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Durham, NC · History

History at Duke

Duke graduates about 45 history majors a year, 2% of its graduating class. That puts it 6th of 692 schools we score for history, a standout program at 95 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 322 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 98% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $112,000 four years out, 2.22× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $5 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

95/100Standout#6 of 692 for history →
Graduates a year452% of the class
Courses in the catalog322more than 98% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$112,0002.22× the same major nationally
Research in the field$5Ma year, NSF
Admit rate5%whole school
SAT middle 50%1490–1570whole school

Around Duke

Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48961110752)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Perkins Library, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48960917771)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source
Entrance to Perkins and Bostock Libraries
Entrance to Perkins and Bostock Libraries - panoramioPhoto: dreid1987 · CC BY 3.0 · source
Allen Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC
Allen Building, West Campus, Duke University, Durham, NC (48960961831)Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0 · source

Where history happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Perkins Library, Rubenstein Library, Bostock Library.

Named buildings on the campus map: Dorm 45 · Academic 37 · Athletics 16 · Library 3 · Dining 3 · Arts 2.

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Nearby in the history ranking

  1. Brown University 97
  2. Columbia University 96
  3. University of Chicago 95
  4. University of Notre Dame 95
  5. University of Pennsylvania 94
  6. Vanderbilt University 94
  7. Georgetown University 94
  8. Amherst College 94

Other strong majors at Duke

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Duke with every school we score in history. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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