Graduates of Duke University earn median earnings of $115,722 four years after enrollment, placing Duke University in the 99.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $11,170 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Duke University in the 87.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Duke University #7 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix at Duke University is anchored by Computer Science, with Social Sciences accounting for 15% of degrees and Engineering representing 13%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 370 graduates earning median earnings of $195,809 — 1.8x the national benchmark for the field per the program-ranking methodology. The Economics program graduates 209 students and Azimuth ranks it #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning median earnings of $161,149. Public Policy Analysis and Biology, General round out the high-earning lineup, with Azimuth ranking them #3 and #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions respectively and graduates earning median earnings of $103,071 and $83,192 four years after enrollment.
Graduates of Duke University earn median earnings of $115,722 four years after enrollment, placing Duke University in the 99.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $11,170 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Duke University in the 87.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Duke University #7 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix at Duke University is anchored by Computer Science, with Social Sciences accounting for 15% of degrees and Engineering representing 13%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 370 graduates earning median earnings of $195,809 — 1.8x the national benchmark for the field per the program-ranking methodology. The Economics program graduates 209 students and Azimuth ranks it #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning median earnings of $161,149. Public Policy Analysis and Biology, General round out the high-earning lineup, with Azimuth ranking them #3 and #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions respectively and graduates earning median earnings of $103,071 and $83,192 four years after enrollment.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Duke University earn median earnings of $115,722 four years after enrollment, placing Duke University in the 99.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $11,170 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Duke University in the 87.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Duke University #7 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix at Duke University is anchored by Computer Science, with Social Sciences accounting for 15% of degrees and Engineering representing 13%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 370 graduates earning median earnings of $195,809 — 1.8x the national benchmark for the field per the program-ranking methodology. The Economics program graduates 209 students and Azimuth ranks it #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning median earnings of $161,149. Public Policy Analysis and Biology, General round out the high-earning lineup, with Azimuth ranking them #3 and #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions respectively and graduates earning median earnings of $103,071 and $83,192 four years after enrollment.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Duke University's program mix is anchored in Computer Science, quantitative social sciences, and policy-oriented fields — a signature that reflects the university's research identity and its strength in analytical disciplines. Social Sciences accounts for 15% of graduates, Engineering accounts for 13%, and other STEM fields accounts for 3%, together forming the core of the institution's degree output. Across 35 programs serving roughly 2,278 students annually, 18 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — and several sit near the top nationally. Computer Science is the program that combines the largest cohort scale with strong earnings, making it a central driver of Duke University's overall financial profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #9 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 370 graduates earning $195,809 — the highest four-year earnings at the institution. Azimuth ranks Computer Engineering #2 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $174,522, and Azimuth ranks Economics #4 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $161,149. Among the largest programs by cohort, Computer Science program graduates 370 students and Azimuth ranks it #9 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, while The Economics program graduates 209 students with median earnings of $161,149. For how Azimuth evaluates individual programs, see the program-ranking methodology. Several of Duke University's strongest programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — notably Public Policy Analysis and Biology, General — where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical, law, or doctoral programs. Computer Science and Computer Engineering, by contrast, are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the national labor market directly and four-year earnings more closely reflect workforce outcomes. The provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends and employer demand. ```
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Duke University earn median earnings of $115,722 four years after enrollment, placing Duke University in the 99.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $11,170 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Duke University in the 87.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Duke University #7 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The program mix at Duke University is anchored by Computer Science, with Social Sciences accounting for 15% of degrees and Engineering representing 13%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #9 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 370 graduates earning median earnings of $195,809 — 1.8x the national benchmark for the field per the program-ranking methodology. The Economics program graduates 209 students and Azimuth ranks it #4 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning median earnings of $161,149. Public Policy Analysis and Biology, General round out the high-earning lineup, with Azimuth ranking them #3 and #10 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions respectively and graduates earning median earnings of $103,071 and $83,192 four years after enrollment.
