Overview:
Check out why Duke University received a D grade in our Report Card below.
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina with an undergraduate enrollment size of 6,883. The university was founded in 1838. The university officially moved to Durham in 1892. The university has a significant Greek life and student club influence on campus. The Greek life community is made up of 23.2% of the student population, and there are hundreds of student-led organizations. Students at Duke University can enjoy shopping and restaurants near campus, attend sporting events within the university itself, and check out the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the Durham Performing Arts Center, Bennett Place Historic Site, or Sarah P. Duke Gardens. The university’s mascot is the blue devil.
Duke University offers 98 bachelor’s degree programs and there are more than 80 departments to choose from for master’s or doctoral degrees. Notable former students include CEO of Apple Timothy Cook, co-anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour Judy Woodruff, and 37th President of the United States Richard Nixon.
Fast Facts:
6%
6:1
6,883
$63,054
$63,054
$18,166
$12,700,000,000
89.2%
REPORT CARD:
Duke University receives a “C” grade by What Will They Learn? which takes into account the university’s educational prowess. Factors include composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.
Duke University receives an “A+” grade for the Average Salary of Recent Graduates. As of 2021, alumni with 0-5 years of experience after graduating from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree make $76,800 on average according to Payscale.
Duke University receives an “A+” grade for the Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career. As of 2021, alumni with 10+ years of experience after graduating from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree make $142,500 on average according to Payscale.
Duke University receives an “A+” grade for the Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private). In 2020, 30% of graduates accumulated student debt from federal and/or private sources according to The Institute for College Access & Success.
Duke University receives a “B-” grade for the Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private). In 2020, graduates accumulated $24,219 of debt on average from federal and/or private sources according to The Institute for College Access & Success.
Duke University receives a “B” grade for Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff. New staff are required to complete Online Safety Training and Harassment Training. The Office for Institutional Equity offers a Foundational Workshop Series that “is open to the Duke community, in particular to staff interested in increasing skill and workplace culture in their departments.” These workshops include:
- “DEI Building Blocks: Creating meaning, shared language and manageable action”
- “LGBTQIA Foundations: Awareness, Inclusion, Workplace Considerations”
- “Microaggressions and Implicit Bias: The Basics,” and “White Supremacy Culture: Impact on Workplace Interactions”
Duke University receives an “F” grade for having a Bias Response Team. Bias Reporting Systems and Response Teams are systems or teams of faculty, staff, and sometimes law enforcement.
According to SpeechFirst, students are “encouraged to report ‘bias incidents’ to these boards (or teams) in the name of inclusion and tolerance, but it’s often unclear what the school considers ‘bias’ in the first place. Overly broad or vague definitions of bias put all kinds of speech at risk of being reported – even unpopular speech which is protected by the First Amendment.”
Duke University receives a “D+” grade for the Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs. Out of a list of 20 clubs (10 from each side), the university has one right-leaning club compared to five left-leaning clubs. Students Supporting Israel is the right-leaning club. Students for Justice in Palestine, Gay Straight Alliance, Planned Parenthood Generation Action, White Coats for Black Lives, and Policy for the People are the five left-leaning clubs.
Duke University receives a “C” grade because they do not have a Turning Point USA chapter. The university has not denied a Turning Point USA chapter on campus. Unfortunately, universities and Student Governments around the country often use their power to prevent certain clubs from operating on campus.
Duke University receives an “F” grade for the Amount of Foreign Funding Received. According to College Foreign Gift Reporting, the university receives $93,914.47 from foreign sources per undergraduate student. Oftentimes, foreign parties will convey their influence by funding certain courses, activities, professors, and organizations on campus. In certain cases, universities must abide by restrictions dictated by foreign parties to receive funding. In addition, there have been reports that claim that universities underreport foreign funding. The figure above only takes into account reported foreign funding.
Duke University receives a “C” grade for Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students. The university requires 34 credits of General Education courses. These are broken up into multiple different categories. The university’s required “Social Studies (SS)” category “Includes courses in African and African American studies; cultural anthropology; economics; environmental sciences and policy; linguistics; political science; psychology; public policy; sociology; and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies.”
The university describes its approach to its Social Studies course options: “Our social science disciplines apply both quantitative scientific and interpretive humanistic methodologies to study diverse patterns of human behavior, social structures and cultural and social change. Our highly-ranked Social Sciences departments produce research and scholarship that advance their respective fields and the university’s goal of knowledge in service of society. In addition, Duke’s interpretive social sciences have distinguished themselves internationally with research addressing important global cultural themes related to gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, citizenship/nationality, social exclusion, social inequality, social movements, diaspora, health, religion, and artistic expression, among other factors.” Examples of courses in this category include, but are not limited to:
- “Sociology of Racism in America”
- “Conversations on Decolonization and the Climate Crisis”
- “Introduction to Digital Feminism”
- “Race, Gender, Class, & Computing”
- “Southern Voices: Activism and Progressive Movements in the US South”
- “Bodies at Work”
However, these courses can be bypassed in favor of unbiased options like “Personal Finance” and “Practical Financial Markets.”
Duke University receives a “B+” grade for Protests and Canceling Speakers. On March 22, 2023, students walked out and protested a speech given by the Former Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett.
Duke University receives a “C” grade for Mask and Vaccine Mandates. According to Duke’s Coronavirus Response page, “Duke strongly recommends getting up-to-date vaccinations against COVID-19, especially for those with conditions that place them at higher risk. However, effective May 11 current and new students, faculty and staff who do not work in a healthcare environment are no longer required to receive the primary or booster vaccinations.”
Duke University receives an “A+” grade for the Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Center (IPEDS), as of 2020, 16.32% of the current undergraduate student population graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree. Across the United States, students who graduate with STEM degrees tend to earn more on average than their other student counterparts.
Duke University receives an “F” grade for Required Western Civilization Courses for Students. The university does not require any course or category of courses designed to teach students about the history of the United States and western civilization as a whole.
