How Big Is Duke University?
Is Duke A Large Campus?
A medium-sized, four-year private technical university, Duke University is situated in Durham, North Carolina. This coed university is primarily a residential campus and is situated in a suburban area. Being one of the top universities in the country, you might ask, “How big is Duke University?” It comprises 12 schools and institutes, 254 structures, and 8,547 acres of land. Richard Nixon, Ron Paul, Tim Cook of Apple, Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nobel laureates, recipients of the Turing and Rhodes awards, Olympic athletes, and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are just a few of the notable alumni.
Moving on to the question “Is Duke a large campus?” the 8,693 acres that make up the Duke University campus also include a Duke Forest. East Campus, West Campus, Central Campus, and Medical Campus are the four divisions of the campus. Additionally, a golf course and a marine lab are present.
The Duke Housing and Residence Life Office is responsible for providing on-campus housing. Other amenities are also offered, including dining, parking, transportation, sports, and leisure activities. All of these amenities and services promote value-based learning and foster the formation of strong social bonds.
On East Campus, all first-year students reside. East Campus is 172 acres of open lawns, residence halls, research labs, tennis courts, a dining hall, café, convenience store, library, theater, and gym. It is located five minutes by bus from West Campus.
The Perkins, Bostock, and Rubenstein Libraries on West Campus, the Lilly and Music Libraries on East Campus, the Pearse Memorial Library at the Duke Marine Lab, and the independently run libraries serving the schools of business, divinity, law, and medicine make up Duke Libraries, one of the top 10 private research library systems in the country.
The Duke Marine Laboratory is a part of the Nicholas School of the Environment and is located on the Duke University campus in Beaufort, North Carolina, on the coast. Its goals are to promote knowledge of fundamental ocean processes, manage the coastal environment, and conduct research in marine biotechnology and marine biomedicine.
The hub of student activity is the Bryan Center at Duke Marine Laboratory. Student organizations are housed there, and the University Union, which is in charge of supervising student-run social and cultural events, serves as an expanded version of the student union. Theaters, eateries, a coffee shop, book and merchandise stores, an information desk, a post office, ATMs, and more can be found in the center.
Duke University Press publishes over 30 scholarly journals in addition to about 120 new books each year. Although some of the publications cover topics in law, medicine, the sciences, and mathematics, the publications’ primary focus is on the humanities and social sciences.
Lastly, The Richard H. Brodhead Center for Campus Life, which opened in the fall of 2016, is a meeting place where people can unwind, eat, and take in performances of art.
What Is the Area Around Duke Like?
Durham and Duke are in a prime location for exploring North Carolina because they are almost midway between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and the famous Carolina coast to the east. Durham has a storied past and vibrant culture. You should take some time to eat, dance, listen, stroll, and discover this lively neighborhood.
So, how big is Duke University’s neighboring areas? Did you know that Durham is one of the American cities with the fastest population growth?
In addition to its many highly regarded academic institutions, Durham, which is a part of the Research Triangle Park Region, is well known for its technological and innovative advancements.
Durham is not only regarded as one of the best places to live in North Carolina but also provides residents with a dense suburban feel and easy access to some of the region’s best dining establishments, parks, museums, and entertainment options. You can imagine what is the area around Duke like by checking these popular spots in Durham.
Central Durham
Since Downtown Durham is the busiest and one of the most exciting neighborhoods in the city, you might want to think about moving there if you want to be surrounded by the best eateries, breweries, and shops in Durham.
Downtown Durham is not only a historically significant area, but it is also frequently praised for being a lively, artistic, and multicultural community with a number of year-round events focused on food, culture, and the arts. Downtown Durham is not only regarded as one of the cleanest in the nation, but this area of the city is also home to a number of landmarks that are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including The Historic Parish Street, which is frequently referred to as the “New South” for its contemporary interpretation of traditional southern values.
No matter your interests or age, there is always something to do and see when living in Downtown Durham, which is home to several revitalized industrial areas like Brightleaf and the American Tobacco Historic District.
Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park, also known as The Triangle, is the biggest research park in the US and is home to hundreds of science and technology companies, government organizations, startups, and nonprofits.
Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill are well known for their opportunities in education, medicine, and research because they serve as the anchor cities of Research Triangle Park, a prominent location and sizable metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Many employees in Research Triangle Park typically live close by in Durham to ensure shorter commute times and convenience traveling to and from the office. Research Triangle Park was established in 1959 and comprised 7,000 acres in area.
Research Triangle Park anticipates a significant influx of professionals and families moving into the area now that major technology companies Apple, Google, and Meta have revealed that they will be opening hubs in The Triangle.
Trinity Park
Trinity Park, an excellent place for families, singles, retirees, and couples to call home, is located between Downtown Durham and Duke University’s East Campus. Trinity Park, one of Durham’s oldest central neighborhoods, has a special place on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to its abundance of stunning historic homes and structures and 40 square blocks of shaded, tree-lined streets.
Residents of Trinity Park are certain to enjoy living in this prestigious Durham neighborhood thanks to a neighborhood association that is committed to preserving the area’s historic architecture, creating a close-knit community, maintaining neighborhood safety, and working on smart development.
How Many People Apply to Duke in A Year?
Early Admissions to Duke University
Perhaps no college admissions office in America has benefited from an athletic coach’s success more than Duke University, which has benefited from Coach K, the school’s longtime basketball coach who retired this spring, over the course of the past two-plus generations.
Coach K made Duke famous and contributed to the university’s status as one of the most exclusive colleges in the country. Therefore, it makes sense that during Coach K’s final season as the Blue Devils’ head men’s basketball coach, Duke would receive more applications than ever before.
Naturally, we anticipate the number of applications to increase even further the following year, thanks to Coach K once more, as Duke frequently receives a large number of applications following strong March Madness runs — and Duke did make it to the Final Four in Coach K’s Last Dance.
How big is Duke University’s applicant pool this year? Amounting to 50,002, it surpassed the previous year’s record total by about 1%.
Between Early Decision and Regular Decision, 3,085 of these applicants received admission (855 through Early Decision, 2,120 through Regular Decision, and 110 ED deferrals who got in this spring). However, Duke’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2026 did not establish a new standard. For Duke’s Class of 2026, 6.2% of candidates were admitted between Early Decision and Regular Decision (21.3 percent of ED applicants and 4.6 percent of RD applicants).
Another important point is that Duke accepted about 200 more students this year than it did last year. Why? Due to students admitted to the Class of 2024 who chose to take gap years, the school had about 160 fewer seats last year. Definitely the pandemic’s negative ripple effects! The table below shows how many people apply to Duke in a year along with the admissions rate for the past 3 years.
| Class | Total Applications Accepted | Total Applications Received | Total Admissions Acceptance Rate |
| 2026 | 3,085 | 50,002 | 6.17% |
| 2025 | 2,854 | 49,517 | 5.76% |
| 2024 | 3,057 | 39,783 | 7.68% |
What Is Duke’s Acceptance Rate?
To discuss further how big Duke University’s admissions for this year, only 6% of candidates for the Blue Devil Class of 2026 received acceptances, and only 4.6% of Regular Decision candidates received favorable results. As a result, Duke’s acceptance rate is currently marginally lower than those of Dartmouth (6.2%), Vanderbilt (6.1%), and Rice (6.1%). (8.5 percent). Their popularity is unmatched; Duke receives the same number of applications as Brown and Yale.
Although admission to Duke has always been competitive academically, it wasn’t always this challenging. This will leave you wondering what Duke’s acceptance rate in the previous years is. The acceptance rate was 22 percent in 2004, four times higher than the current figure, according to a quick march through recent admissions history. Here are some admission trends at Duke University:
- The number of applications for the Class of 2026 increased from 39,783 to 49,555.
- The Class of 2026 eventually accepted 110 deferred applicants from the early round.
- There were 855 students admitted to ED in 2020 as opposed to 840 the previous year.
- First-generation students make up 11% of the Class of 2025. Both numbers correspond to about half of the anticipated first-year class.
- In contrast to the 5,036 applications for the Class of 2025, Duke only received 4,015 Early Decision applications.
- The percentage of international students in the Class of 2025 was 14%.
What Is the Average Class Size At Duke University?
The number of students to teachers in a classroom is referred to as the student-teacher ratio. Although the two statistics are frequently related, this number refers to more than just class size. The ratio of students to teachers reflects the workload of the teachers and their accessibility to provide services and care to their students. Many students and teachers believe that the learning process will be more effective and efficient if the number is lower.
What is the average class size at Duke University? The Duke faculty’s goal is to develop abundant opportunities to foster interpersonal relationships. The 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio is one strategy to make teachers being mentors, advisors, and then friends to students.
How Many Majors Does Duke Have?
Duke’s academic experience can be completed at Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and Pratt School of Engineering, the school’s two undergraduate schools.
Trinity College
Serves as Duke’s liberal arts foundation, it requires all undergraduate students to enroll in classes there. To encourage you to think deeply within disciplines and broadly across them, with a healthy balance of tradition and innovation, classes at Trinity College range across the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
How many majors does Duke have in Trinity College? The college offers 23 certificates, 52 minors, and 53 majors. You have 437,989 different academic combinations at your disposal by combining the three.
| Majors |
| African & African American Studies |
| Art History |
| Asian and Middle Eastern Studies |
| Biology |
| Biomedical Engineering* |
| Biophysics |
| Brazilian and Global Portuguese Studies |
| Chemistry |
| Civil Engineering* |
| Classical Civilization |
| Classical Languages |
| Computer Science |
| Cultural Anthropology |
| Dance |
| Earth and Climate Sciences |
| Economics |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering* |
| English |
| Environmental Engineering* |
| Environmental Sciences |
| Environmental Sciences and Policy |
| Evolutionary Anthropology |
| French Studies |
| Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies |
| German |
| Global Cultural Studies |
| Global Health** |
| History |
| Interdepartmental Major |
| Interdisciplinary Engineering & Applied Science (IDEAS) |
| International Comparative Studies |
| Italian Studies |
| Linguistics |
| Marine Science & Conservation |
| Mathematics |
| Mechanical Engineering* |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies |
| Music |
| Neuroscience |
| Philosophy |
| Physics |
| Political Science |
| Program II (self-designed degree, BA or BS) |
| Psychology |
| Public Policy Studies |
| Religious Studies |
| Romance Studies |
| Russian |
| Slavic and Eurasian Studies |
| Sociology |
| Spanish, Latin American, and Latino/a Studies |
| Statistical Science |
| Theater Studies |
| Visual Arts |
| Visual and Media Studies |
| **Available as a second major only |
| Minors |
| African & African American Studies |
| Art History |
| Asian and Middle Eastern Studies |
| Biology |
| Brazilian and Global Portuguese Studies |
| Chemistry |
| Cinematic Arts |
| Classical Archaeology |
| Classical Civilization |
| Computational Biology and Bioinformatics |
| Computer Science |
| Creative Writing |
| Cultural Anthropology |
| Dance |
| Earth and Climate Sciences |
| Economics |
| Education |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Energy Engineering* |
| English |
| Environmental Sciences and Policy |
| Evolutionary Anthropology |
| Finance |
| French Studies |
| Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies |
| German |
| Global Cultural Studies |
| Global Health |
| Greek |
| History |
| Inequality Studies |
| Italian Studies |
| Latin |
| Linguistics |
| Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence |
| Marine Science & Conservation |
| Mathematics |
| Medical Sociology |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies |
| Music |
| Musical Theater |
| Neuroscience |
| Philosophy |
| Photography |
| Physics |
| Polish Culture and Language |
| Political Science |
| Psychology |
| Religious Studies |
| Russian Language and Culture |
| Russian Literature in Translation |
| Sociology |
| Spanish Studies |
| Statistical Science |
| Theater Studies |
| Turkish Language and Culture |
| Visual Arts |
| Visual and Media Studies |
| Certificates |
| A certificate is an interdisciplinary program of study similar in its requirements to a minor. |
| Aerospace Engineering* |
| Architectural Engineering* |
| Child Policy Research |
| Civic Engagement & Social Change |
| Decision Sciences |
| Digital Intelligence |
| Documentary Studies |
| East Asian Studies |
| Energy and the Environment |
| Global Development Engineering* |
| Health Policy |
| Human Rights |
| Information Science + Information Studies |
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship |
| Jewish Studies |
| Latin American Studies |
| Latino / Latina Studies in the Global South |
| Markets & Management Studies |
| Materials Science & Engineering |
| Philosophy, Politics and Economics |
| Policy Journalism and Media Studies |
| Science & the Public |
| Study of Ethics |
| Sustainability Engagement |
| *Only available to students taking an engineering degree from the Pratt School of Engineering. |
| **Available as a second major only. |
Pratt School of Engineering
At Duke, you’ll become an engineer and learn to solve issues by fusing the best ideas from all academic fields. The ability to come up with original solutions to challenging issues will inspire and prepare you to change the world.
| Majors |
| Biomedical Engineering |
| Civil Engineering |
| Environmental Engineering |
| Electrical & Computer Engineering |
| Mechanical Engineering |
| Interdisciplinary Options (IDEAS) |
| Minors |
| Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence (AI) |
| Electrical & Computer Engineering |
| Energy Engineering |
Some of the most popular undergraduate majors chosen by undergraduates in Fall 2021 are shown below:
- Computer Science
- Public Policy
- Biology
- Economics
- Psychology
Today, the school has a reputation for being one of the best in the South, if not the nation, thanks to its competitive admissions process, outstanding academics, championship-level athletics, and global presence. According to Duke, “We’re looking for students ready to respond to those opportunities intelligently, creatively, and enthusiastically.
We like ambition and curiosity, talent and persistence, energy and humanity.” Take time to reflect on those attributes and see if they fit you. If they do (or even if not), your eagerness and dedication will take you a long way. AdmissionSight is also here to guide you!
From queries like “How big is Duke University?” to “How do I get into Duke?”, AdmissionSight can help you find the answers and resources to boost your application. Feel free to set up an initial consultation with us.
