Princeton vs. UCLA vs. Yale

Should I go to Princeton University or University of California Los Angeles? Compare the two schools' costs, SAT, ACT, GPA, admissions criteria and outcomes to help you determine if Princeton or UCLA is the better college for you.

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Princeton University vs. University of California Los Angeles vs. Yale University vs. Columbia University in the City of New York comparison
Princeton University University of California Los Angeles Yale University Columbia University in the City of New York
Princeton University University of California Los Angeles Yale University Columbia University in the City of New York
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Location Princeton, NJ Los Angeles, CA New Haven, CT New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City Midsize City Large City
Students 7,853 44,589 12,060 30,135
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit

Costs
Tuition (In State) $48,502 $11,442 $57,700 $58,920
Tuition (Out of State) $48,502 $41,196 $57,700 $58,920
Room & Board $15,342 $17,599 $17,200 $12,394
Avg Net Price $18,685 $16,474 $17,511 $22,126
Avg Grant Aid $55,465 $15,461 $59,134 $57,642
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 69% 54% 55%

Admission and Academics
Acceptance Rate 5.6% 14.3% 6.5% 7.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.9 3.95 3.91
Admissions Standards Elite Unavailable Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1450/1570 1460/1580 1460/1570
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2022 Nov 30, 2021 Dec 31, 2021 Jan 1, 2022

Outcomes
Graduation Rate 96% 90% 97% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $70,700 $118,400 $107,600
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 78% 84% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $16,300 $13,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $168 $139 $222
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Comparable Facts

  • Princeton University is larger than than UCLA based on total student enrollment (7,853 students vs. 44,589 students)

Princeton vs. UCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or UCLA?

  • Princeton University is 323.9% more expensive to attend than UCLA for in-state tuition ($48,502.00 vs. $11,442.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.7% higher at Princeton than University of California Los Angeles ($48,502.00 vs. $41,196.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Los Angeles than Princeton ($16,474 vs. $18,685)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 14.7% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($15,342 vs. $17,599)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Los Angeles than Princeton University (69% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 258.7% larger than aid received University of California Los Angeles ($55,465 vs. $15,461)

Princeton vs. UCLA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or UCLA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCLA or Princeton .

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 151 points higher than at UCLA (1339)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at UCLA (31)
  • UCLA has a higher acceptance rate (14.3%) than Princeton (5.6%)

Princeton vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton or UCLA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCLA and Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher that University of California Los Angeles (96% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $43,200 more per year than UCLA graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $70,700)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $8,800 lower median federal student loan debt than UCLA graduates. ($7,500 vs. $16,300)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than UCLA graduates. ($77 vs. $168)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCLA students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/