Princeton vs. UVA

Should I go to Princeton University or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Princeton or UVA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

William & Mary Harvard Yale UNC Chapel Hill Penn Duke Cornell JMU Virginia Tech Brown Columbia Michigan
Princeton University vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
Princeton University University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
Princeton University University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Princeton UVA
Location Princeton, NJ Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 8,842 26,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton UVA
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $51,870
Room & Board $18,630 $12,890
Avg Net Price $18,698 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 34%

Admission

Princeton UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 50,926
Admitted 2,167 9,503
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 18.7%
Enrolled % 69.2% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1400/1540
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Princeton UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Princeton UVA
Graduation Rate 96% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $201

Diversity

Princeton UVA
% Men 53% 45%
% Women 47% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 60%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

Princeton UVA
% In-State 16% 62%
% Out-of-State 69% 33%

Campus

Princeton UVA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 8,842 students)

Princeton vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or UVA?

  • Princeton University is 238.1% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at Princeton than University of Virginia Main Campus ($57,410.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than UVA ($18,698 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 44.5% lower than costs at Princeton University ($12,890 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than University of Virginia Main Campus (61% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 123% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($59,792 vs. $26,818)

Princeton vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 126 points higher than at UVA (1364)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton or UVA? 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 UVA and Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than University of Virginia Main Campus (96% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $36,700 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $77,200)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($77 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 83%)

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