Princeton University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Princeton University is a private nonprofit college in Princeton, NJ. Students pay about $6,128 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $110,066 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 0.5 years and adds $598,828 over a decade, ranking it #7 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is Princeton University's acceptance rate?
Princeton University has an acceptance rate of 4.6%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Princeton, NJ enrolling about 5,709 students, with a 97.4% graduation rate.
How much does Princeton University cost?
Princeton University costs about $6,128 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $34,832. Published sticker cost of attendance is $84,040 per year.
How much do Princeton University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Princeton University student earns $110,066 per year. That is $63,366 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Princeton University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Princeton University pays back its roughly $34,832 cost in about 0.5 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $598,828 net of cost, a 18.19x return on the money invested. That ranks it #7 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by a low net price and strong graduate earnings.
Top 10% value
Princeton University graduation rate and student debt
97.4% of Princeton University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $10,320 in federal student debt. That debt is about 9% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Princeton University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Princeton University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $6,128 | $20,299 | cheaper than 97% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $110,066 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 97.4% | 57.0% | 100th |
| Acceptance rate | 4.6% | 75.7% | more selective than 99% |
| 10-yr value added | $598,828 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 18.19x | 0.73x | 100th |
| Payback period | 0.5 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 100% |
Frequently asked
Is Princeton University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Princeton University ranks #7 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 18.19x the money invested over a decade.
Is Princeton University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $6,128 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 97% of them.
Do Princeton University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $110,066 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Princeton University compared to other colleges?
Its 4.6% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 99% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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