Princeton vs. TCNJ

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

Princeton TCNJ
Location Princeton, NJ Ewing, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,842 7,629
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #175
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu tcnj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton TCNJ
Tuition (In State) $57,410 $14,140
Tuition (Out of State) $57,410 $26,934
Room & Board $18,630 $14,144
Avg Net Price $18,698 $22,273
Avg Grant Aid $59,792 $11,826
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 58%

Admission

Princeton TCNJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,019 10,302
Admitted 2,167 6,638
Acceptance Rate 5.7% 64.4%
Enrolled % 69.2% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 24/30
SAT Range 1490/1580 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Princeton TCNJ
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Princeton TCNJ
Graduation Rate 96% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $77 $240

Diversity

Princeton TCNJ
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 66%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

Princeton TCNJ
% In-State 16% 95%
% Out-of-State 69% 5%

Campus

Princeton TCNJ
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
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 TCNJ based on total student enrollment (8,842 students vs. 7,629 students)

Princeton vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or TCNJ?

  • Princeton University is 306% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $14,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 113.2% higher at Princeton than The College of New Jersey ($57,410.00 vs. $26,934.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than TCNJ ($18,698 vs. $22,273)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 31.7% lower than costs at Princeton University ($14,144 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than The College of New Jersey (61% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 405.6% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($59,792 vs. $11,826)

Princeton vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 263 points higher than at TCNJ (1227)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at TCNJ (28)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • TCNJ has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Princeton vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than The College of New Jersey (96% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $51,800 more per year than TCNJ graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $62,100)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $15,750 lower median federal student loan debt than TCNJ graduates. ($7,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $163 less per month on federal student loans than TCNJ graduates. ($77 vs. $240)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 83%)

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