University profile

Duke University

Location: Durham, NC

Minimum graduate stipend

$42,500/yr Official

Paid over 12 months · 2025-2026 · First-year matriculants; paid Aug to Aug (13 pay months) · Recommended full-year stipend for first-year PhD matriculants in 2025-26: $42,500 (academic-year portion $31,875 for 10 months). It matches the union contract base. The 2026-27 schedule was not located. MSTP students are paid differently.

Official: published by the university · Source: Duke Graduate School: Tuition, Fees and PhD Stipend Schedule · Verified 2026-09-28

Cost of living in Durham, NC

City-median rent is a city-level figure, not a near-campus price; university graduate housing lines are the university's own published rates. Each line is labeled with its own source.

Rent, 1-bedroom (city median) $1,320/mo Estimated City median 1BR. 1BR down 10.8% year over year. Source: Zumper city median asking rent (Sept 2026) · Verified 2026-09-27
Rent, 2-bedroom split two ways (university graduate housing, shared, per person) $2,296/mo Official 300 Swift private bedroom in a 2-bedroom: $13,775 per six months. 2026-27 (Jul 1 to Jun 30). Monthly figure derived: $13,775 divided by 6. Furnished; water, electricity and internet included. Open to PhD students; not guaranteed. The subsidized Lancaster Commons apartments are for master's students with financial need only, so they are excluded. Source: Duke Student Affairs: 300 Swift Apartments · Verified 2026-09-29
Rent, 2-bedroom split two ways (city median) $800/mo Estimated City median 2BR, split two ways. 1BR down 10.8% year over year. Source: Zumper city median asking rent (Sept 2026) · Verified 2026-09-27
Utilities (nearest-metro stand-in) $194/mo Estimated Nearest-metro proxy (Raleigh). No Numbeo figure for this town; Raleigh stand-in. Excludes internet. Source: Numbeo (Americas table, Sept 27 2026) · Verified 2026-09-27
Public transit Free with student ID Official Free GoPass (GoTriangle, GoRaleigh) with Duke NetID; GoDurham fare-free; free Duke buses and vans. GoPass is free for students with a Duke NetID and @duke.edu email (Umo app code). GoDurham and GoCary are fare-free; GoDurham was approved fare-free through Jun 30 2026, so confirm it continues. Duke Transit buses and evening Duke Vans (about 1.5 miles) are free. Source: Duke Parking & Transportation: GoPass · Verified 2026-09-28
Parking $273/yr Official Graduate/professional permit for Science Drive Garage or Parking Garage 3. The page quotes $273 per year for the graduate student rate but describes 2024-25 sales, so the 2025-26 and 2026-27 amounts were not confirmed. Daily passes: $11 single-day or $27 multi-day for graduate students (Duke Today, Jul 2026). A free after-hours NGT permit is available (evenings and weekends, $5 admin fee). Source: Duke Parking & Transportation: Graduate & Professional Student Permits · Verified 2026-09-28
Groceries Not yet available

Master's tuition

Published tuition (before any aid). PhD students usually have tuition waived; their offer letter confirms. This is not part of the stipend-versus-cost-of-living comparison.

Master's tuition at Duke University Not yet available

PhD program profiles at Duke University

Biology PhD · Biology/Life Sciences