Princeton vs. Stanford

Deciding between Princeton University and Stanford 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.

Princeton University
Stanford University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Stanford Stanford, CA
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Stanford Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Stanford 18,625
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • Stanford Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • Stanford #3
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • Stanford -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Stanford Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • Stanford

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Stanford $65,910
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Stanford $65,910
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Stanford $21,315
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Stanford $25,078
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • Stanford $62,755
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • Stanford 61%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Stanford 57,326
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Stanford 2,067
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Stanford 3.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Stanford 81.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • Stanford 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • Stanford 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Stanford 3.96
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • Stanford A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • Stanford Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • Stanford Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • Stanford 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Stanford 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Stanford Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • Stanford Jan 2, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Stanford 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • Stanford
    • Social Sciences (21%)
    • General Studies (16%)
    • Engineering (15%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • Stanford 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Stanford $122,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • Stanford 88%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Stanford $12,475
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • Stanford $128

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • Stanford 52%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • Stanford 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • Stanford Very High
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • Stanford No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • Stanford 37%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • Stanford 20%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • Stanford 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • Stanford 15%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • Stanford 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • Stanford 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • Stanford 10%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • Stanford 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • Stanford 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • Stanford 38%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • Stanford 45%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Stanford University is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (18,625 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Stanford University is in Stanford, CA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Stanford University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; Stanford University 6:1.

Princeton vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Stanford? 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 Stanford ($15,313 vs. $25,078).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 5% lower than at Stanford University ($20,250 vs. $21,315).
  • Stanford University is 5.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Princeton (about $3,222 more per year; $65,910.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at Stanford than at Princeton University (about $3,222 more per year; $65,910.00 vs. $62,688.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Stanford University (67% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 9.5% larger than aid received by Stanford University students ($68,727 vs. $62,755).

Princeton vs. Stanford Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is the same as at Stanford (1550).
  • Incoming Princeton students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 34) as students at Stanford (34).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; Stanford University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; Stanford University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; Stanford - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027; Stanford Jan 2, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Princeton (3.93).
  • Princeton has a higher acceptance rate (4.6%) than Stanford (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 81.9% at Stanford.

Princeton vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and Stanford? 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).

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is the same as at Stanford University (96% vs. 96%).
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn a median of about $9,000 more per year than Princeton graduates about ten years after starting college ($122,900 vs. $113,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $4,975 lower median loan debt than Stanford graduates ($7,500 vs. $12,475).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $51 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Stanford graduates ($77 vs. $128).
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.