Duke average GPA: first-year and transfer figures are different

Duke’s published 3.90 GPA average belongs to admitted transfer students in the 2023–24 application cycle. For fall 2025 first-year entrants, its Common Data Set publishes test-score ranges but leaves the average-GPA field blank.

First-year SAT middle 50% · not a GPA

1510–1570

Fall 2025

Student group
Enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT scores · Duke University
Scale / measure
SAT composite score, 400–1600

48% of the entering class submitted SAT scores.

This is academic context for SAT submitters, not a GPA conversion. Duke’s C12 first-year average-GPA cell is blank.

Duke Common Data Set 2025–26C9, page 11; C12, page 13 · Checked 2026-08-31

First-year applicants should focus on their transcript and course rigor, not borrow the transfer average as a high-school cutoff. Transfer applicants can use the separately labeled historical GPA profile below.

Admitted transfer GPA average · not first-year GPA

3.90

2023–24 transfer application cycle

Student group
Admitted transfer students · Duke University
Scale / measure
College GPA

The same transfer profile gives a 3.85–4.00 middle-50% range. These are historical admitted-transfer figures, not a first-year requirement.

Duke Admissions: ApplyTransfer Students → Evaluation → 2023–2024 Admitted Transfer Student Profile · Checked 2026-08-31

The requirement, not a prediction

No single numeric cutoff is recorded in this snapshot. That does not imply that all grades are competitive or that there are no academic requirements.

Duke: Apply, first-year section

How to use this information

  • The transfer advice on Duke’s application page is a separate section; its GPA guidance must not be applied to first-year applicants.
  • School-submitted transcripts and required progress reports are part of the first-year record.
  • Engineering preparation and supplemental materials should be checked for the intended program.

First-year, transfer and enrolled GPA are different

This page covers first-year admission. A university course calculator measures entered coursework after enrollment and must not be treated as a high-school admission recalculation. Keep the source’s scale and course set attached to any number you compare.

Already enrolled? Open the Duke GPA Calculator for coursework →

Check the current cycle before applying

Program, residency, course and document requirements can change. This is a dated source summary, not an admissions decision or institutional endorsement. Consult the official office for unusual records or exceptions.

Compare published requirements →