Cost to Attend Duke to Rise 3.9 Percent

This represents one of the smallest percentage increases in recent years.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Duke University Board of Trustees on Saturday approved a 3.9 percent tuition increase for undergraduate students, one of the smallest percentage increases in recent years.

"We recognize the economic situation for many of our families is difficult this year, and we are doing all we can to hold down tuition and other costs," said Provost Peter Lange, the university’s senior academic officer. "Tuition and fees cover only a portion of the true cost of the education Duke provides, but we know that many of our families make significant sacrifices to enable their children to have the benefits of that education. We remain, therefore, committed especially in these difficult economic times to ensuring that a Duke education is accessible and affordable, regardless of a person’s financial circumstances."

Tuition for students enrolled in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the Pratt School of Engineering will be $37,485 for 2009-10, up 3.9 percent from $36,065 for the current year. About 82 percent of Duke undergraduates are enrolled in Trinity College; 18 percent matriculate in the Pratt School.

The total cost to attend Duke this coming school year, including room, board and fees, will be $49,895, an increase of 3.9 percent from 2008-09.

Approximately 45 percent of Duke undergraduates receive some form of financial aid to help meet their college costs. As one of a limited number of schools with a “need-blind” admissions policy, Duke admits students regardless of their ability to pay for college. In addition, Duke guarantees to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all students. Financial aid packages combine grants, loans and work-study opportunities after assessing what parents and students can reasonably contribute.

In recent years, Duke has taken additional steps to make education affordable to students across the economic spectrum.

In 2008-09, Duke increased its financial aid spending by 17 percent to about $86 million and expects to again increase its financial aid spending in 2009-10. Duke also made significant enhancements to its financial aid program to benefit lower- and middle-income families last year. These changes included eliminating parental contributions for families who make less than $60,000 a year; eliminating loans for students from families with incomes below $40,000; and reducing loans for students from families with incomes up to $100,000 (see http://news.duke.edu/2007/12/financialaid.html).

Also, at the end of December 2008, Duke completed a successful fund-raising effort that raised $308.5 million in new endowment for financial aid (see http://news.duke.edu/2009/01/fai.html).

On Saturday, the trustees also approved new tuition rates for Duke’s graduate and professional schools. The tuition rates for 2009-10 for the graduate and professional schools are:

Divinity School -- $17,150, up 3.5 percent over the current year.
Fuqua School of Business -- $45,850 (daytime MBA), up 4 percent.
Graduate School -- $37,640 (Ph.D. programs), up 4 percent.
Law School -- $44,480, up 5.5 percent.
Nicholas School of the Environment -- $28,200, up 2.2 percent.
School of Medicine -- $42,771, up 4 percent.
School of Nursing -- $40,320, up 9.3 percent.
Pratt School of Engineering -- $36,300 (MEM program), up 4 percent.

In other business, the trustees approved:

the creation of a Department of Dermatology within the School of Medicine.
naming the Alumni Building on Chapel Drive after John Forlines, a long-time successful North Carolina banker who served as a Duke trustee and Duke Alumni Association president. Forlines was also honored in October with the University Medal for Distinguished Meritorious Service, one of Duke's highest honors.
the nomination of Sunny Kantha, a senior majoring in economics and public policy, as the young trustee who will represent undergraduate students on the Board of Trustees, and James McDonald, a third-year law student, as the young trustee representing Duke’s graduate and professional students.