BU vs. Princeton

Deciding between Boston University and Princeton University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Boston University
Princeton University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BU Boston, MA
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Setting
  • BU Large City
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • BU 37,737
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Type
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BU #73
  • Princeton #1
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BU -
  • Princeton -
  • Status
  • BU Non-profit
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BU
  • Princeton

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • BU $19,020
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Average Net Price
  • BU $24,420
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BU $61,848
  • Princeton $68,727
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BU 49%
  • Princeton 67%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BU 78,769
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Admitted
  • BU 8,749
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BU 11.1%
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Enrolled
  • BU 37.4%
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BU 1480
  • Princeton 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • BU 33
  • Princeton 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • BU 3.79
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BU A-
  • Princeton A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BU Exceptional
  • Princeton Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • BU Very High
  • Princeton Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • BU 32/34
  • Princeton 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • BU 1420/1530
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BU Test optional
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BU Jan 4, 2027
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BU 10:1
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BU 85%
  • Princeton 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BU $72,000
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BU 82%
  • Princeton 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BU $27,000
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BU $279
  • Princeton $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BU 42%
  • Princeton 52%
  • % Women
  • BU 58%
  • Princeton 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BU Very High
  • Princeton Very High
  • HBCU
  • BU No
  • Princeton No
  • % White
  • BU 43%
  • Princeton 45%
  • % Asian
  • BU 14%
  • Princeton 22%
  • % Black
  • BU 4%
  • Princeton 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • BU 11%
  • Princeton 9%
  • % Native American
  • BU 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BU 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BU 4%
  • Princeton 4%
  • % International
  • BU 20%
  • Princeton 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BU 5%
  • Princeton 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BU 15%
  • Princeton 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BU 62%
  • Princeton 74%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BU Yes
  • Princeton Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BU No
  • Princeton Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • BU Yes
  • Princeton Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BU Yes
  • Princeton No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BU No
  • Princeton No

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston University in Boston, MA with Princeton University in Princeton, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
  • Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston University 10:1; Princeton University 5:1.

BU vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Princeton? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than BU ($15,313 vs. $24,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 6.1% lower than at Princeton University ($19,020 vs. $20,250).
  • Boston University is 8.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Princeton (about $5,414 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 8.6% higher at BU than at Princeton University (about $5,414 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Boston University (67% vs. 49%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 11.1% larger than aid received by Boston University students ($68,727 vs. $61,848).

BU vs. Princeton Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or Princeton? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Princeton and BU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 70 points higher than at BU (1480).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at BU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 1420/1530; Princeton University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 32/34; Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BU - Test optional; Princeton - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BU Jan 4, 2027; Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at BU (3.79).
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (11.1%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.4% at BU vs. 75.5% at Princeton.

BU vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BU and Princeton? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Princeton University's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Boston University's (85%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $41,900 more per year than BU graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $72,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $19,500 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($7,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $202 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($77 vs. $279).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.