, a difference of 38 points.
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 11.49% acceptance). Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #39). Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $83K). Duke has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,172 vs $73,616 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 Tufts for: lower graduate debt.
Choose Duke for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, 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 11.49% acceptance); Duke has a higher median SAT (1548 vs 1510).
Duke graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($98K vs $83K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 93.5%).
Duke has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,172 vs $73,616); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $59,574).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Tufts | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #151-200 | #39 |
| Rank · THE | #179 | #27 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.49% | 5.71% |
| Yield rate | 45.5% | 58.8% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1548 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 34,432 | 51,795 |
| International students | 12.5% | 10.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $83K | $98K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $47K | $66K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $132K | $172K |
| Graduation rate | 93.5% | 96.8% |
| Retention rate | 95.5% | 98% |
| Median debt | $16,250 | $13,000 |
| Tuition · year | $73,616 | $73,172 |
| Avg. aid package | $59,574 | $72,437 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $25,584 | $27,515 |
| Application fee | - | - |
| Enrollment | 13,599 | 17,499 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Tufts or Duke?
It's harder to get into Duke. Tufts accepts 11.49% of applicants, while Duke accepts 5.71%.
Do Tufts or Duke graduates earn more?
Duke graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $98K vs $83K.
How much is tuition at Tufts vs Duke?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,616 per year at Tufts and $73,172 per year at Duke.
What SAT score do you need for Tufts or Duke?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Tufts and 1548 at Duke; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Tufts or Duke?
Duke ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Tufts vs #39 for Duke.
Which university offers more financial aid - Tufts or Duke?
The average aid package is $59,574 at Tufts and $72,437 at Duke.
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