UD vs. Princeton

Deciding between University of Delaware 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.

University of Delaware
Princeton University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UD Newark, DE
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Setting
  • UD Large Suburban
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • UD 24,412
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Type
  • UD Public 4 Year
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UD #150
  • Princeton #1
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UD -
  • Princeton -
  • Status
  • UD Non-profit
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UD
  • Princeton

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UD $16,810
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UD $41,400
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Room & Board
  • UD $15,386
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Average Net Price
  • UD $19,139
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UD $13,302
  • Princeton $68,727
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UD 91%
  • Princeton 67%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UD 39,995
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Admitted
  • UD 28,238
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UD 70.6%
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UD 15.7%
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UD 1280
  • Princeton 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • UD 30
  • Princeton 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • UD 3.94
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UD A
  • Princeton A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UD Very High
  • Princeton Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • UD Low
  • Princeton Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • UD 28/32
  • Princeton 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • UD 1190/1370
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UD Test optional
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UD Jan 15, 2027
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UD 16:1
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UD
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UD 78%
  • Princeton 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UD $61,300
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UD 80%
  • Princeton 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UD $24,203
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UD $250
  • Princeton $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UD 41%
  • Princeton 52%
  • % Women
  • UD 59%
  • Princeton 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UD Low
  • Princeton Very High
  • HBCU
  • UD No
  • Princeton No
  • % White
  • UD 74%
  • Princeton 45%
  • % Asian
  • UD 5%
  • Princeton 22%
  • % Black
  • UD 6%
  • Princeton 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • UD 8%
  • Princeton 9%
  • % Native American
  • UD 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UD 0%
  • Princeton 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UD 3%
  • Princeton 4%
  • % International
  • UD 4%
  • Princeton 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UD 1%
  • Princeton 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UD 39%
  • Princeton 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UD 59%
  • Princeton 74%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Delaware in Newark, DE with Princeton University in Princeton, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Delaware is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (24,412 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Delaware is located in Newark, DE (Large Suburban setting); Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting).
  • University of Delaware is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Delaware 16:1; Princeton University 5:1.

UD vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD 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 UD ($15,313 vs. $19,139).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 24% lower than at Princeton University ($15,386 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University is 272.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than UD (about $45,878 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $16,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 51.4% higher at Princeton than at University of Delaware (about $21,288 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $41,400.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Delaware than at Princeton University (91% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 416.7% larger than aid received by University of Delaware students ($68,727 vs. $13,302).

UD vs. Princeton Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 270 points higher than at UD (1280).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at UD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 1190/1370; Princeton University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 28/32; Princeton University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UD - Test optional; Princeton - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UD Jan 15, 2027; Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Princeton (3.93).
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at UD vs. 75.5% at Princeton.

UD vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UD and Princeton? 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 University of Delaware's (78%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $52,600 more per year than UD graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $61,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $16,703 lower median loan debt than UD graduates ($7,500 vs. $24,203).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $173 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UD graduates ($77 vs. $250).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UD students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 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.