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Harvard Yale Penn Duke Cornell Brown Columbia Stanford Johns Hopkins MIT UChicago Georgetown| Princeton University | Wake Forest University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
| Location | Princeton, NJ | Winston Salem, NC | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,922 | 9,121 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1 | #44 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | princeton.edu | wfu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,710 | $63,608 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,710 | $63,608 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,380 | $17,848 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,811 | $27,790 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $60,629 | $55,090 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 60% | 34% |
Admission |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 39,644 | 17,479 | ||
| Admitted | 1,782 | 3,768 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.5% | 21.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 76.7% | 36.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.93 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 32/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1390/1510 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 88% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $113,900 | $77,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $237 |
Diversity |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 16% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 24% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 16% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 76% | ||
Campus |
Princeton | Wake Forest | ||
| 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
- Wake Forest University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 8,922 students)
Princeton vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Wake Forest?
- Wake Forest University is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Wake Forest than Princeton University ($63,608.00 vs. $59,710.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Wake Forest ($19,811 vs. $27,790)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wake Forest University are 8.6% lower than costs at Princeton University ($17,848 vs. $19,380)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Wake Forest University (60% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 10.1% larger than aid received Wake Forest University ($60,629 vs. $55,090)
Princeton vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or Princeton .
- Wake Forest has a higher acceptance rate (21.6%) than Princeton (4.5%)
Princeton vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Princeton or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and Princeton.
- The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Wake Forest University (96% vs. 88%)
- Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $36,700 more per year than Wake Forest graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $77,200)
- Princeton University students graduate with a $15,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($7,500 vs. $23,000)
- Princeton graduates are paying $160 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($77 vs. $237)
- More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/