Yale vs. Princeton vs. Brown

Should I go to Yale University or Princeton University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Yale or Princeton 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.
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Yale University vs. Princeton University vs. Brown University comparison
Yale University Princeton University Brown University College 4
Yale University Princeton University Brown University
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Overview

 Yale Princeton Brown
Location New Haven, CT Princeton, NJ Providence, RI
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 15,081 8,922 11,516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #1 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu princeton.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Yale Princeton Brown
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $59,710 $65,656
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $59,710 $65,656
Room & Board $19,180 $19,380 $16,598
Avg Net Price $26,044 $19,811 $26,608
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $60,629 $58,378
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 60% 51%

Admission

 Yale Princeton Brown
Applied 51,803 39,644 51,316
Admitted 2,332 1,782 2,686
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 4.5% 5.2%
Enrolled % 70.4% 76.7% 63.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.93 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1500/1580 1500/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) 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 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

 Yale Princeton Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 5:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Yale Princeton Brown
Graduation Rate 97% 96% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $113,900 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 83% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $7,500 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $139 $77 $155

Diversity

 Yale Princeton Brown
% Men 25% 21% 15%
% Women 30% 16% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 47% 45% 43%
% Black 7% 8% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 9% 11%
% Native American 1% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4% 6%
% International 11% 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 2% 7%

Students

 Yale Princeton Brown
% In-State 6% 16% 3%
% Out-of-State 81% 71% 81%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Yale University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (15,081 students vs. 8,922 students)

Yale vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or Princeton?

  • Yale University is 8.4% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $59,710.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.4% higher at Yale than Princeton University ($64,700.00 vs. $59,710.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Yale ($19,811 vs. $26,044)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 1% lower than costs at Princeton University ($19,180 vs. $19,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Yale University (60% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 2.6% larger than aid received Yale University ($60,629 vs. $59,076)

Yale vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 8 points higher than at Princeton (1490)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Yale (33)
  • Accepted freshman Yale students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Princeton (3.93)
  • Yale has a higher acceptance rate (4.5%) than Princeton (4.5%)

Yale vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale 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 Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than Princeton University (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Princeton graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $113,900)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Yale graduates. ($7,500 vs. $13,500)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Yale graduates. ($77 vs. $139)
  • More Yale graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

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