Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Rutgers Harvard Yale Penn Duke Cornell Brown Columbia Stanford NJIT Johns Hopkins MIT| Princeton University | The College of New Jersey | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Princeton | TCNJ | ||
| Location | Princeton, NJ | Ewing, NJ | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 8,922 | 7,652 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1 | #164 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | princeton.edu | tcnj.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Princeton | TCNJ | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,710 | $14,706 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,710 | $20,589 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,380 | $15,569 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,811 | $22,379 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,629 | $13,824 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 60% | 62% |
Admission |
Princeton | TCNJ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 39,644 | 11,668 | ||
| Admitted | 1,782 | 7,251 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.5% | 62.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 76.7% | 21.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.93 | 3.29 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 25/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1140/1340 | ||
| 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 | TCNJ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 13:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
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 | 21% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 6% | ||
| 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 | 71% | 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 (8,922 students vs. 7,652 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 ($59,710.00 vs. $14,706.00)
- Out of state tuition is 190% higher at Princeton than The College of New Jersey ($59,710.00 vs. $20,589.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than TCNJ ($19,811 vs. $22,379)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 24.5% lower than costs at Princeton University ($15,569 vs. $19,380)
- More students receive financial grant aid at The College of New Jersey than Princeton University (62% vs. 60%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 338.6% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($60,629 vs. $13,824)
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 (62.1%) than Princeton (4.5%)
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/