Princeton University Financial Aid Overview

Princeton University Cost

Cost of Attendance:

The sticker price at Princeton is $68,044.00. This sticker price includes costs for tuition, books and supplies, room and board, and other miscellaneous expenses.

It’s also important to note that the cost of tuition can vary from year to year and you can expect the cost of tuition to rise over your four years in college. With that said, your financial aid will also be recalculated each year which will take into account any tuition increases.

Princeton University Net Price

The sticker cost of Princeton University is not actually what students will pay. Depending on factors such as student and parent finances, the actual cost can be lower. This price that takes financial aid into account is also known as a “net price.”

Princeton University Financial Aid

Pell Grants at Princeton University

21% of students at Princeton University receive Pell Grants, which are awarded to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need (students who have a bachelor’s or professional degree are not eligible). Pell Grants are awarded by the federal government and do not need to be repaid. To apply for a Pell Grant, students will need to submit their FAFSA. If you are awarded a Pell Grant, you’ll see it listed in your financial aid award letter if you are accepted to Princeton University.

You can learn more about Pell Grant eligibility here.

Outside Scholarships

No Loan Financial Aid Program

Princeton University has a generous financial aid program which includes a “no loan” policy. This means that students admitted to Princeton will not receive any student loans in their financial aid package. For students, this means that your financial aid package will only include scholarships, grants, and work study.

Princeton Questbridge Scholarships

Princeton is a member of Questbridge, which is a prestigious scholarship program that supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. Students who are “matched” to Princeton University through Questbridge receive a four year, full ride scholarship to the school. If you are interested in learning more about Questbridge, you can check out our Questbridge Scholarship guide.

Princeton University Student Debt

Student Loan Stats:

In addition to scholarships and financial aid, student loans are another way that students can pay for college. However, unlike other types of aid, student loans need to be repaid. This is why it’s so important to know how much student loan debt you are taking out.

3% percent of Princeton University students take out federal student loans. The average student at Princeton University takes out in student loan debt, which winds up being a $104.47 payment per month. The important thing to remember about these numbers is that they only include federal student loans and not private student loans.

Parent PLUS loans are another type of student loan that families may use to pay for college. While Parent PLUS Loans are offered by the federal government, they are not included in the above federal student loan metrics because they are not technically taken out by students. The median amount of Parent PLUS loan debt at Princeton is not reported. Between 0% and 5% percent of parents of Princeton University students will take out these Parent PLUS Loans.

If you want to learn more about Parent PLUS Loans, you can check out the pros and cons of borrowing them.

Is Princeton Worth it?

College is an investment, which is why it is important to assess the return on your education. To understand your return on investment or ROI, you will need to first understand what that investment will look like financially.

By completing the net price calculator, you will have a good sense of how much Princeton will cost you. This will also give you a sense of how much debt you can expect to graduate with.

Once you have a sense of your investment, you can think about your “return” or what you will get out of an education at Princeton University. In other words, what types of outcomes can you expect?

The important factors to consider when thinking about outcomes are the graduation rate of the institution, as well as your expected earnings.

Here’s how Princeton stacks up:

• 6-year graduation rate: 75.21
• Median earnings (10 years after graduation): $95,689.00

Note that the average earnings will vary by both major and intended career, so this is not a perfect metric, but should serve as a good starting point.

Princeton University Financial Aid Resources

If you are looking for more information about financial aid and scholarships at Princeton or have questions that are specific to your personal situation, we recommend that you reach out directly to the financial aid office!

Here’s how you can get in touch:

• Website: Princeton University Office of Financial Aid
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 609-258-3330