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Private 4-Year Highly Selective Princeton, NJ NCAA Division I-FCS

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

4.6%
Acceptance Rate
$87,888/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$6,128/yr
Avg Price After Aid
97.4%
6-yr Grad Rate
5,709
Undergrads

About Princeton University

Princeton University is a private nonprofit institution with an acceptance rate of 4.6% and undergraduate enrollment of 5,709. The university maintains a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio and reports a 6-year graduation rate of 97.4%. The annual cost of attendance is $87,888, with 19.2% of students receiving Pell grants and 27.7% being first-generation students.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
5,709
Avg Faculty Salary
$228,190
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FCS
Endowment
$33.4B
Pell Students
19.2%
First-Gen
27.7%
What Princeton University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Operations Research 72 graduates · 5.4% of degrees here vs 0.02% nationally 261×
Public Policy Analysis 130 graduates · 9.8% of degrees here vs 0.1% nationally 102×
Molecular Biology 51 graduates · 3.9% of degrees here vs 0.04% nationally 93×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 124 graduates · 9.4% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 12×
Computer Science 213 graduates · 16.1% of degrees here vs 2.26% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
4.6%
Acceptance rate · Highly Selective
39,644
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$6,128 avg net
Average net price after aid
$41
Under $30K income
$33.4B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$87,815 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
97.4%
6-yr Grad Rate
$10,320
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Princeton University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
4.6%
39,644 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
5:1
Undergrad instruction

Princeton University has an acceptance rate of 4.6%, making it highly selective. With a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 97.4% six-year graduation rate, it demonstrates strong undergraduate outcomes.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 22 applicants is admitted · 39,644 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1510–1580
40080012001600
GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
72.9%
3.75–3.99
23.3%
3.50–3.74
2.7%
3.25–3.49
0.7%
3.00–3.24
0.3%
2.50–2.99
0.1%
2.00–2.49
Below 2.0

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Very Important
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Very Important
Application essay Very Important
Recommendations Very Important
Class Rank Profile
Source: Common Data Set

Not reported reliably. Princeton University files 100% in all three class-rank bands, which describes no distribution of the class, so the profile is not shown.

Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
1,734
Offered spot
1,396
Accepted offer
40
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 19,541 870 4.5% 670
Women 20,103 912 4.5% 696
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Princeton University admits 4.6% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
4.6%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
NJ (58)
76.3%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (175)
73.3%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Princeton University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$6,128
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$10,320
Federal Loan Rate
2%
Students borrowing federal loans

Princeton's cost of attendance is $87,888 annually. With 19.2% of students receiving Pell grants and a substantial $33.4 billion endowment, the university demonstrates significant financial resources to support student affordability.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$87,888
Tuition & Fees
$62,688
71%
Room & Board
$20,250
23%
Books & Supplies
$1,050
1%
Other Expenses
$3,900
4%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$41
$30,001 – $48,000
$352
$48,001 – $75,000
$1,217
$75,001 – $110,000
$4,478
Over $110,000
$36,094
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
24%
Federal loans
2%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $109.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Princeton University costs $6,128 a year — about 73% less than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$84,040
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
NJ (78)
$26,318
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (218)
$26,490
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
24.1%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
NJ (104)
87.2%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (221)
85.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$10,320
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
NJ (105)
$11,995
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (230)
$12,523
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$6,128
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
NJ (133)
$18,332
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (324)
$18,541
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Princeton University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
97.4%
Median Earnings 6yr
$87,815
6 years after entering

Princeton University has a 97.4% six-year graduation rate. Graduates earn a median of $87,815 six years after enrollment and $110,066 ten years after enrollment.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$94,848
Men
$82,937
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
97.5%
Pell recipients
100%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Computer Science213
Public Policy Analysis, General130
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics124
Operations Research72
Political Science and Government, General58
History, General56
Molecular Biology51
Neuroscience48
Electrical and Electronics Engineering47
Civil Engineering, General43
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
98.6%
Black
98.2%
Hispanic
97.1%
White
96.8%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Princeton University are $112,152, and 83% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Princeton University students earn $87,815 — 93% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$110,066
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
NJ (106)
$45,782
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (246)
$47,148
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$87,815
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
NJ (109)
$38,311
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (256)
$38,451
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
97.4%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
NJ (52)
57.2%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (166)
56.1%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
97.8%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
NJ (46)
79.4%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (145)
81.8%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Princeton University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Princeton University is a private nonprofit institution with an undergraduate enrollment of 5,709 students and a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The university competes in NCAA Division I-FCS athletics with annual athletic revenue of $24.4 million.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
33.7%
Asian
23.5%
Hispanic
10.1%
Black
8.7%
Other Indicators
First-generation
27.7%
Pell grant recipients
19.2%
Women
50.4%
Princeton University Athletics
Total Revenue
$24.4M
Total Expense
$24.4M
Athletes
1,232
712 men · 520 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$222,019
Women's sports
$161,974

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Academic Resources
1,076
Full-time faculty
$228,190
Avg faculty salary
18,362
FT staff
$33.4B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$246,476
Women (avg)
$198,835
Overall avg
$228,190
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
5,709
Graduate students
3,324
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
18.8%

1,047 of 5,579 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
0%
Undergrads taking any
0%
Grad students fully online
0%

0 of 5,671 undergraduates study entirely at a distance.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Princeton University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Princeton University spends $33,989 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
19.2%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
NJ (140)
43.8%
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (344)
44.3%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$33,989
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
NJ (72)
$5,499
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (220)
$6,266
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
5:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
NJ (143)
16:1
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (353)
15:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Princeton University
37 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
1,324 graduates
Social Sciences 258 grads · 4 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 124
Political Science and Government, General 58
Anthropology, General 39
Sociology, General 37
Engineering 228 grads · 5 majors
Operations Research 72
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 47
Civil Engineering, General 43
Mechanical Engineering 37
Chemical Engineering 29
Computer and Information Sciences 213 grads · 1 major
Computer Science 213
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 133 grads · 3 majors
Molecular Biology 51
Neuroscience 48
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 34
Public Administration and Social Services 130 grads · 1 major
Public Policy Analysis, General 130
Physical Sciences 63 grads · 4 majors
Chemistry, General 25
Physics, General 20
Astrophysics 10
Geology/Earth Science, General 8
History 56 grads · 1 major
History, General 56
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 55 grads · 7 majors
Comparative Literature 15
Classics and Classical Languages,... 12
Hispanic and Latin American Languages,... 9
Linguistics 7
German Language and Literature 5
Slavic Languages, Literatures, and... 4
French Language and Literature 3
Psychology 38 grads · 1 major
Experimental Psychology 38
English Language and Literature 30 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 30
Mathematics and Statistics 29 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 29
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 29 grads · 3 majors
African-American/Black Studies 15
East Asian Studies 9
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 5
Philosophy and Religious Studies 28 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 20
Religion/Religious Studies 8
Visual and Performing Arts 19 grads · 2 majors
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 12
Music, General 7
Architecture 15 grads · 1 major
Architecture 15
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Princeton University Location & Campus Safety

Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ, in what IPEDS classifies as a small city setting. The campus sits about 0.8 miles from the center of Princeton. There are 11 other colleges within 25 miles, and Philadelphia, PA is 34.3 miles away.

Princeton University
Small city
Campus Setting
0.8 mi
To City Center
11
Colleges Within 25 mi
30,451
Princeton Population
Living in Princeton
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,448
Median Rent / mo
$184,113
Median Household Income
26.6%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
33.3%
Walk
20%
Public transit
6.7%

Mercer County scores 11.9 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 23.3% of Princeton's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at Princeton University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Princeton University reported for 2024.

62
On-Campus Offenses
7
In Residence Halls
6.8
Per 1,000 Students
13
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
69
2023
51
2024
62
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Motor vehicle theft
46
Sexual offenses
10
Burglary
4
Aggravated assault
2

Separately, Princeton University reported 215 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Princeton University admissions, costs, and outcomes.