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Harvard Yale Penn Duke Cornell Barnard Brown Stanford Johns Hopkins MIT UChicago Georgetown| Princeton University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
| Location | Princeton, NJ | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,842 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | princeton.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $57,410 | $62,570 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $57,410 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,630 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,698 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,792 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 61% | 52% |
Admission |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 38,019 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 2,167 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.7% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 69.2% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.93 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1580 | 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 1, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $113,900 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $222 |
Diversity |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Princeton | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 8,842 students)
Princeton vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 9% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $57,410.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9% higher at Columbia than Princeton University ($62,570.00 vs. $57,410.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Columbia ($18,698 vs. $22,058)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 14.4% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,286 vs. $18,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Columbia University in the City of New York (61% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 2.1% larger than aid received Princeton University ($61,061 vs. $59,792)
Princeton vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Princeton .
- The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 17 points higher than at Columbia (1473)
- Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Columbia (33)
- Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- Princeton has a higher acceptance rate (5.7%) than Columbia (3.9%)
Princeton vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Princeton or Columbia? 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 Columbia and Princeton.
- The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (96% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $6,300 more per year than Columbia graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $107,600)
- Princeton University students graduate with a $14,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($7,500 vs. $21,500)
- Princeton graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($77 vs. $222)
- More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/