Princeton vs. City College of New York

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

Princeton City College of New York
Location Princeton, NJ New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 8,922 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $59,710 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $59,710 $14,880
Room & Board $19,380 $18,104
Avg Net Price $19,811 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $60,629 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 86%

Admission

Princeton City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,644 31,988
Admitted 1,782 18,576
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 76.7% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1220/1460
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Princeton City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Princeton City College of New York
Graduation Rate 96% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $77 $117

Diversity

Princeton City College of New York
% Men 21% 7%
% Women 16% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 15%
% Black 8% 16%
% Hispanic 9% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Princeton City College of New York
% In-State 16% 87%
% Out-of-State 71% 0%

Campus

Princeton City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 8,922 students)

Princeton vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or City College of New York?

  • Princeton University is 761.6% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($59,710.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 301.3% higher at Princeton than CUNY City College ($59,710.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Princeton ($4,599 vs. $19,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 7% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,104 vs. $19,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Princeton University (86% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 556.4% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($60,629 vs. $9,236)

Princeton vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 365 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.73 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Princeton (4.5%)

Princeton vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than CUNY City College (96% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $64,100 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $49,800)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $3,900 lower median federal student loan debt than City College of New York graduates. ($7,500 vs. $11,400)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than City College of New York graduates. ($77 vs. $117)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 52%)

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