Princeton vs. UB

Deciding between Princeton University and University at Buffalo? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Princeton University
University at Buffalo

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • UB Buffalo, NY
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • UB Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • UB 31,903
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • UB Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • UB #101
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • UB -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • UB Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • UB

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • UB $10,936
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • UB $31,536
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • UB $17,426
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • UB $20,529
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • UB $10,663
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • UB 76%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • UB 40,856
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • UB 30,308
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • UB 74.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • UB 14.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • UB 1300
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • UB 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • UB 3.75
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • UB A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • UB Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • UB Low
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • UB 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • UB 1210/1380
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • UB Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • UB

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • UB 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • UB
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Communication (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • UB 71%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • UB $58,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • UB 70%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • UB $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • UB $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • UB 51%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • UB 49%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • UB High
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • UB No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • UB 48%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • UB 14%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • UB 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • UB 6%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • UB 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • UB 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • UB 2%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • UB 16%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • UB 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • UB 88%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • UB 3%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Princeton Yes
  • UB Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Princeton Yes
  • UB No
  • Meal Plan
  • Princeton Yes
  • UB Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Princeton No
  • UB No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Princeton No
  • UB Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Princeton University in Princeton, NJ with University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University at Buffalo is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (31,903 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); University at Buffalo is in Buffalo, NY (Large Suburban setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University at Buffalo is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; University at Buffalo 11:1.

Princeton vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or UB? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than UB ($15,313 vs. $20,529).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University at Buffalo are 13.9% lower than at Princeton University ($17,426 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University is 473.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than UB (about $51,752 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $10,936.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 98.8% higher at Princeton than at University at Buffalo (about $31,152 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $31,536.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University at Buffalo than at Princeton University (76% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 544.5% larger than aid received by University at Buffalo students ($68,727 vs. $10,663).

Princeton vs. UB Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or UB? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UB and Princeton.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 250 points higher than at UB (1300).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at UB).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; University at Buffalo 1210/1380.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; University at Buffalo 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; UB - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at UB (3.75).
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 14.1% at UB.

Princeton vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Princeton and UB? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Princeton University's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than University at Buffalo's (71%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $55,500 more per year than UB graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $58,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $12,000 lower median loan debt than UB graduates ($7,500 vs. $19,500).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $124 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UB graduates ($77 vs. $201).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.