Admission and Costs

Undergraduate Admission and Enrollment

Princeton admits a class of students each year that stands out not just for outstanding academic ability but also for the wide range of backgrounds, interests, accomplishments and aspirations it represents.

The University seeks students who will benefit from a Princeton education and will use that educational experience to impact their communities and the world.

Princeton offers two admission programs for first-year applicants: Single-Choice Early Action—requiring applicants to apply early only to Princeton—and Regular Decision. Both programs have a candidate’s reply date of May 1.

The University also offers a transfer admission process that enrolls a group of exceptionally well-prepared transfer students. Students from lower-income backgrounds, community college students and U.S. military veterans are particularly encouraged to apply.

Application deadlines

Single-Choice Early Action Nov. 1
Regular Decision Jan. 1
Transfer March 1

Admission 2022: Class of 2026

As of August 23, 2022; all percentages rounded

Applicants Number % of total
Total 38,019
    Men 18,421 48.5
    Women 19,598 51.6
International students 9,031 23.8
Admitted Number % of total
Total 2,167
    Men 1,045 48.2
    Women 1,122 51.8
International students 295 13.6

 

Enrolled, first year, first time Number % of total
Total 1,500
    Men 737 49.1
    Women 763 50.9
International students 226 15.1
Approximate undergraduate enrollment, 2022–23 Number % of total
Total 5,548
    Men 2,770 49.9
    Women 2,778 50.1
Diversity    
    African American 442 8
    Asian American 1,306 23.5
    International 687 12.4
    Latino/Hispanic 557 10
    Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 377 6.8
    Native American 7 0.1
    Pacific Islander 6 0.1
Alumni children 692 12.5

In 2022–23, the largest numbers of undergraduate students came from New Jersey (891), New York (634), California (567), Pennsylvania (252) and Florida (236). Students also came from 99 nations.

In recent years, approximately 90% of each entering class has graduated from Princeton within four years, and 97% of all undergraduates have received a degree from Princeton within six years.

 

Undergraduate Costs and Financial Aid

Here is what it costs for an undergraduate to study at Princeton:

Expense Amount
Tuition $57,410
Room $10,960
Board $7,670
Miscellaneous expenses (books, supplies, etc.) $3,500
Total $79,540

 

The University’s pioneering financial aid program provides the assistance necessary to make sure that all students, including international students, who are admitted and need financial aid can attend. The aid comes in the form of grants, which do not need to be repaid. Approximately 63% of all undergraduate students receive aid. Because no student is required to take out loans, Princeton’s aid program allows its students to graduate debt-free.

Class of 2026

Percent on aid %
Aid recipients 61%
Non-aid 39%
Average aid award  
Grant aid $62,635

The average financial aid grant for students from families earning up to $65,000 covers full tuition, room and board. Most students from families with incomes up to $160,000 pay no tuition, and for an average family with income around $190,000, grant support would cover roughly 83% of tuition.

The amount parents are asked to contribute varies from family to family based on a review of their financial circumstances. Princeton uses its own need formula to determine parental contributions.

Financial Aid for Admitted Students

Selected income ranges for the Class of 2026.

Gross family income Average grant* What it covers
$0–65,000 $76,700 Full tuition, room + board
$100,000–120,000 $66,950 Full tuition, 51% room + board
$200,000–250,000 $39,025 68% tuition

* A grant does not have to be repaid.

Princeton’s Estimated Financial Aid Budget, 2022–23

Source % Amount
Total scholarship budget   $217,401,000
Provided by the University 94.2%  
    Endowed scholarships   $177,552,000
    General funds   $26,084,000
    Yearly gifts to scholarship program   $935,000
Provided by government 3.5% $7,630,000
Provided by outside organizations 2.3% $5,200,000

Graduate Admission and Enrollment

Of the 13,607 applicants to the Graduate School for 2022–23, 1,443 were admitted and 748 accepted the offer of admission.

While graduate candidates submit applications to the Graduate School, faculty members in the individual departments that will award the degrees review the applications and make admission recommendations to the dean.

In 2021-22, Princeton awarded 447 Ph.D.s and 208 final master’s degrees.

Graduate Admission 2022–23:

All Master’s and Doctoral Candidates
All percentages rounded

Applicants Number % of Total
Total 13,607
    Men 8,549 63
    Women 5,058 37
International students 7,743 57
U.S. minority students 2,506 43*
U.S. first-generation or low-income students 1,881 32*
Women in STEM 2,999 30†
Admitted Number % Admitted % of Admits
Total 1,443 11
    Men 840 10 58
    Women 603 12 42
International students 583 8 40
U.S. minority students 426 17 50*
U.S. first-generation or low-income students 211 11 25*
Women in STEM 329 14 36†
Yielded Number % yielded % of accepted
Total 748 52
    Men 420 50 56
    Women 328 54 44
International students 311 53 42
U.S. minority students 202 47 46*
U.S. first-generation or low-income students 118 56 27*
Women in STEM 158 48 37†

* Percentage is of all U.S. students
† Percentage is of all STEM students

 

Graduate Enrollment 2021–22

The Graduate School enrolled 3,142 degree candidates in 42 departments and programs in academic year 2021 –22. Forty-two percent of the Graduate School’s students are female, and 41% are citizens of other countries. Thirty-nine percent of domestic graduate students at Princeton are members of U.S. minority groups. The median time from matriculation to receiving a Ph.D. at Princeton, including all departments, is 5.7 years (for 2021 –22).

 

Enrollment of Graduate Degree Candidates by Academic Division, 2021–22

Division Number %
Humanities 513 16
Natural sciences 912 29
School of Architecture 116 4
School of Engineering and Applied Science 803 26
Social sciences 594 19
Princeton School of Public and International Affairs 204 6
Total 3,142 100

 

Graduate Costs and Financial Support

All Ph.D. and many master’s degree candidates in the Graduate School receive financial support for the duration of their degree program through some combination of University fellowships, assistantships in research or teaching, and non-University awards. Princeton guarantees funding for its regularly enrolled, degree-seeking Ph.D. candidates for all years of regular program enrollment, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance. This funding covers the full cost of tuition and fees and a stipend intended to support the estimated living expenses of a single graduate student.