Princton vs UC Davis

Princeton University and University of California-Davis, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Princeton, an Ivy League university located in New Jersey, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 5.8%, while UC Davis, situated in California's Central Valley, is more accessible with an acceptance rate of 41.4%. Princeton's student body is smaller and more diverse, with 5,261 undergraduates representing 50 states and 78 countries, compared to UC Davis's larger and more regionally diverse student body of 31,583 undergraduates, primarily from California. Both universities excel in academics, with Princeton known for its strengths in the humanities and social sciences, while UC Davis is renowned for its programs in agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these universities' unique offerings and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Princeton University logo

Princeton University

University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Overview

Location Princeton, New Jersey Davis, California
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 96.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 4.4% 48.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range 1460 - 1570 N/A
ACT range 33 - 35 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 56.0%
Students submitting ACT score 35.0%
Total number of applicants 37,601 87,120
Total number of admissions given out 1,647 42,475
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,290 7,482
Yield rate 78.3% 17.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $78,490
In state: $32,584

Out of state: $62,338
Average net price $20,908 $16,640
Tuition $56,010
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,690

Meal plan: $7,490
$17,018
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

65.0%
Average amount $47,136
59.0%
Average amount $17,628
Students receiving federal student loan 2.0%
Average amount $5,278
23.0%
Average amount $4,043
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,938
11.0%
Average amount $3,360

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,321
Men 50.3% Women 49.7%
31,657
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
Graduate students 3,157
Men 58.3% Women 41.7%
8,393
Men 43.8% Women 56.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 82.6% 7.5%
International students 22.8% 17.0%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity 5,151 11,142
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New Jersey California New York Pennsylvania Texas California Washington Illinois Texas Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Physical Science
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 21:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 97.6% 86.9%
Dropout rate 1.9% 11.8%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,809
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $181,687
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,130
  • Year 2: $75,518
  • Year 3: $85,666
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,831
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $66,134
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,473
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,463
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,879
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: N/A
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,447
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: N/A
Research and Experimental Psychology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,198
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,903
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $137,917
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,500
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $135,009
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,299
  • Year 2: $116,258
  • Year 3: $127,335
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,488
  • Year 2: $81,609
  • Year 3: $103,694
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,669
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $100,961
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,976
  • Year 2: $98,186
  • Year 3: $99,585
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,487
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $98,364
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $94,032
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,487
  • Year 2: $70,370
  • Year 3: $89,594
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,514
  • Year 2: $74,262
  • Year 3: $87,586

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