Amherst is a top-two LAC and Duke is probably the top university in the South – both are very good. But they are different.
A lot of Duke kids go to Wall Street, and those jobs pay a lot – probably one of the main reasons why Duke grads make more money to start. But obviously, Wall Street isn’t for everyone. Relatively more Amherst graduates – about 85% of them – go on to grad school, and people in grad school tend to not be earning much of a paycheck. (This is a lesson in never taking stats at face value. Twain was right when he made his famous quip about statistics and lies. Make sure you are comparing apples to other apples.)
The schools are very different. In terms of academic quality, both have top-notch professors. There are likely more research opportunities at Duke, while the classes are smaller at Amherst.
You should visit both because the differences really are stark. Either way, if you show up and work hard, you’ll get a great education.