U.S. News #1 · 2026
Princeton University
Student size 5,709 · admission rate 4.6%
Data methodology
School-level earnings use institutional College Scorecard data, prioritizing median annual earnings 10 years after entry. Major-level earnings below use program-level College Scorecard data, measured in the fourth full year after completing the credential.
- In-state tuition / year
- $62,688
- Out-of-state or international tuition / year
- $62,688
- Tuition year
- 2025-2026
- Tuition source
- College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution.csv
- Ranking source
- U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities 2026
- Earnings source
- College Scorecard Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution.csv
- Earnings measure
- 10 years after entry median earnings
- Completion rate
- 97.6%
- Median debt
- $10,000
Tuition residency and loan estimate
U.S. colleges commonly price tuition differently for in-state and out-of-state students. This model uses four years of tuition as the loan principal and excludes room, board, scholarships, taxes, and opportunity cost. Fixed-payment formula: payment = principal x monthly rate / (1 - (1 + monthly rate)^-months).
| Annual tuition | $62,688 | |
| Four-year tuition | $250,752 | ROI percentages use this as the denominator |
| 5-year ROI | $299,578 | 119% |
| 8-year ROI | $629,776 | 251% |
| Monthly payment estimate | $2,784 | 10 years, 6% APR |
| Total interest estimate | $83,311 | Fixed-rate amortization estimate only |
Major earnings, tuition, and loan-adjusted ROI
Major-level earnings are College Scorecard program data: median annual earnings in the fourth full year after completing the credential among people who are working and not enrolled. Loan-adjusted ROI equals cumulative earnings minus estimated total loan repayment, with the percentage shown against four-year tuition.
| Major | Major earnings | Four-year tuition | Total loan repayment | 5-year ROI | 8-year ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer Science Sample 201 · quality 4/5 | $217,973 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $755,802 301% | $1,409,721 562% |
Computer Engineering Sample N/A · quality 4/5 | $214,274 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $737,307 294% | $1,380,129 550% |
Economics Sample 132 · quality 4/5 | $160,763 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $469,752 187% | $952,041 380% |
Mechanical Engineering Sample 45 · quality 3/5 | $115,927 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $245,572 98% | $593,353 237% |
Public Policy Analysis Sample 114 · quality 4/5 | $107,792 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $204,897 82% | $528,273 211% |
Political Science and Government Sample 57 · quality 4/5 | $88,576 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $108,817 43% | $374,545 149% |
History Sample 72 · quality 4/5 | $80,347 | $250,752 | $334,063 | $67,672 27% | $308,713 123% |
Research and Experimental Psychology Sample 50 · quality 3/5 | $63,216 | $250,752 | $334,063 | -$17,983 -7% | $171,665 68% |
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Sample 37 · quality 3/5 | $62,344 | $250,752 | $334,063 | -$22,343 -9% | $164,689 66% |
English Language and Literature, General Sample 31 · quality 3/5 | $61,323 | $250,752 | $334,063 | -$27,448 -11% | $156,521 62% |
Anthropology Sample 30 · quality 2/5 | N/A | $250,752 | $334,063 | N/A N/A | N/A N/A |
Architecture Sample 6 · quality 2/5 | N/A | $250,752 | $334,063 | N/A N/A | N/A N/A |