Princeton vs. West Point

Deciding between Princeton University and United States Military Academy? 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
United States Military Academy

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • West Point West Point, New York
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • West Point Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • West Point 4,473
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • West Point Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • West Point
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • West Point -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • West Point Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • West Point

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • West Point $0
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • West Point $0
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • West Point $0
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • West Point -
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • West Point $0
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • West Point 0%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • West Point 12,320
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • West Point 1,534
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • West Point 12.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • West Point 77.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • West Point 1320
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • West Point 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • West Point 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • West Point A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • West Point Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • West Point Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • West Point 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • West Point 1200/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • West Point Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • West Point Jan 31, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • West Point 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • West Point
    • Engineering (21%)
    • Social Sciences (18%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
    • Engineering Technology (6%)
    • Business (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • West Point 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • West Point N/A
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • West Point -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • West Point N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • West Point N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • West Point 78%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • West Point 22%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • West Point -
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • West Point No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • West Point 0%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • West Point 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • West Point 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • West Point 7%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • West Point 92%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Princeton University in Princeton, NJ with United States Military Academy in West Point, New York on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Princeton University is larger than West Point based on total student enrollment (9,137 students vs. 4,473 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); United States Military Academy is in West Point, New York (Large Suburban setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. United States Military Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; United States Military Academy 6:1.

Princeton vs. West Point Cost Comparison

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

  • In-state tuition differs between Princeton University and West Point ($62,688.00 vs. $0.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition differs between Princeton and United States Military Academy ($62,688.00 vs. $0.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at United States Military Academy (67% vs. 0%).

Princeton vs. West Point Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 230 points higher than at West Point (1320).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at West Point).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; United States Military Academy 1200/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; United States Military Academy 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; West Point - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027; West Point Jan 31, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman West Point students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Princeton (3.93).
  • West Point has a higher acceptance rate (12.5%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 77.9% at West Point.

Princeton vs. West Point Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and West Point? 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 United States Military Academy's (80%).

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.