Get Matched With Online Colleges
Princeton is one of the elite Ivy League institutions that has produced top leaders since its inception in 1746, making it the fourth oldest college in the United States. Its faculty and alumni have been major parts of the nation's innovation and growth. In fact, Princeton's students and faculty have been awarded Nobel Prizes in fields such as chemistry, economics, literature, physics, and medicine. Princeton can also boast awards such as the National Medal of Science, National Humanities Medal, Fields Medal for Mathematics, and the Pulitzer Prize.
Search All Programs
Overview of Princeton University (PU)
There is hardly a single field where Princeton does not excel. Students flock to its New Jersey campus to launch their careers in chemistry, physics, literature, and politics, among many other fields. Students also enjoy rich social lives that often center around co-ed eating clubs. Members not only break bread with their fellows, but they also engage in stimulating debate with students from a wide range of disciplines. Clubs also organize non-food events such as mini golf outings, movie nights, and social dances.
Meanwhile, students can also explore athletics while at Princeton. While the university supports a full range of varsity sports, students also enjoy recreational sports. Always on the cutting edge, Princeton supports intramural E-Sports that invite all students and faculty to compete in the video-game world.
A Princeton education not only helps students develop their minds and resumes but also helps them broaden their scope as humans and citizens.
General Information
School Type | Private not-for-profit |
---|---|
Campus Setting | Suburb: Large |
Campus Housing | Yes |
Student Faculty Ratio | 5:1 |
Graduation Rate | 96% |
Year Founded | 1746 |
Student Enrollment
Total Students8,374
5,428
2,946
Undergraduate Student
Male 2,768
Female 2,660
Graduate Student
Male 1,502
Female 1,444
Explore Map
Top Rankings For Princeton University
PU Acceptance Rate and Admissions
APPLICATION35,370
ACCEPTANCE1,769
Acceptance Rate5%
Enrollment 1,220
Admissions | |
---|---|
Application Fee | $70 |
High School GPA | Recommended |
High School Rank | Recommended |
High School Transcripts | Required |
College Prep Courses | Recommended |
Recommendations | Required |
SAT/ACT | Required |
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | Required |
Application Deadline | January 1 |
Common Application Accepted | Yes |
PU Tuition Cost & Financial Aid
Princeton is a private, non-profit educational institution with the finest pedigree. Thus, the cost of education there is rather high. However, students also find a terrific return on their investment. The base tuition at Princeton is $52,800. When all fees, living expenses, and books are tallied, the total educational expense is approximately $74,000. However, the average net price per student is a relatively paltry $16,000. Lower income students see that number reduced to just under $3,000 and the wealthiest students pay a net price of over $34,400.
To offset the cost of their education, 62% of Princeton students receive some form of financial aid. 60% of students receive some combination of scholarships or a grant worth around $50,000, which accounts for many of their educational expenses. Federal student loan recipients receive around $4,800.
At the end of the day, Princeton students graduate with a high-value degree and relatively little debt. The debt they do incur is often easily paid off with high salary positions at top firms.
Average net price | 2017-2018 |
---|---|
Net Price | $16,192 |
Average Total Aid | $50,758 |
Students Receiving Financial Aid | 62% |
Room & Board | $17,150 |
Sticker Price
- Tuition In-State - $52,800
- Tuition Out-of-State - $52,800
- Books and Supplies - $1,050
- Room & Board - $17,150
- Other - $3,150
Academics and Popular Majors at PU
Princeton is a name that is synonymous with academic excellence. In fact, all Ivy League institutions enjoy this sort of reputation. That reputation has been earned after hundreds of years during which they have produced top leaders. These days, Princeton continues to produce numbers that support their reputation. Their high retention rates, stellar graduation rates, and stringent acceptance policies and rates tell a story that is hard to beat.
When first-year students enter Princeton, it is highly likely that they will return for a second year, and eventually graduate. With a retention rate of 98%, it seems likely that the 2% attrition rate is likely due to external circumstances. That near-perfect rate indicates that first-year students find very high value in the faculty and curriculum they find at Princeton. When coupled with an 87% four-year graduation rate and a 96% six-year rate, it's certain that students find great rewards at Princeton.
Many studies correlate high graduation rates and retention rates with competitive acceptance polices and rates. In fact, the total acceptance rate is only 5% of their 35,000 applications. When applying, consider that accepted students boast combined SAT scores between 1,440 and 1,570 and combined ACT scores between 32 and 35.
Since students work so hard to get into Princeton, it's no wonder that they stay and complete their degrees.
Retention
Rate
4 year
Graduation
Rate
6 year
Graduation
Rate
Student Population Total
Student Population 8,374
5,428
2,946
Most Popular Programs & Majors
(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)
All Social Science Majors | 274 Total Graduates / 21% |
---|---|
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 144 Graduates |
Political Science and Government, General | 72 Graduates |
Sociology | 41 Graduates |
Anthropology | 17 Graduates |
All Engineering Majors | 218 Total Graduates / 17% |
Operations Research | 66 Graduates |
Mechanical Engineering | 48 Graduates |
Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 44 Graduates |
Chemical Engineering | 39 Graduates |
Civil Engineering, General | 21 Graduates |
All Computer Information Science Majors | 146 Total Graduates / 11% |
Computer Science | 146 Graduates |
All Biological & Biomedical Majors | 141 Total Graduates / 11% |
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 59 Graduates |
Molecular Biology | 49 Graduates |
Neuroscience | 33 Graduates |
Public Administration and Social Service Professions | 122 Total Graduates / 9% |
Public Policy Analysis, General | 122 Graduates |
All Other Diplomas | 31% |
Outcome & Salary
Princeton graduates experience some of the best that academia has to offer. Many students are able to create their own curriculum and they are privileged with the best faculty and even their guest speakers are of the highest caliber. After graduation, the practical outcomes of their education are realized in the marketplace when they start commanding top salaries.
In fact, after ten years, Princeton alumni have typically earned around a million dollars. That figure increases by 150% after twenty years, by which time they've typically earned $2.47 million. Thus, the return on investment for a Princeton graduate is quite handsome.
Graduates Salary | |
---|---|
College Grads Early Career Salary | $76,800 |
College Grads Average Salary | $93,000 |
College Grads Mid Career Salary | $154,300 |
Return on Investment (ROI) | |
---|---|
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential | $930,000 |
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential | $2,473,000 |
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year | $64,768 |
10 Year Projected ROI | $865,232 |
20 Year Projected ROI | $2,408,232 |
No College Education Salary Comparison | |
---|---|
National Average Salary | $38,792 |
10 Year Projected Income | $387,920 |
20 Year Projected Income | $775,840 |
Related Top College Resources