Princeton University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Princeton University is a highly selective private research university in Princeton, New Jersey, serving roughly 5,709 students. Admission is highly selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 4.62% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $110,066 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $62,688
- 2024 Average Net Price: $6,128 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 4.62% Highly Selective
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 5,709 100.0% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 97.61%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 27.7%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 29.6% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 86.7%
- Average SAT Score: 1553
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,882
- Applicants (IPEDS): 39,644
- Room & Board: $20,250 annual estimate
Princeton University: what the data shows
Common questions about Princeton University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Princeton University?
Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (ZIP 08544-0070).
NCES locale classification: Town.
Is Princeton University public or private?
Princeton University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Princeton University cost?
Published tuition: $62,688.
Average net price after aid: $6,128.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $41 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $352 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $1,217 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $4,478 |
| $110,001+ | $36,094 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $250,752.
How hard is it to get into Princeton University?
Admission rate: 4.62%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1553 and midpoint ACT 34.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Princeton University?
Total enrollment: 5,709 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,882 students.
Graduate enrollment: 3,324 students.
About 100% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Princeton University?
150%-time completion rate: 97.61%.
First-year retention: 98.4%.
What do graduates of Princeton University earn?
Median earnings: $87,815 six years after entry; $110,066 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $10,320.
19.24% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Princeton University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Computer Science (300 completions)
- Public Policy Analysis, General (227 completions)
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (164 completions)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering (128 completions)
- Operations Research (105 completions)
- Chemistry, General (100 completions)
- Political Science and Government, General (95 completions)
- Mechanical Engineering (94 completions)
- Molecular Biology (94 completions)
- History, General (88 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Princeton University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 4.62%; completion rate 97.61%; median earnings $110,066 at 10 years; net price $6,128. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$62,688
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Princeton University was $62,688.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$6,128
2024 Value
In 2024 Princeton University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,128.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,512 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$6,128 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$250,752 4-Year Tuition
$20,250 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,050 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$83,988 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$335,952 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Princeton University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
19.24% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
1.97% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Princeton University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Princeton University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $40,170 | $40,170 | $8,413 |
| 2014 | $41,820 | $41,820 | $7,103 |
| 2015 | $43,450 | $43,450 | $8,848 |
| 2016 | $45,320 | $45,320 | $10,256 |
| 2017 | $47,140 | $47,140 | $10,027 |
| 2018 | $50,340 | $50,340 | $9,749 |
| 2019 | $52,800 | $52,800 | $11,317 |
| 2020 | $48,502 | $48,502 | $9,836 |
| 2021 | $56,010 | $56,010 | $11,080 |
| 2022 | $57,410 | $57,410 | $8,143 |
| 2023 | $59,710 | $59,710 | $10,555 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
4.62% Acceptance Rate
39,644 Total Applicants
1,782 Students Admitted
1,366 First-Time Students Enrolled
76.66% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution is extremely selective, accepting fewer than 1 in 10 applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1553
ACT Average: 34
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.9 - 4.0
Estimated Median GPA: 4.00
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Princeton University reported total enrollment of about 5,709 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 50% male and 50% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (33.7%), Asian (23.4%), and Non-Resident Alien (12.6%). About 19.24% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 27.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Princeton University in 2024 is 5,709 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,882 students. Graduate enrollment is about 3,324 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
98.4%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 33.7%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
75.26% 100% Completion Time
97.61% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 75.26% of students graduating from Princeton University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Computer Science: 61% male / 39% female
- Public Policy Analysis, General: 38% male / 62% female
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics: 63% male / 37% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Princeton University.
Return on Investment
$10,320 Median Student Debt
$110,066 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
9.38% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
4390.29% Return on Investment
0.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Princeton University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 48 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Computer Science: 300 completions
2. Public Policy Analysis, General: 227 completions
3. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics: 164 completions
4. Electrical and Electronics Engineering: 128 completions
5. Operations Research: 105 completions
6. Chemistry, General: 100 completions
7. Political Science and Government, General: 95 completions
8. Mechanical Engineering: 94 completions
9. Molecular Biology: 94 completions
Most popular programs at Princeton University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Princeton University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Princeton University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 86.7%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $25,354
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $73,220
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Princeton University is a private non-profit institution located in Princeton, NJ, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Computer Science, Public Policy Analysis, General, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. Enrollment is approximately 5,709 students. Student body composition includes White (33.7%), Asian (23.4%), Non-Resident Alien (12.6%). It is highly selective, with an admission rate of 4.62%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1553. The 150%-time completion rate is 97.61%. Approximately 19.24% of students receive Pell Grants. About 27.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Location
Princeton, NJ 08544-0070
Region: Mid East
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Graduation Rate: With a 97.61% graduation rate, Princeton University demonstrates strong student retention and completion. This rate significantly exceeds the national average, indicating effective academic support and student services.
Strong Career Outcomes: Princeton University graduates report median earnings of $110,066 ten years after entry, placing them among the higher-earning college graduates nationally. This strong earnings potential reflects both the quality of education and the career opportunities available to graduates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Princeton University located?
Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ.
What is Princeton University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Princeton University is 4.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 39,644 applicants and 1,782 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Princeton University cost?
Reported tuition is $62,688 and average net price is $6,128 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $20,250 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Princeton University?
Princeton University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,882 students, White (33.7%), Asian (23.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Princeton University?
About 27.7% of students at Princeton University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Princeton University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Princeton University reports midpoint SAT about 1553 and midpoint ACT about 34.
What do graduates of Princeton University earn?
Median earnings are $87,815 six years after entry and $110,066 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Princeton University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 97.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Princeton University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,320.
Is Princeton University public or private?
Princeton University is a private nonprofit institution located in Princeton, NJ.
Is Princeton University an HBCU?
No. Princeton University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Princeton University a tribal college?
No. Princeton University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- New Jersey college costs
- New Jersey colleges by ROI
- Mid East regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in New Jersey
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.