Stanford vs. Princeton

Deciding between Stanford University and Princeton 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.

Stanford University
Princeton University

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

  • Overview

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

  • Cost

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

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

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

  • Students

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

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Stanford University in Stanford, CA with Princeton University in Princeton, NJ 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

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

Stanford vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Stanford or Princeton? 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).

Stanford vs. Princeton Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Stanford or Princeton? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Princeton and Stanford.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Stanford University (1550) is the same as at Princeton (1550).
  • Incoming Stanford students have the same typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate; 34) as students at Princeton (34).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Stanford University 1510/1580; Princeton University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Stanford University 34/35; Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Stanford - Required; Princeton - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Stanford Jan 2, 2027; Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled 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 81.9% at Stanford vs. 75.5% at Princeton.

Stanford vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Stanford and Princeton? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is the same as at Princeton 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.