Law graduates from Duke University earn $261,230 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $158,000.
Law at Duke University
Durham, North Carolina • Doctoral
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Law at Duke University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Duke University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Law at the doctoral credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 0 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Duke University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $261,230 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $111,130 across all institutions offering Law, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Duke University, the mean median-earnings figure is $106,544, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Law graduates at Duke University is $158,000, which translates to roughly $1,317 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Law at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University (this school) | $261,230 | $158,000 |
| Cornell University | $259,851 | $162,160 |
| Yale University | $188,189 | $140,977 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $173,114 | — |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $130,428 | $77,159 |
| Pepperdine University | $126,561 | $154,886 |
| Baylor University | $121,715 | $172,756 |
| University of San Francisco | $120,485 | $182,582 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $111,668 | $100,564 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $106,575 | $71,218 |
Other Programs at Duke University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | $299,873 | — |
| Mathematics | $297,029 | $9,500 |
| Law (current) | $261,230 | $158,000 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $253,270 | $98,014 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $222,160 | $80,630 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | $213,539 | — |
| Computer Science | $195,809 | $13,500 |
| International Business | $185,418 | $117,357 |
| Computer Engineering | $174,522 | $14,500 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | $163,348 | $45,810 |
Other Schools with Law
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.