Princeton vs. Rutgers

Should I go to Princeton University or Rutgers University New Brunswick? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Princeton or Rutgers 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. Rutgers University New Brunswick comparison
Princeton University Rutgers University New Brunswick College 3 College 4
Princeton University Rutgers University New Brunswick
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Overview

Princeton Rutgers
Location Princeton, NJ New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 8,842 50,637
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $30,600
Room & Board $18,630 $13,909
Avg Net Price $18,698 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 57%

Admission

Princeton Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 41,654
Admitted 2,167 27,612
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 66.3%
Enrolled % 69.2% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 28/33
SAT Range 1490/1580 1270/1480
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

Academics

Princeton Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

Princeton Rutgers
Graduation Rate 96% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $77 $229

Diversity

Princeton Rutgers
% Men 53% 46%
% Women 47% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 42%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Princeton Rutgers
% In-State 16% 85%
% Out-of-State 69% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 8,842 students)

Princeton vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Rutgers?

  • Princeton University is 345% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $12,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.6% higher at Princeton than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($57,410.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Princeton ($17,535 vs. $18,698)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 33.9% lower than costs at Princeton University ($13,909 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Rutgers University New Brunswick (61% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 367.7% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($59,792 vs. $12,785)

Princeton vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 265 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton or Rutgers? 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 Rutgers and Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $47,700 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $66,200)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $14,715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($7,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $152 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($77 vs. $229)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 68%)

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