Amherst vs. Princeton

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

Amherst Princeton
Location Amherst, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Princeton
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $57,410
Room & Board $16,750 $18,630
Avg Net Price $21,367 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 61%

Admission

Amherst Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 38,019
Admitted 1,079 2,167
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 5.7%
Enrolled % 43.3% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 33/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 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 2, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Amherst Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Princeton
Graduation Rate 96% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $77

Diversity

Amherst Princeton
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 45%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 13% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Princeton
% In-State 13% 16%
% Out-of-State 74% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Princeton University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (8,842 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Princeton?

  • Amherst College is 10.6% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.6% higher at Amherst than Princeton University ($63,500.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Amherst ($18,698 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 11.2% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,750 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Amherst College (61% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 1.9% larger than aid received Amherst College ($59,792 vs. $58,693)

Amherst vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 39 points higher than at Amherst (1451)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Amherst (33)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Amherst (3.91)
  • Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (7.3%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Amherst vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is the same as at Princeton University (96% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $31,900 more per year than Amherst graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $82,000)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $5,475 lower median federal student loan debt than Amherst graduates. ($7,500 vs. $12,975)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Amherst graduates. ($77 vs. $134)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 83%)

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