Duke University vs Harvard University

This page compares Duke University and Harvard University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 138 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 138 applicants admitted to both schools, 99% chose to attend Harvard University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #6 and #6, separated by just 0 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina, while Harvard University is in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Duke University places 67.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 51.4% for the other school. This 17 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.