Princeton University

www.princeton.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$48,502

6.49% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$18,685

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

0.787%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

5.63%

32,835 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

7,853

98.9% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

98%

1,284 Graduates

About

Princeton University is a higher education institution located in Mercer County, NJ. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Princeton University were Computer Science (158 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (126 degrees), and General Public Policy Analysis (108 degrees).

In 2020, 2,188 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Princeton University. 45.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 54.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (888 degrees), 2.71 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (328 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Princeton University is $48,502, which is $19,939 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Photo by Alexander Day

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Princeton University is $48,502, which is $19,939 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,685.

In 2020, 61% of undergraduate students attending Princeton University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 3% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$48,502

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Princeton University was $48,502. The cost of tuition at Princeton University is $19,939 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Princeton University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,685

2020 Value

0.144%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Princeton University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,685. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Princeton University grew by 0.144%.

This chart compares the average net price of Princeton University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$17,150

Room and Board

$1,050

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Princeton University was of $17,150 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,050. The cost of room and board increased by 4.83% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Princeton University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

61%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

61% of undergraduate students at Princeton University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2019, when 61% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Princeton University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.787%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Princeton University was 0.787%, which represents 1 out of the 127 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Princeton University received 32,835 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 0.0945% annual growth. Out of those 32,835 applicants, 1,848 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 5.63% acceptance rate.

There were 7,853 students enrolled at Princeton University in 2020, and 71% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Princeton University has an overall enrollment yield of 62.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

5.63%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

1,848

Accepted Out of 32,835

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Princeton University was 5.63% (1,848 admissions from 32,835 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 5.78%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 0.0945%, while admissions declined by −2.48%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Princeton University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

71%

Submission Percentage

816

Scores Submitted

71% of enrolled first-time students at Princeton University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Princeton University has a total enrollment of 7,853 students. The full-time enrollment at Princeton University is 7,768 students and the part-time enrollment is 85. This means that 98.9% of students enrolled at Princeton University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Princeton University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 34.6% White, 18.6% Asian, 9.08% Hispanic or Latino, 6.46% Black or African American, 4.7% Two or More Races, 0.127% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0637% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Princeton University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (19.2%), followed by White Female (17.1%) and Asian Female (13.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (19.4%), followed by White Female (13.3%) and Asian Male (4.61%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

98.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Princeton University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,853 students. The full-time enrollment at Princeton University is 7,768 and the part-time enrollment is 85. This means that 98.9% of students enrolled at Princeton University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Princeton University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

83%

2020 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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Princeton University was 83%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Princeton University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Princeton University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
2,715
Asian
1,461
Hispanic or Latino
713

The enrolled student population at Princeton University is 34.6% White, 18.6% Asian, 9.08% Hispanic or Latino, 6.46% Black or African American, 4.7% Two or More Races, 0.127% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0637% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 249 students (3.17%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 206 fewer women than men received degrees from Princeton University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Princeton University is white (888 degrees awarded). There were 2.71 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (328 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Princeton University is Computer Science (158 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (126 degrees) and General Public Policy Analysis (108 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Princeton University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Physical Sciences (224 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (65 degrees), and History (117 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Princeton University are Postsecondary teachers (154,224 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (145,459 people), Other managers (138,562 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (128,834 people), and Architects, except landscape and naval (93,102 people).

The most specialized majors at Princeton University are Physical Sciences (224 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (65 degrees), History (117 degrees), Architecture and Related Services (52 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (101 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Princeton University are Surgeons, Physicians, Clinical and counseling psychologists, Aerospace engineers, and Computer hardware engineers

Common Industries by Major

Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Princeton University are Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (285,116 people), Elementary & secondary schools (280,241 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (176,137 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (118,077 people), and Legal services (113,936 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Princeton University.

Most Common

Computer Science
158 degree-majorss awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
126 degree-majorss awarded
General Public Policy Analysis
108 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Princeton University was Computer Science with 158 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Princeton University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,197

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

991

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,197 degrees were awarded to men at Princeton University, which is 1.21 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (991).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Princeton University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 145 degrees were awarded to men at Princeton University in Computer Science, which is 1.91 times more than the 76 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 118 degrees were awarded to women at Princeton University in General Public Policy Analysis, which is 1.34 times more than the 88 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

87%

100% Completion Time

96%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 87% of students graduating from Princeton University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 96% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 97% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Princeton University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.56% of graduates (20 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
888 degrees awarded
Asian
328 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
176 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Princeton University is white (888 degrees awarded). There were 2.71 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (328 degrees).

2.83% of degree recipients (62 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Male
496 degrees awarded
White Female
392 degrees awarded
Asian Female
173 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Princeton University is white male (496 degrees awarded). There were 1.27 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (392 degrees).

Operations

Princeton University has an endowment valued at nearly $25.9B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $1.38B (5.33%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Princeton University had a total salary expenditure of $1.8B. Princeton University employs 495 Professors, 181 Assistant professors, and 180 Lecturers. Most academics at Princeton University are Male Professors (365), Female Professors(130), and Male Assistant professors (107).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Princeton University are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1495 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 944 employees, and Management with 761 employees.

Endowment

$25.9B

2020 Endowment

1.25%

growth from 2019

Princeton University has an endowment valued at about $25.9B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Princeton University grew 1.25% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $25.6B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Princeton University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$207M - Federal
$1.25M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, Princeton University received $207M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.25M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$738M

2020 Salaries

6.49%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Princeton University paid a median of $738M in salaries, which represents 41.1% of their overall expenditure ($1.8B) and a 6.49% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.36% growth from 2018 and a 6.66% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$187M

Instructional Salaries

997

Number of Employees

In 2020, Princeton University paid a total of $187M to 997 employees working as instructors, which represents 25.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

495 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1495 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Princeton University were Professor with 495 employees; Assistant professor with 181 employees; and Assistant professor with 180 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Princeton University were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,495 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 944 employees; and Management with 761 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Princeton University was Male Professor with 365 employees, Female Professor with 130 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 107 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Princeton University.