Maryland vs. Princeton

Should I go to University of Maryland College Park or Princeton University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Maryland or Princeton 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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University of Maryland College Park vs. Princeton University comparison
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University of Maryland College Park Princeton University
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Overview

Maryland Princeton
Location College Park, MD Princeton, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 40,792 8,842
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #95 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umd.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Maryland Princeton
Tuition (In State) $9,695 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $37,931 $57,410
Room & Board $14,576 $18,630
Avg Net Price $16,210 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $11,232 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 61%

Admission

Maryland Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,761 38,019
Admitted 25,320 2,167
Acceptance Rate 44.6% 5.7%
Enrolled % 23.1% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 33/35
SAT Range 1360/1520 1490/1580
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

Maryland Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Maryland Princeton
Graduation Rate 82% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,300 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $77

Diversity

Maryland Princeton
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 45%
% Black 13% 8%
% Hispanic 9% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Maryland Princeton
% In-State 72% 16%
% Out-of-State 26% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland College Park is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (40,792 students vs. 8,842 students)

Maryland vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maryland or Princeton?

  • Princeton University is 492.2% more expensive to attend than Maryland for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $9,695.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.4% higher at Princeton than University of Maryland College Park ($57,410.00 vs. $37,931.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland College Park than Princeton ($16,210 vs. $18,698)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland College Park are 27.8% lower than costs at Princeton University ($14,576 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than University of Maryland College Park (61% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 432.3% larger than aid received University of Maryland College Park ($59,792 vs. $11,232)

Maryland vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 175 points higher than at Maryland (1315)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Maryland (3.84)
  • Maryland has a higher acceptance rate (44.6%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Maryland vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than University of Maryland College Park (96% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $45,600 more per year than Maryland graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $68,300)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Maryland graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than Maryland graduates. ($77 vs. $201)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Maryland students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

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