Duke Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Duke admitted 3,053 students out of 58,712 applicants for the Class of 2029, yielding a 5.20% acceptance rate, one of the lowest in the university’s history.

For the Class of 2030, Early Decision (ED) decisions came out in December 2025, with 847 students admitted. Regular Decision (RD) results are expected by late March 2026.

In this blog, we’ll walk through Duke’s latest available overall, early, regular, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and see how they’ve changed over time.

• Duke Acceptance Rates
• Duke Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Duke Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Duke Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Duke Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Duke Acceptance Rates

Duke’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 dropped to 5.20%, down from 5.71% for the Class of 2028. This decline came due to a significant surge in applications, up from 51,795 to 58,712, while the number of admitted students held relatively steady at around 3,000.

Duke’s overall acceptance rate has fallen considerably over the past decade, dropping from over 9% to just above 5% in recent years. Here’s the complete picture:

Note: All data has been compiled from Duke’s Common Data Set.

Applications grew roughly 70% from 34,516 for the Class of 2021 to a peak of 58,712 for the Class of 2029, a surge driven in part by test-optional policies and Duke’s rising national profile. Duke has not seen a post-affirmative action dip in applications, as volumes have been in an overall upward trend year over year.

Meanwhile, the number of admitted students has remained remarkably stable, ranging from 2,911 to 3,190 across all years. That combination of sharply rising applications and a fixed admit pool drove the acceptance rate from 9.03% for the Class of 2021 down to 5.20% for the Class of 2029, nearly cutting the rate in half over the decade.

Duke Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent Early Decision figures are from the Class of 2030, when Duke received 6,159 early applications and admitted 847 students for an acceptance rate of 13.75%, up slightly from the record-low 12.81% recorded for the Class of 2029.

Duke Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Duke’s ED acceptance rates have declined sharply over the past decade, dropping from roughly 24% to almost 14%. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: All data has been sourced from Duke’s official announcement pages and Common Data Sets.

ED applications have grown considerably, rising from 3,516 for the Class of 2021 to 6,627 for the Class of 2029, reflecting Duke’s growing popularity among early applicants. However, the number of admitted students has not kept pace, fluctuating between 702 and 1,042 across the same period.

That gap between rising applications and a relatively fixed admit pool pushed the ED acceptance rate from a high of 24.49% for the Class of 2021 down to a low of 12.81% for the Class of 2029.

Duke Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

The Class of 2029 gives us the latest RD data: 52,085 applications yielded 2,204 acceptances for a 4.23% rate, up slightly from 4.18% for the Class of 2028.

Data for the Class of 2030 is not yet available, as the full admissions cycle has not concluded.

Duke Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Duke’s RD acceptance rates have declined steadily over the past decade, falling from over 7% to just above 4%. Here’s how Duke’s RD statistics have evolved:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting Early Decision data from overall totals in Duke’s official admissions announcements and Common Data Set.

Duke’s RD applications grew significantly, rising from 31,000 for the Class of 2021 to a peak of 52,085 for the Class of 2029.

Admits, however, stayed relatively stable, ranging from 1,915 to 2,488 across all years. That imbalance between growing applications and a constrained admit pool pushed the RD acceptance rate from a high of 7.29% for the Class of 2022 down to a low of 4.18% for the Class of 2028, with only a marginal recovery to 4.23% for the Class of 2029.

Duke Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent available Duke transfer data comes from Fall 2025, with an acceptance rate of 8.00%. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2025 transfer data is from Duke’s Common Data Set for 2025-2026, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2029 first-year admissions data.

Duke’s transfer acceptance rate is slightly higher than the 5.20% for first-year applicants in the Class of 2029, meaning transfer applicants had a somewhat better shot at getting in than students applying straight out of high school.

Duke Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent Duke waitlist data comes from the Class of 2029, with 50 confirmed admitted students. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data is from Duke’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2029 first-year admissions data.

Because the total number of students waitlisted and those who confirmed their spot were not disclosed, an overall waitlist acceptance rate cannot be calculated for this cycle.

However, the waitlist is generally unpredictable since admission from the list depends heavily on first-year yield rates, making it difficult for waitlisted applicants to gauge their chances. If you find yourself on Duke’s waitlist, read our Duke waitlist guide to learn the strategic steps you can take to maximize your chances.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Duke’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate is 5.20% for the Class of 2029. Duke received 58,712 applications and admitted 3,053 students.

2. Is it easier to get into Duke through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

It is statistically easier to get in through ED. For the Class of 2029, the ED rate was 12.81% compared to 4.23% for RD, roughly three times higher. However, ED applicants tend to have the most competitive profiles in the pool.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Duke?

Quite competitive. For Fall 2025, 145 out of 1,812 applicants were admitted for an 8.00% transfer rate, slightly higher than the first-year acceptance rate.

4. What are my chances of getting off Duke’s waitlist?

It varies by year. For the Class of 2029, Duke admitted 50 waitlisted students, though total waitlist figures were not disclosed. The process can also be unpredictable, since that same year, Duke closed its waitlist in June before reopening it in late July that year.

5. Why is Duke’s acceptance rate so low?

Applications have nearly doubled over the past decade, from 34,516 for the Class of 2021 to 58,712 for the Class of 2029, while the admitted class size has stayed largely the same, pushing the acceptance rate steadily downward.

Takeaways

• Duke’s acceptance rate has fallen from 9.03% for the Class of 2021 to a record low of 5.20% for the Class of 2029, as applications have nearly doubled while class size has held steady.
• ED offers a notable advantage. For the Class of 2029, the ED rate was 12.81% versus 4.23% for RD, though ED is binding and early applicants tend to be highly competitive.
• Transfer admissions are slightly more accessible at 8.00% for Fall 2025, but still selective.
• Waitlist outcomes are unpredictable. Duke admitted 50 students for the Class of 2029 but does not disclose full waitlist figures.
• With acceptance rates at historic lows, working with a college admissions expert can give you a real edge. The right guidance can strengthen your profile and improve your chances when every detail counts.