10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$294,262at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Duke University
⌖ Durham, NC · 57 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$294,262 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
+99%Modeled 10-year ROI
$104,271Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$29,612Average net price / year
$87,072Cost of attendance
$104,271Median earnings · year 5 after completion
96.8%Completion rate
5.7%Admission rate
6,442Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$74,497Year 1
$115,722Year 4
$104,271Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences · Master's Degree$299,8732Mathematics · Bachelor's Degree$297,0293Law · Doctoral Degree$261,2304Health and Medical Administrative Services · Graduate/Professional Certificate$253,2705Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$222,1606Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$195,8097International Business · Master's Degree$185,4188Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$174,522Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in NC
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Winston-Salem, NC
Wake Forest University
- Annual net price
- $28,719
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $86,157
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +40%
Queens University of Charlotte
- Annual net price
- $30,857
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,181
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -50%
Elon University
- Annual net price
- $41,555
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $70,407
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -27%
Davidson College
- Annual net price
- $17,379
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,801
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -21%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Master's Degree | $299,873 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $297,029 | $13,000 |
| Law | Doctoral Degree | $261,230 | Not available |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $253,270 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $222,160 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $195,809 | $13,500 |
| International Business | Master's Degree | $185,418 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $174,522 | $14,500 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Master's Degree | $163,348 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $161,843 | Not available |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $161,149 | $13,437 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $152,782 | $13,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $152,389 | Not available |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $144,681 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $140,083 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $139,868 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $137,549 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $132,468 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $122,410 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $120,991 | $10,000 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | Master's Degree | $120,172 | Not available |
| Genetics | Doctoral Degree | $116,130 | Not available |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $112,377 | $13,000 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $112,081 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $109,274 | Not available |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $108,721 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,921 | $13,894 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | $103,071 | $10,500 |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $101,771 | $12,500 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $100,686 | Not available |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Doctoral Degree | $97,542 | Not available |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Master's Degree | $96,411 | Not available |
| Medicine | Doctoral Degree | $92,928 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $88,459 | $14,016 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $88,098 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $87,763 | $29,000 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $83,192 | $12,500 |
| Geography and Cartography | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $81,405 | Not available |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $81,120 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $80,920 | Not available |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $80,065 | Not available |
| International and Comparative Education | Bachelor's Degree | $79,640 | $8,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $74,987 | Not available |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $73,435 | $11,875 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $73,359 | $15,415 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $73,140 | $12,645 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | Master's Degree | $71,038 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Master's Degree | $67,332 | Not available |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $61,425 | Not available |
| Biology, General | Master's Degree | $60,753 | Not available |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Master's Degree | $58,405 | Not available |
| Religious Education | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $57,871 | Not available |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $55,809 | Not available |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $15,362 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $12,000 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $8,457 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $12,125 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.