As one of the largest employers in North Carolina, Duke University offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support the well-being and long-term security of its faculty and staff. These benefits extend beyond basic health coverage, offering robust retirement contributions, tuition assistance, and time-off policies that reward long-term service and provide flexibility for personal needs.

You may have heard them called “The Golden Handcuffs”…

    • Duke 403(b) Retirement Plan: Duke contributes an amount equal to 8.9%–13.2% of eligible pay depending on your salary and years of service. (Check out our Duke Calculator!)

    • Voluntary contributions available through pre-tax or Roth deferrals up to IRS limits.

    • No required match to receive Duke’s base contribution (i.e., you're not required to contribute to receive Duke’s contributions).

    • Medical, dental, and vision plans with several coverage level options.

    • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) available.

    • Life insurance and long-term disability coverage included with options to increase coverage levels.

    • Generous paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays for eligible employees.

      • Paid Parental Leave provides:

        • Up to 6 consecutive weeks of 100% paid leave for eligible birth, adoptive, or foster parents.

        • Leave must be used within 12 weeks of the qualifying event.

        • Applies to both primary and non-primary caregivers if employed for at least 12 months.

      • Parental leave can be taken in addition to accrued vacation, sick leave, and Family Medical Leave (FMLA), if applicable.

      • Accruals for vacation and sick leave increase with length of service.

  • Tuition Benefits

    • Children's Tuition Assistance: Up to 75% of Duke’s tuition rate toward full-time undergraduate study at any accredited institution. (for eligible employees)

    • Employee tuition assistance for courses taken at Duke.Item description

    • Access to Duke’s credit union, employee wellness programs, gym discounts, and campus events.

    • Commuter and parking benefits, including pre-tax transit options.

    • Employee discounts on goods and services around the Triangle.Item description

…so we created “The Golden Key”

“The Golden Key” is our step-by-step process that helps you break free from Duke without missing out on any of their generous benefits.

How can you be sure the attractive pay of a 1099 job is actually better than all you are leaving behind?

It’s just a math problem.

So let’s do the math.