The University of Chicago is a highly selective private university in Chicago, Illinois in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is a mid-sized university with 6,801 undergraduate students. Admissions are extremely competitive, with the University of Chicago acceptance rate at approximately 5%. Popular majors are Economics, Political Science, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Biological Sciences. The graduation rate after six years is 95%, and graduates from University of Chicago have a median starting salary of about INR 1,04,76,000 (ten years post-graduation, equivalent to $126,500 median earnings).
Duke University is a private research university with its main campus located in Durham, North Carolina within the Raleigh-Durham area. The university is mid-size, with an enrollment of 6,682 undergraduates. Admissions are highly competitive, given Duke's acceptance rate of about 7%. Popular majors include Economics, Political Science, Biology, Public Policy, and Psychology. The graduation rate within six years is 95%, and Duke University alumni still have a median starting salary of around INR 1,10,50,000 (equivalent to $133,400 median earnings after ten years of graduation).
| University of Chicago | Duke University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 8.4 Out of 10 | 6.9 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 13 QS World University 2026 # 15 Times Higher Education 2026 # 10 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 28 Times Higher Education 2026 # 62 QS World University 2026 # 21 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 132 for Engineering by QS World University 2025 # 28 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 34 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 20 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 16 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 6 for Law by US News 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -36 PG Programs -31 Doctorate Programs -9 | UG Programs -93 PG Programs -50 Doctorate Programs -4 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.0 % | 4.8 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-570 IELTS-7 SAT-1080 TOEFL-80 | Duolingo-125 GMAT-670 IELTS-7 SAT-1480 TOEFL-90 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 56034 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 72000 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 29000 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 60594 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28950 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 41478 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | University of Chicago is one of the top private universities in Chicago, United States. It is ranked #10 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Top recruiters include McKinsey & Company Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Google LLC, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Accenture, Deloitte Consulting LLP etc
| Duke University is one of the top private universities in Durham, United States. It is ranked #=50 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Base salaries by degree are given below:
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| application requirements | Transcripts, English proficiency scores, Supplemental essays, teacher evaluation, GMAT/ GRE scores, Supplemental material (art work, research papers, etc.) | Transcripts, Standardized scores, 3 LORs, SOP (1-2 pages), Resume, Other supplemental documents (such as writing samples, research papers, etc.) |
| Campuses and B-Schools | University of Chicago Booth School of Business | The Fuqua School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.6/10 Read 5 reviews | 8.3/10 Read 11 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 9 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 17 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 13 for Business by US News 2025 # 15 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 50 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 104/120 | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 90/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 16, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Dec 4, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Jan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 2, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) | Sep 4, 2025 (Early Action Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Sep 25, 2025 (Early Action Interview Decision For 2026 Intake) Sep 30, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Oct 16, 2025 (Early Action Final Decision For 2026 Intake) Nov 12, 2025 (Round 1 Interview Decision For 2026 Intake) Dec 2, 2025 (Early Action Deposit Deadline For 2026 Intake) Dec 11, 2025 (Round 1 Final Decision For 2026 Intake) Jan 8, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Feb 20, 2026 (Round 1 Deposit Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 24, 2026 (Round 1 Deposit Deadline For 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Chicago | Duke University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1890 | 1838 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 5:1 |
| Male:Female | 48% Male, 52% Female | 50% Male, 50% Female |
| Location Facts | A 217 acres campus located in Chicago's Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhood eight miles of downtown Chicago. | The campus moved to Durham in 1892. Located near the center of North Carolina the campus is divided into 4 areas- West, East, and Central campuses and the Medical centers |
| Library | UChicago Library System is the 10th largest academic library in North America comprising 6 libraries. Contains a total of 11.9 million volumes, 65,330 ft. of archives and manuscripts and 245 TB of digital archives. | Top 10 private research library systems in USA. It has a total volume count of over 7 million with an operating budget of around 41 million USD. Consists of Perkins, Bostock & Rubenstein Libraries on West Campus; Lilly and Music Libraries on East Campus and Pearse Memorial Library at Duke Marine Laboratory with several other schools and department libraries |
| Campus Life | Famous campus attractions include UChicago's Metallurgical Laboratory, University of Chicago Press (largest university press in USA), Cobb Lecture Hall, Rockefeller Chapel, Gerald Ratner Athletics Center. UChicago also has over 400 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs). | Over 400 student clubs and organizations, the other campus attractions include Duke Chapel, Duke Garden, Nasher Museum of Arts, Duke Hospital, Duke Cancer Center, Ronald McDonald House, Duke Lemur Center, Duke Marine Laboratory. |
| Hostel | #Housing and Food(4 Quarters) - $29000 | #Double Room(Yearly) - $10254 #Single Room(Yearly) - $13546 #Triple Room(Yearly) - $9144 |
| Famous Alumni | University boasts of about 182,000 alumni. 100 Nobel laureates, 4 Turning Award winners, 54 Rhodes Scholars, 26 Marshall Scholars, 9 Field Medalists, 52 MacArthur Fellows, 25 Pulitzer Prize winners, 20 National Humanities Medalists, 16 Billionaire graduates. Edwin Hubble (American astronomer), Bernie Sanders (US Senator), Milton Friedman (American economist), Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft), Larry Ellison (Founder of Oracle Corporation) | Duke alumni consist of over 176,592 living alumni. 15 Nobel laureates, 3 Turning Award winners, 50 Rhodes Scholars, 25 Churchill Scholars. Richard Nixon (37th President of USA); Amit Mitra (Finance Minister of West Bengal); Jared Harris (Actor); Tim Cook (CEO of Apple Inc.); Melinda Gates (Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) |
| City Life | Chicago is the 3rd most populous city, 3rd largest gross metropolitan product and 2nd largest central business district in USA. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Home to several Fortune 500 companies (such as Boeing, McDonald's, Walgreens, Kraft Heinz, etc.). Famous landmarks include Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, etc. | Durham is the 4th most populous city in North Carolina. The largest employer in the city is Duke University and Duke University Health Systems. Durham is venue for the annual Bull Durham Blues Festival, the OUTsouth Queer Film Festival (2nd largest LGBTQ film festival in Southeast), American Dance Festival, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. |
| Weather |
University of Chicago vs Duke University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The University of Chicago and Duke University are both high-performing U.S. universities with significant global reputations. Chicago ranks #13 in QS and 14th in Times Higher Education and Duke ranks #62 in QS and 27th in Times Higher Education. By discipline, Chicago is strongest in Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Law, and Mathematics, whereas Duke is strongest in Medicine, Life Sciences, Business, Public Policy, and Engineering. Chicago is world-renowned for social science studies, while Duke is stronger in biomedical sciences and interdisciplinary programs.
General Information
The University of Chicago, which was established in 1890, is situated in the Hyde Park section of Chicago. It admits about 17,000 students, with an emphasis on demanding undergraduate study and highly competitive graduate studies.Duke University, established in 1838, is situated in Durham, North Carolina, and consists of about 16,000 students. It has a suburban campus environment combined with excellent research facilities and professional schools, such as medicine, law, business, and public policy.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both institutions are highly selective, with acceptance rates generally 5-7%. Chicago is focused on a liberal arts base and analytical discipline, especially in economics and social sciences. Duke offers a wider professional emphasis, with highly competitive programs in medicine, law, business, and engineering in addition to robust liberal arts.
Research Impact & Facilities
Chicago is famous for its economic research, social science research, math research, and physics research with top facilities such as the Regenstein Library, Chicago Booth School of Business, and various research institutes.
Duke is world-renowned for its medical research, life sciences research, and engineering research supported by Duke University Medical Center, Pratt School of Engineering, and interdepartmental research centers. Both universities host world-class facilities for massive graduate and undergraduate research.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both schools are private and cost a lot of money, typically around $60,000–$65,000 annually, depending on the program. Both provide generous need-based financial assistance to domestic and international students. Chicago's smaller enrollment provides a more personal campus experience, and Duke's size and resources allow for access to professional contacts and research initiatives.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
University of Chicago alumni are extremely successful in finance, economics, academia, law, and policy, and boast an international alumni network that is world-famous for analytical and research abilities.Duke alumni also enjoy high professional success, especially in medicine, business, law, public policy, and STEM disciplines, with strong ties to research institutions and professional fields. Both institutions have highly influential alumni networks globally.
