Georgetown vs. Princeton vs. Vanderbilt

Compare Georgetown University, Princeton University, and Vanderbilt University side by side. Review cost and aid, selectivity and test-score context, academics, campus setting, and post-graduation benchmarks to see which option lines up with your goals. Data comes from the same catalog CollegeSimply maintains across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities.

Georgetown University
Princeton University
Vanderbilt University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Georgetown Washington, DC
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Vanderbilt Nashville, TN
  • Setting
  • Georgetown Large City
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Vanderbilt Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Georgetown 20,031
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Vanderbilt 13,575
  • Type
  • Georgetown Private 4 Year
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • Vanderbilt Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Georgetown #29
  • Princeton #1
  • Vanderbilt #16
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Georgetown Roman Catholic
  • Princeton -
  • Vanderbilt -
  • Status
  • Georgetown Non-profit
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Vanderbilt Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Georgetown
  • Princeton
  • Vanderbilt

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Georgetown $68,017
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Vanderbilt $67,498
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Georgetown $68,017
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Vanderbilt $67,498
  • Room & Board
  • Georgetown $20,596
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Vanderbilt $22,054
  • Average Net Price
  • Georgetown $39,083
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Vanderbilt $25,186
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Georgetown $49,658
  • Princeton $68,727
  • Vanderbilt $64,404
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Georgetown 33%
  • Princeton 67%
  • Vanderbilt 67%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Georgetown 26,131
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Vanderbilt 45,409
  • Admitted
  • Georgetown 3,374
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Vanderbilt 2,662
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Georgetown 12.9%
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Vanderbilt 5.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Georgetown 46.7%
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Vanderbilt 61.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Georgetown 1470
  • Princeton 1550
  • Vanderbilt 1540
  • Typical ACT score
  • Georgetown 33
  • Princeton 34
  • Vanderbilt 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Georgetown 3.89
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Vanderbilt 3.89
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Georgetown A
  • Princeton A
  • Vanderbilt A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Georgetown Elite
  • Princeton Elite
  • Vanderbilt Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Georgetown Very High
  • Princeton Extreme
  • Vanderbilt Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Georgetown 31/35
  • Princeton 34/35
  • Vanderbilt 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • Georgetown 1390/1550
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Vanderbilt 1500/1570
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Georgetown Required
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Vanderbilt Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Georgetown
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • Vanderbilt Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Georgetown 11:1
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Vanderbilt 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Georgetown
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Business (26%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • Vanderbilt
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • General Studies (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (6%)
    • Psychology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Georgetown 94%
  • Princeton 96%
  • Vanderbilt 92%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Georgetown $118,900
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Vanderbilt $83,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Georgetown 87%
  • Princeton 83%
  • Vanderbilt 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Georgetown $15,500
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Vanderbilt $14,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Georgetown $160
  • Princeton $77
  • Vanderbilt $144

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Georgetown 44%
  • Princeton 52%
  • Vanderbilt 44%
  • % Women
  • Georgetown 56%
  • Princeton 48%
  • Vanderbilt 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Georgetown High
  • Princeton Very High
  • Vanderbilt High
  • HBCU
  • Georgetown No
  • Princeton No
  • Vanderbilt No
  • % White
  • Georgetown 58%
  • Princeton 45%
  • Vanderbilt 55%
  • % Asian
  • Georgetown 10%
  • Princeton 22%
  • Vanderbilt 12%
  • % Black
  • Georgetown 6%
  • Princeton 8%
  • Vanderbilt 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • Georgetown 8%
  • Princeton 9%
  • Vanderbilt 8%
  • % Native American
  • Georgetown 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • Vanderbilt 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Georgetown 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • Vanderbilt 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Georgetown 5%
  • Princeton 4%
  • Vanderbilt 5%
  • % International
  • Georgetown 12%
  • Princeton 11%
  • Vanderbilt 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Georgetown 2%
  • Princeton 2%
  • Vanderbilt 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Georgetown 2%
  • Princeton 14%
  • Vanderbilt 13%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Georgetown 87%
  • Princeton 74%
  • Vanderbilt 73%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Georgetown University is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (20,031 students vs. 9,137 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Georgetown University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
  • Georgetown University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Georgetown University 11:1; Princeton University 5:1.

Georgetown vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Georgetown 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 Georgetown ($15,313 vs. $39,083).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 1.7% lower than at Georgetown University ($20,250 vs. $20,596).
  • Georgetown University is 8.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Princeton (about $5,329 more per year; $68,017.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 8.5% higher at Georgetown than at Princeton University (about $5,329 more per year; $68,017.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Georgetown University (67% vs. 33%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 38.4% larger than aid received by Georgetown University students ($68,727 vs. $49,658).

Georgetown vs. Princeton Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Georgetown or Princeton? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Princeton and Georgetown.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 80 points higher than at Georgetown (1470).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (34 vs. 33 at Georgetown).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Georgetown University 1390/1550; Princeton University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Georgetown University 31/35; Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Georgetown - Required; Princeton - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Princeton students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Georgetown (3.89).
  • Georgetown has a higher acceptance rate (12.9%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 46.7% at Georgetown vs. 75.5% at Princeton.

Georgetown vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Georgetown and Princeton? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Princeton University's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Georgetown University's (94%).
  • Graduates from Georgetown University earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than Princeton graduates about ten years after starting college ($118,900 vs. $113,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $8,000 lower median loan debt than Georgetown graduates ($7,500 vs. $15,500).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $83 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Georgetown graduates ($77 vs. $160).
  • More Georgetown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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.