Princeton vs. Rutgers

Deciding between Princeton University and Rutgers University New Brunswick? 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
Rutgers University New Brunswick

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Rutgers Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • Rutgers #114
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • Rutgers -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • Rutgers

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • Rutgers 50%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • Rutgers 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • Rutgers 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • Rutgers B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • Rutgers Low
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • Rutgers

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • Rutgers 77%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • Rutgers 68%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • Rutgers $229

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • Rutgers 46%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • Rutgers 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • Rutgers Very High
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • Rutgers No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • Rutgers 42%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • Rutgers 26%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • Rutgers 13%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • Rutgers 3%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • Rutgers 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • Rutgers 75%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • Rutgers 13%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Rutgers University New Brunswick is in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1.

Princeton vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers ($15,313 vs. $20,522).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 22.4% lower than at Princeton University ($15,714 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University is 249.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rutgers (about $44,759 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $17,929.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 67.4% higher at Princeton than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (about $25,247 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $37,441.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (67% vs. 50%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 310.5% larger than aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students ($68,727 vs. $16,742).

Princeton vs. Rutgers Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers and Princeton.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 140 points higher than at Rutgers (1410).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at Rutgers).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; Rutgers - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Rutgers (3.3).
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 20.5% at Rutgers.

Princeton vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and Rutgers? 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 Rutgers University New Brunswick's (77%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $47,700 more per year than Rutgers graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $66,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $14,715 lower median loan debt than Rutgers graduates ($7,500 vs. $22,215).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $152 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Rutgers graduates ($77 vs. $229).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 68%)

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.