A
Excellent
Score: 82/100
Overall (traditional)
A+
Outcome Rating
98/100 · earnings-weighted

Princeton University

4-Year Private Non-Profit
📍 Princeton, New Jersey 08544
Princeton University campus, Princeton, NJ
Princeton University campus, Princeton, NJ. Photo: Magneticcarpet, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
A+
98/100
Affordability
F
28/100
Resources
A+
97/100
Experience
A+
98/100
Prestige
A+
90/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

8,922
Total Enrollment
97%
Graduation Rate
97%
Retention Rate
5.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
4%
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Avg Net Price

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Princeton University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$110,066
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$87,815
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$10,320
Median debt at graduation
97.6%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
1,553
Average SAT
34
Median ACT
19.2%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 9% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 98th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (NJ wage index 1.30). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Princeton University

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Computer Science$146,624$217,973+104%#4 of 349#8—
Computer Engineering—$214,274+97%#2 of 189#2—
Economics$103,041$160,763+94%#3 of 368#6$11,250
Mechanical Engineering$85,328$115,927+26%#7 of 318#53—
Public Policy Analysis$73,630$107,792+46%#2 of 34#5$10,527
Operations Research$100,354—————
Political Science and Government$63,317$88,576+40%#20 of 565#48—
History$45,363$80,347+59%#10 of 459#19—
Research and Experimental Psychology$47,050$63,216+14%#29 of 82#40—
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology$53,038$62,344+28%#6 of 62#13—
English Language and Literature$35,178$61,323+26%#45 of 576#114—
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$41,848—————
Sociology$32,914—————
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$32,647—————

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Princeton University Town Property Report

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🏆 Where Princeton University Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

🥉
Molecular Biology
of 15 schools
#4
Public Policy Analysis, General
of 59 schools
#4
Operations Research
of 13 schools
#15
Chemical Engineering
of 100 schools
#16
Chemistry, General
of 100 schools
#18
History, General
of 100 schools
#20
Computer Science
of 100 schools
#20
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
of 100 schools
#22
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
of 100 schools
#30
Political Science and Government, General
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $59,710 $59,710
Room $11,400
Board $7,980
Total Cost (On-Campus) $84,040 $84,040

Financial Aid

61%
Receive Any Aid
19%
Receive Pell Grants
8%
Take Out Loans
N/A
Avg Net Price

Student Demographics

8,922
Total Students
48%
Women
98%
Traditional Age (18-24)

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 33%
Hispanic 9%
Black 7%
Asian 19%
Two or More 6%
Non-Resident 24%

🏠 Living Arrangements

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 100%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 98%
25-64 (Adult) 1%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Princeton University?
Princeton University has an acceptance rate of 4%. This makes it a highly selective institution where admission is very competitive.
How much does it cost to attend Princeton University?
Tuition at Princeton University is $59,710 for in-state students and $59,710 for out-of-state students .
What is the graduation rate at Princeton University?
The graduation rate at Princeton University is 97%. This is considered an excellent graduation rate, indicating strong student success and support systems.
Is Princeton University a good school?
Princeton University has a Repit College Score of 82/100 (Grade: A). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (A+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (F): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (A+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (A+): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (A+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Princeton University?
Princeton University has a total enrollment of 8,922 students. Most students (98%) are traditional college-age (18-24).

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Princeton University — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Princeton University

Compare with other 4-Year private non-profit institutions of similar size.

B
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ · 8,842 students
C+
Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ · 9,494 students
C+
Beth Medrash Govoha
Lakewood, NJ · 8,824 students
C+
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Teaneck, NJ · 7,607 students
C+
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ · 4,981 students
C+
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
Madison, NJ · 2,778 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology