Princeton vs. City College of New York

Deciding between Princeton University and CUNY City College? 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.

Princeton University
CUNY City College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • City College of New York New York, NY
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • City College of New York Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • City College of New York 15,544
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • City College of New York Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • City College of New York #313
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • City College of New York -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • City College of New York Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • City College of New York

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • City College of New York $7,340
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • City College of New York $15,290
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • City College of New York $18,840
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • City College of New York $4,664
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • City College of New York $9,763
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • City College of New York 88%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • City College of New York 34,322
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • City College of New York 20,600
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • City College of New York 60%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • City College of New York 12.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • City College of New York 1250
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • City College of New York
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • City College of New York 3.2
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • City College of New York B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • City College of New York Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • City College of New York Low
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • City College of New York
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • City College of New York 1070/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • City College of New York Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • City College of New York Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • City College of New York 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • City College of New York
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • City College of New York 40%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • City College of New York $49,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • City College of New York 52%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • City College of New York $11,400
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • City College of New York $117

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • City College of New York 47%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • City College of New York 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • City College of New York Very High
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • City College of New York No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • City College of New York 15%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • City College of New York 25%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • City College of New York 16%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • City College of New York 35%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • City College of New York 2%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • City College of New York 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • City College of New York 83%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Princeton Yes
  • City College of New York Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Princeton Yes
  • City College of New York No
  • Meal Plan
  • Princeton Yes
  • City College of New York No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Princeton No
  • City College of New York No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Princeton No
  • City College of New York Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Princeton University in Princeton, NJ with CUNY City College in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY City College is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (15,544 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); CUNY City College is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY City College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; CUNY City College 15:1.

Princeton vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or City College of New York? 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 CUNY City College than Princeton ($4,664 vs. $15,313).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 7% lower than at Princeton University ($18,840 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University is 754.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than City College of New York (about $55,348 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $7,340.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 310% higher at Princeton than at CUNY City College (about $47,398 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $15,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY City College than at Princeton University (88% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 604% larger than aid received by CUNY City College students ($68,727 vs. $9,763).

Princeton vs. City College of New York Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Princeton.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 300 points higher than at City College of New York (1250).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; CUNY City College 1070/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; City College of New York - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027; City College of New York Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.73 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at City College of New York (3.2).
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (60%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 12.3% at City College of New York.

Princeton vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and City College of New York? 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 CUNY City College's (40%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $64,100 more per year than City College of New York graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $49,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $3,900 lower median loan debt than City College of New York graduates ($7,500 vs. $11,400).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of New York graduates ($77 vs. $117).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 52%)

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.