How do I compare the true cost of attending Duke versus UMass Amherst?

Compare the schools using their official financial-aid offers, not their published tuition. Duke’s higher sticker price can shrink substantially for students receiving need-based grant aid, while UMass Amherst’s result depends heavily on whether you receive Massachusetts resident tuition and on the size and renewal terms of any merit award. Treat grants and scholarships as price reductions; treat federal loans, parent loans, and work-study as ways to pay, not as aid that lowers the cost.

For each offer, start with the school’s full cost of attendance: tuition and fees, housing and food, books, personal expenses, transportation, and required health insurance if it applies to you. Subtract only gift aid, including institutional grants, Pell Grants, state grants, and scholarships. Do not omit travel home, because Duke may create meaningfully higher travel costs than a campus closer to home.

Then inspect the details behind each award. Confirm whether Duke’s grants are need-based and whether they are expected to continue as long as your family’s financial circumstances remain similar. At UMass Amherst, verify your residency classification, whether a scholarship requires a particular GPA, enrollment level, or campus housing. Massachusetts resident pricing should be confirmed directly with UMass rather than assumed from where you currently attend high school.

Compare the amount your family can pay from savings and current income against the remaining yearly gap. The more meaningful number is the four-year amount you would need to borrow, not the difference in advertised tuition.