Duke does not publish a minimum GPA for graduate admission. Its Graduate School states plainly that there is no specific minimum GPA or GRE requirement. Duke’s undergraduate admissions office publishes no GPA cutoff either.
That does not mean any GPA works. Duke’s Economics PhD says its typical funded student has a GPA of 3.5 or better. The Sanford School says its Master of Public Policy applicants have historically averaged 3.5. Applicants who report Duke outcomes to The GradCafe show an average undergraduate GPA of 3.76. And roughly one in six Graduate School applicants is offered a place.
This guide covers what Duke actually expects, department by department, including a GRE policy that is stricter than most peer schools.
Does Duke have a minimum GPA?
No, not for graduate school and not for undergraduates.
Duke graduate school
Duke’s Graduate School says there is no specific minimum GPA or GRE score. Your GPA is weighed alongside your other application materials. Several departments repeat this. Economics, for example, says it does not measure applicants against a set of minimum criteria.
But “no minimum” is not the same as “anything goes.” The same Economics page discourages applicants without qualifying credentials from applying. And the Graduate School notes that, in recent years, about one in six applicants has been offered admission, with large differences between departments.
In practice, the useful number for you is not a cutoff. It is what the department says its admitted students typically have. The table below collects those.
Duke undergraduate admission
Duke’s undergraduate admissions office does not publish a minimum GPA, and its Class of 2029 profile does not report an average GPA for admitted students. What it does show is how selective Duke is: 58,712 applications and an overall acceptance rate of 5.2% (12.6% in Early Decision, 4.2% in Regular Decision). Admitted students who chose to report test scores had a middle-50% range of SAT 1520–1570 and ACT 34–36.
If you are a high school student, the honest summary is that most admitted Duke students have near-perfect grades in the most demanding courses their school offers. Check Duke Undergraduate Admissions for the current testing policy before you apply. The rest of this guide covers graduate admission.
Duke graduate GPA expectations by department
Duke departments don’t publish minimums. Some publish something more useful: a description of the applicants they actually admit.
| Program | Minimum GPA | What Duke says about admitted students |
| Economics PhD | None | Typical funded student has a 3.5 or better GPA and a perfect or near-perfect GRE Quant. Expects multivariable calculus, linear algebra, differential equations and real analysis |
| Public Policy MPP (Sanford) | None | Applicants have historically averaged 3.5. Needs microeconomics and statistics, each with a B or higher |
| Computer Science MS and PhD | None | Admitted students have “a very strong GPA.” Excellent grades in key CS courses are a stated factor |
| Engineering master’s (Pratt: MEng, MEM) | None stated, and no minimum GRE or English score | No published profile |
| Political Science PhD | None | Over 300 applicants a year for a target class of 8 to 12 |
Three things stand out.
The Economics PhD is the most selective program most readers will be looking at. It receives more than 700 applications a year, offers admission to fewer than 10%, and enrolls about 14 students. Around three quarters of its students come from outside the US. The 3.5 is a typical figure, not a target: the math coursework and GRE Quant matter at least as much.
Political Science is highly competitive too. It receives more than 300 PhD applications a year for a target class of 8 to 12 students. At that level, GPA gets you read; it doesn’t get you in.
Pratt’s engineering master’s programs are the most open door. Pratt says there is no minimum GPA, GRE score or English test score for its Master of Engineering, Master of Engineering Management and graduate certificates. That does not mean the programs are easy to get into. It means your whole file is read, rather than filtered by a number.
What GPA do admitted Duke applicants actually report?
Across 11,673 Duke results submitted to The GradCafe, the average reported undergraduate GPA is 3.76. Of those entries, 3,525 recorded an acceptance, a reported admit share of 30.2%.
You can read the most recent decisions, with GPAs attached, on the Duke admissions results page.
An important caveat. These figures come from applicants who chose to report. They are not an official Duke acceptance rate, and they are not a representative sample. People who report tend to be organized, engaged applicants, which can push the average up. Read 3.76 as “the GPA of a typical person who reports to The GradCafe,” not as a requirement.
What makes it useful is that it lines up with what Duke says. Economics and Sanford both describe a 3.5 as typical. Self-reported Duke applicants average 3.76. Two independent sources, pointing the same way.
The programs with the most Duke reports:
- Economics: 1,369 results
- English: 475 results
- Political Science: 459 results
- Public Policy: 389 results
- Computer Science: 355 results
For your own program, individual reports beat any average. One entry showing a 3.5 admitted to your exact program tells you more than a school-wide mean.
Does Duke require the GRE?
It depends on the program, and more Duke programs still require it than many applicants expect, including four of the five programs with the most Duke reports on The GradCafe. This is the part of your Duke application most likely to catch you out.
| Program | GRE policy |
| Economics PhD | Required |
| Political Science PhD and MA | Required, with no waivers, exemptions or substitute tests |
| Public Policy PhD | Required |
| Sociology PhD | Required |
| Statistical Science PhD | Required (the MS is optional) |
| Computer Science MS | Required |
| Computer Science PhD | Optional |
| Public Policy MPP (Sanford) | Optional, but strongly encouraged if you lack microeconomics or statistics |
| Pratt engineering master’s (MEng, MEM) | Optional for all 2027 applicants |
| English, History, Philosophy, Mathematics PhDs | Optional |
| Biomedical, Electrical & Computer, and Mechanical Engineering PhD and MS | Optional |
| Psychology and Neuroscience PhD | Optional |
Look closely at Computer Science. The MS requires the GRE. The PhD does not. Duke’s CS department confirms this split, but the Graduate School’s program summary page lists the GRE simply as optional for Computer Science. If you are applying to the MS, plan to take it.
Duke accepts the at-home GRE. Some universities do not, so this is worth knowing if a test center is hard to reach. Duke keeps your highest score in each section across attempts, and scores are valid for five years.
Some departments also require a GRE Subject Test. Check your program’s listing on the Graduate School website.
Policies can change from one cycle to the next. Confirm on Duke’s GRE requirements page before you book or skip a test.
Can you get into Duke grad school with a 3.0 GPA?
Duke has no minimum, so a 3.0 will not be filtered out automatically. But at programs where Duke describes admitted students as 3.5 or higher, a 3.0 puts you well below the typical range. The rest of your application has to carry more weight.
What Duke committees say they look at, beyond your overall GPA:
- Grades in the courses that matter. Economics names multivariable calculus, linear algebra and real analysis. Computer Science names key CS courses. Strong grades there can matter more than your overall figure.
- Test scores, where they are required. In Economics, a near-perfect GRE Quant is part of the typical profile. A strong score can offset a weaker transcript.
- Research experience. For PhD programs, a thesis, publication or substantial research role shows you can do the work.
- Work experience. Sanford prefers MPP applicants with at least two years of work experience after graduating, so professional experience can carry a lower GPA there.
- An upward trend or recent coursework. A strong final two years, or graduate-level courses taken after graduating, give the committee more recent evidence than your early grades.
None of this guarantees admission. For more on building a strong case below the usual range, read our guide to getting into grad school with a low GPA, and see how other applicants did in the forum’s sub-3.0 GPA acceptance thread.
International applicants: transcripts and English requirements
Duke does not publish a GPA conversion scale. You submit your original transcript (with a translation if it is not in English). Duke accepts credential evaluations from WES, ECE and TEC, but you must still submit the transcript from your own institution.
If English is not your first language, Duke’s Graduate School generally looks for:
| Test | Graduate School minimum |
| TOEFL iBT (taken before 21 January 2026) | 90 |
| TOEFL iBT (taken on or after 21 January 2026) | 5 |
| IELTS Academic | 7.0 |
| Duolingo English Test (with subscores) | 125 |
The TOEFL scale changed in January 2026. A “TOEFL 90” figure refers to the old 0–120 scale. Tests taken on or after 21 January 2026 are scored on the new scale, where Duke’s Graduate School minimum is 5. Scores are valid for two years. TOEFL Essentials and IELTS Indicator are not accepted.
Departments can set higher bars. Sanford’s MPP prefers TOEFL 100, IELTS 7.0 or Duolingo 130. Pratt’s engineering master’s programs set no minimum score and prefer the Duolingo English Test. Check your program before you book.
How Duke compares with similar schools
Reported undergraduate GPA averages across private research universities that applicants often consider alongside Duke:
| School | Reported admit share | Results reported | Avg reported UGPA |
| Duke University | 30.2% | 11,673 | 3.76 |
| Northwestern University | 29.2% | 13,599 | 3.77 |
| Vanderbilt University | 29.9% | 5,505 | 3.75 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 33.5% | 9,880 | 3.75 |
| Emory University | 23.7% | 5,450 | 3.73 |
All figures checked on 27 October 2026.
Reported GPAs barely differ: 3.73 to 3.77 across all five schools. Duke sits in the middle of the group on both GPA and admit share. GPA alone will not set you apart at any of these schools. Research, letters, statements and, at Duke, GRE scores in the programs that require them do much more of the work.
The same caveat applies: these are shares of self-reported outcomes, not official acceptance rates.
FAQ
What is the minimum GPA for Duke graduate school?
Duke’s Graduate School has no specific minimum GPA or GRE score. GPA is weighed with the rest of your application. Some departments describe their typical admitted student instead: Duke’s Economics PhD says its typical funded student has a GPA of 3.5 or better, and Sanford’s MPP applicants have historically averaged 3.5.
What GPA do you need for Duke’s Economics PhD?
There is no minimum. The department says its typical funded student has a GPA of 3.5 or better, a perfect or near-perfect GRE Quant score, and strong grades in math courses including multivariable calculus, linear algebra and real analysis. It receives more than 700 applications a year and admits fewer than 10%.
Does Duke require the GRE?
It depends on the program. The GRE is required for the Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, Sociology and Statistical Science PhDs, and for the Computer Science MS. It is optional for the Computer Science PhD, the Sanford MPP, Pratt’s engineering master’s programs and many humanities, science and engineering PhDs. Duke accepts the at-home GRE.
Can I get into Duke grad school with a 3.0 GPA?
Duke has no minimum GPA, so a 3.0 will not be screened out automatically. At programs where admitted students typically have 3.5 or higher, it puts you below the usual range, so strong grades in key courses, test scores, research, work experience and an upward trend become more important.
What GPA do admitted Duke applicants report on The GradCafe?
Across 11,673 Duke results reported to The GradCafe, the average reported undergraduate GPA is 3.76, and 3,525 entries recorded an acceptance. These figures are self-reported and self-selected, not official Duke statistics.
What GPA do you need to get into Duke as an undergraduate?
Duke publishes no minimum GPA and does not report an average GPA in its class profile. It is extremely selective: for the Class of 2029, Duke received 58,712 applications and had an overall acceptance rate of 5.2%. Most admitted students have near-perfect grades in their school’s most demanding courses.
Before you apply
Duke won’t give you a number to aim for, but its departments tell you more than most schools do about who they admit. Read what your program says, check whether it requires the GRE, and see what applicants with profiles like yours actually reported.
Search the Duke admissions results for your program. If you have already heard back from Duke, submit your result. It takes two minutes, and it’s how the next applicant gets real data. Questions about your profile? Ask on The GradCafe forum.
