AU vs. Princeton

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

AU Princeton
Location Washington, DC Princeton, NJ
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #1
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Princeton
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $57,410
Room & Board $15,706 $18,630
Avg Net Price $41,369 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 61%

Admission

AU Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 38,019
Admitted 7,926 2,167
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 5.7%
Enrolled % 22.2% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/32 33/35
SAT Range 1290/1430 1490/1580
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 15, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

AU Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

AU Princeton
Graduation Rate 77% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $77

Diversity

AU Princeton
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 45%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

AU Princeton
% In-State 2% 16%
% Out-of-State 94% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 8,842 students)

AU vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Princeton?

  • Princeton University is 8.2% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at Princeton than American University ($57,410.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than AU ($18,698 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 18.6% lower than costs at Princeton University ($15,706 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Princeton University (66% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 120.3% larger than aid received American University ($59,792 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 238 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Princeton (5.7%)

AU vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU 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 AU.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than American University (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $49,100 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $64,800)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $16,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($7,500 vs. $24,250)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $173 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($77 vs. $250)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU 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/