Quad
Duke UniversityDurham, NC · Private nonprofit

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (15% of graduates). 5 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 96% of colleges. 94% of faculty are full-time. Spends $87,044 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

2,258 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 48% of graduates; 56 programs in 18 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 30.999915% 339
  2. Computer Science 11.070111% 238
    Graduates in this field earn $195,809 4 years out
  3. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 45.06038.4% 190
    Graduates in this field earn $161,149 4 years out
  4. Biology/Biological Sciences, General 26.01016.9% 156
    Graduates in this field earn $83,192 4 years out
  5. Public Policy Analysis, General 44.05016.7% 151
    Graduates in this field earn $103,071 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Interdisciplinary studies, 0.0% → 17% of graduates since 2014–15 (383 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Mathematics$297,029 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $121,088

    4 years after completion$297,029
    National median: $69,562Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $97,428(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $9,500 · 136 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Computer Science$195,809 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $133,356

    4 years after completion$195,809
    National median: $107,009Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $144,068 · Non-Pell: $176,599(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $13,500 · 780 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Computer Engineering$174,522 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $111,145

    4 years after completion$174,522
    National median: $109,015Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: Too few graduates to report · Non-Pell: $124,980(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $14,500 · 244 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Economics$161,149 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $98,649

    4 years after completion$161,149
    National median: $82,686Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $151,166 · Non-Pell: $155,719(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $13,187 · 408 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Statistics$152,782 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $97,197

    4 years after completion$152,782
    National median: $92,425Above typical

    Median federal debt: $13,500 · 131 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college5 to 1
5 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 96% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 7 to 1 in its Common Data Set (9,263 students, 1,283 faculty).

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Class sizes

71%

of classes have fewer than 20 students; 8% have 50 or more

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–946430%
10–1965141%
20–2917811%
30–391137%
40–49473%
50–99765%
100+423%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Cross-registration
  • Double major
  • Domestic exchange program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Student-designed major
  • Teacher certification
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in arts, English composition, a foreign language, history, physical education, humanities, intensive writing, math, philosophy, a natural science, and social science.

Full-time faculty94%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$172,945

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$87,044
$87,044
← Lessmore than 99% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$715,575
$715,575
← Lessmore than 97% of 1,065More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)