Schools in the National Universities category, such as the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Vermont, offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research. Read the methodology »
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Overview
Princeton University is a private institution that was founded in 1746. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,604 (fall 2022), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 690 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Princeton University’s ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #1. Its tuition and fees are $59,710.
Princeton, among the oldest colleges in the U.S., is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Within the walls of its historic ivy-covered campus, Princeton offers a number of events, activities and organizations. The Princeton Tigers, members of the Ivy League, are well known for their consistently strong men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. First-year students and sophomores live in one of seven residential colleges that provide a residential community as well as dining services but have the option to join one of more than 10 eating clubs for their junior and senior years. The eating clubs serve as social and dining organizations for the students who join them. Princeton’s unofficial motto, “Princeton in the Nation’s Service and the Service of Humanity,” speaks to the university’s commitment to community service.
Princeton includes highly ranked graduate programs through the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and School of Engineering and Applied Science. One unique aspect of Princeton’s academic program is that undergraduate students are required to write a senior thesis, or for students in some engineering departments, take on an independent project. Notable alumni include U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, model/actress Brooke Shields and former first lady Michelle Obama. According to Princeton legend, if a student exits campus through FitzRandolph Gate prior to graduation, they may be cursed never to graduate.
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At-a-Glance
Setting
Suburban
Tuition & Fees
$59,710
Undergraduate Enrollment
5,604
Acceptance Rate
6%
Princeton, NJ, 08544
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2024 Rankings
Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
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Admissions
Jan. 1
Application Deadline
6%
Acceptance Rate
SAT Range*
1500-1580
ACT Range*
34-35
High School GPA*
3.9
* These are the average scores of applications admitted to this school. Ranges represent admitted applicants who fell within the 25th and 75th percentile.
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Data provided by U.S. News College Compass Users.
Cost
Tuition & Fees
$59,710
Room & Board
$19,380(2023-24)
Average Need-Based Aid Package
$62,844
$11,080
Annual Cost*
*Average cost after aid
Academics
88%
4-Year Graduation Rate
* In cases where salary data at the specific major level is unavailable, a general salary for the major category is displayed.
Faculty Research Impact
Bibliometric Rank
5Bibliometrics is the statistical analyses of publications and citations for the purpose of measuring faculty research impact.
Publications Cited in Top 25% of Journals
77%
Publications Cited in Top 5% of Journals
29%
Total Papers published between 2018-2022
23,554
Citations Per Publication
19:1
Data provided byLast updated 2023.
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Students
5,604
Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.
Campus Life
Housing and Dorms
Types of campus housing available:coed dormsapartments for married studentsapartment for single studentsspecial housing for disabled studentscooperative housingwellness housingother housing options
Student Activities
91+
Sports Teams
N/A
Fraternities
N/A
Sororities
After College
Graduation Rate
88%
Graduating Students Who Have Borrowed (any loan type, 2021)
17%
Average Debt at Graduation
$12,500
$64,287
Median Starting Salary of Alumni
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Reviews & Ratings
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