MBA Program

MBA Program at Duke University

Private university ยท Durham, North Carolina

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA
  • Executive MBA

Duke University is a private university with graduate business programs in Durham, North Carolina. Those programs run through the Fuqua School of Business. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation - one of 12 of the 13 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina directory that do. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 10,976 students, alongside 6,442 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path and an executive MBA (EMBA) format designed for experienced professionals. That puts it among the 2 of 13 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina directory listing an executive MBA. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Durham in this directory - the other 12 MBA program options in North Carolina are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask Duke University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Published price vs. actual price. Private institutions like Duke University often discount heavily through merit aid, so the sticker figure is rarely what admitted students pay. Ask what share of the incoming class receives institutional aid and the median award.
  • Cohort experience level. An EMBA's value is largely the room. Ask for the average years of work experience, the seniority mix, and how many classmates are employer-sponsored - a cohort of directors and a cohort of five-years-in analysts are different products at the same price.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the Fuqua School of Business may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionDuke University
Business schoolFuqua School of Business
Controlprivate
LocationDurham, North Carolina
Campus settingLarge city
Carnegie classDoctoral university, very high research activity (R1)
MBA formats listed MBA Executive MBA
Graduate enrollment10,976
Undergraduate enrollment6,442
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Official site Visit website
Net price calculator Estimate your cost
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at Duke University

Details below come from Duke University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

Weekend Executive MBA

Executive MBA
$178,400
  • Length 22 months
  • Delivery Hybrid
  • Meets One three-day residency per month
What that price isProgram total for students beginning May 2026 (Class of 2028)
Class scheduleOne three-day residency a month (Friday-Sunday) on Duke's Durham campus, with hybrid distance learning between residencies; the final term has two one-week intensive elective sessions
Residencies and travelAn optional Global Academic Travel Experience (about two weeks, variable cost)

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $171,948 Median of 565 graduates working one year after completion +97% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $222,160 Median of 611 graduates working four years after completion +29% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $80,630 Median across 418 borrowers entering repayment About 0.47x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 12 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina MBA programs directory that report a figure, Duke University ranks 1st by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check Duke University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with Duke University's context.

Compare with other schools in North Carolina

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
Duke University This page Durham Yes MBA, Executive MBA $171,948
North Carolina State University Raleigh Yes MBA, Online MBA $113,700
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Yes MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA $156,818
Appalachian State University Boone Yes MBA $72,310
East Carolina University Greenville Yes MBA, Online MBA $77,753
Elon University Elon Yes MBA $90,264
Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Yes MBA, Online MBA $68,138
High Point University High Point MBA, Online MBA Not reported
Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte Yes MBA $96,568

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does Duke University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists an executive MBA at Duke University, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.

How much does the Weekend Executive MBA at Duke University cost?

Duke University lists $178,400 for the Weekend Executive MBA. Program total for students beginning May 2026 (Class of 2028). Checked against the school's own page on July 26, 2026; costs change, so confirm before you apply.

How long is the Weekend Executive MBA at Duke University, and when does it meet?

The Weekend Executive MBA takes about 22 months and is delivered in a hybrid format. Classes meet: One three-day residency a month (Friday-Sunday) on Duke's Durham campus, with hybrid distance learning between residencies; the final term has two one-week intensive elective sessions

What do graduates of Duke University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $171,948 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at Duke University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $222,160. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at Duke University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $80,630 for business master's graduates at Duke University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.47x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is Duke University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - Duke University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is Duke University a public or private institution?

Duke University is a private university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Durham, North Carolina. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How do I compare Duke University with other schools in North Carolina?

MBA Lab lists 13 schools in its North Carolina MBA programs directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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