George Washington vs. Princeton

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

George Washington Princeton
Location Washington, DC Princeton, NJ
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 25,939 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

George Washington Princeton
Tuition (In State) $62,110 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $62,110 $57,410
Room & Board $15,720 $18,630
Avg Net Price $42,723 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $35,257 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 61%

Admission

George Washington Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,266 38,019
Admitted 13,354 2,167
Acceptance Rate 49% 5.7%
Enrolled % 22% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1330/1490 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 5, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

George Washington Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

George Washington Princeton
Graduation Rate 81% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,500 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,962 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $77

Diversity

George Washington Princeton
% Men 38% 53%
% Women 62% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 45%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

George Washington Princeton
% In-State 1% 16%
% Out-of-State 89% 69%

Campus

George Washington 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

  • George Washington University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (25,939 students vs. 8,842 students)

George Washington vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Princeton?

  • George Washington University is 8.2% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($62,110.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at George Washington than Princeton University ($62,110.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than George Washington ($18,698 vs. $42,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Washington University are 18.5% lower than costs at Princeton University ($15,720 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Princeton University (78% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 69.6% larger than aid received George Washington University ($59,792 vs. $35,257)

George Washington vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 196 points higher than at George Washington (1294)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at George Washington (29)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at George Washington (3.81)
  • George Washington has a higher acceptance rate (49%) than Princeton (5.7%)

George Washington vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, George Washington 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 George Washington.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than George Washington University (96% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $33,400 more per year than George Washington graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $80,500)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $17,462 lower median federal student loan debt than George Washington graduates. ($7,500 vs. $24,962)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $181 less per month on federal student loans than George Washington graduates. ($77 vs. $258)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former George Washington students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 82%)

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