How should I compare need-based financial aid between Northwestern and Duke?

The biggest practical tradeoff is that Northwestern and Duke both commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted domestic students, but each school uses its own institutional formula to decide what your family can contribute. That means the same family can receive materially different grants even though the schools’ headline policies sound nearly identical. Neither school’s published policy lets you predict a winner without entering your own financial information.

For an apples-to-apples comparison, run each school’s official Net Price Calculator using the same current income, assets, household size, number of siblings in college, and parent information. Both schools typically use the FAFSA and CSS Profile for need-based aid, so pay close attention to items that can be treated differently in institutional calculations, such as home equity, a family business, noncustodial-parent finances, and unusual income changes.

When offers arrive, compare the annual net cost rather than the total aid figure. Start with tuition, housing, food, fees, books, travel, and health insurance, then subtract only grants and scholarships. Keep federal loans, parent loans, and work-study separate: work-study is an opportunity to earn wages, not an upfront reduction in the bill.

Duke’s need-based aid is substantial and Duke also has highly competitive merit scholarships, but merit awards are separate from a need-based comparison. Northwestern likewise provides need-based support and may adjust aid when a family’s documented circumstances change.