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Harvard Yale Penn Caltech Duke Cornell MIT UC Berkeley UCLA Brown USC Columbia| Stanford University | Princeton University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
| Location | Stanford, CA | Princeton, NJ | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 18,446 | 8,922 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #2 | #1 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stanford.edu | princeton.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,731 | $59,710 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,731 | $59,710 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,922 | $19,380 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,998 | $19,811 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,164 | $60,629 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 60% |
Admission |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 53,733 | 39,644 | ||
| Admitted | 2,099 | 1,782 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.9% | 4.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 80.9% | 76.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.96 | 3.93 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1510/1580 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 5:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $122,900 | $113,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 88% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,475 | $7,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $128 | $77 |
Diversity |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 31% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 37% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 10% | 4% | ||
| % International | 9% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 37% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 47% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Stanford | Princeton | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Stanford University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (18,446 students vs. 8,922 students)
Stanford vs. Princeton Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Stanford or Princeton?
- Stanford University is 3.4% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($61,731.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at Stanford than Princeton University ($61,731.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Princeton ($17,998 vs. $19,811)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Princeton University are 2.8% lower than costs at Stanford University ($19,380 vs. $19,922)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Stanford University (60% vs. 55%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Stanford University students is 5.8% larger than aid received Princeton University ($64,164 vs. $60,629)
Stanford vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Stanford or Princeton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Princeton or Stanford .
- The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 11 points higher than at Stanford (1479)
- Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Stanford (33)
- 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 (4.5%) than Stanford (3.9%)
Stanford vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Stanford or Princeton? 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 Princeton and Stanford.
- The graduation rate at Stanford is the same as at Princeton University (96% vs. 96%)
- Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $9,000 more per year than Princeton graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $113,900)
- Princeton University students graduate with a $4,975 lower median federal student loan debt than Stanford graduates. ($7,500 vs. $12,475)
- Princeton graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans 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/