Columbia College vs Duke University

Columbia College and Duke University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Columbia College, nestled in the heart of New York City, boasts a lower acceptance rate (6.1%) compared to Duke University's (8.2%). While Columbia College excels in the humanities and social sciences, Duke University shines in engineering and the natural sciences. Columbia College's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students, while Duke University's student body is predominantly domestic. With a slightly higher graduation rate (95%), Duke University edges out Columbia College (94%). Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Columbia College logo

Columbia College

Duke University logo

Duke University

Overview

Location Columbia, South Carolina Durham, North Carolina
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 54.0% 98.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 98.6% 5.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $95
SAT range N/A 1468 - 1558
ACT range N/A 33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 47.0%
Students submitting ACT score 46.0%
Total number of applicants 1,278 49,703
Total number of admissions given out 1,260 2,927
Admitted students who chose to enroll 210 1,744
Yield rate 16.7% 59.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $41,142 $79,860
Average net price $20,520 $27,297
Tuition $20,080 $58,085
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,120

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $9,164

Meal plan: $6,862
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $13,663
46.0%
Average amount $50,731
Students receiving federal student loan 77.0%
Average amount $6,081
20.0%
Average amount $4,537
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $10,833
3.0%
Average amount $22,957

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,065
Men 15.2% Women 84.8%
6,883
Men 48.4% Women 51.6%
Graduate students 324
Men 12.7% Women 87.3%
10,737
Men 45.5% Women 54.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 15.0% N/A
International students 0.6% 21.4%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 618 5,718
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina Georgia Florida North Carolina Alabama N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Legal Profession
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.4% 95.9%
Dropout rate 16.3% 4.0%
Transferred out 29.4% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,609
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,941
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $48,181
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $42,584
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,920
  • Year 2: $40,792
  • Year 3: $41,966
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,802
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,157
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,014
  • Year 2: $30,926
  • Year 3: $35,159
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $33,769
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,329
  • Year 2: $30,305
  • Year 3: $32,187
Behavioral Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $31,896
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,946
  • Year 2: $22,192
  • Year 3: $27,013
International Business (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,472
  • Year 2: $213,978
  • Year 3: $201,782
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $155,031
  • Year 2: $168,098
  • Year 3: $200,300
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $143,622
  • Year 2: $148,189
  • Year 3: $163,560
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $163,977
  • Year 2: $138,342
  • Year 3: $159,598
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,135
  • Year 2: $106,898
  • Year 3: $134,542
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,138
  • Year 2: $116,541
  • Year 3: $124,406
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,817
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $117,262
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,699
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $112,646
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,661
  • Year 2: $91,078
  • Year 3: $108,736
Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $104,348

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