Princton vs University of Maryland-College Park (UMD)

Princeton University and University of Maryland-College Park, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Princeton, an Ivy League university, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 5.8%, while Maryland, a public research university, offers broader access with an acceptance rate of 44.2%. Princeton's student body is smaller and more diverse, with 5,261 undergraduates representing 50 states and 78 countries, compared to Maryland's 29,253 undergraduates hailing primarily from the Mid-Atlantic region. Both universities excel in academics, with Princeton ranking among the top 10 national universities and Maryland recognized for its strong engineering, business, and public policy programs. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more about these two exceptional universities and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Princeton University	University of Maryland-College Park
Overview
Location	Princeton, New Jersey	College Park, Maryland
Campus setting	City: Small	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	96.0%	95.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	4.4%	52.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $75	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $75
SAT range	1460 - 1570	1330 - 1510
ACT range	33 - 35	30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score	56.0%	34.0%
Students submitting ACT score	35.0%	9.0%
Total number of applicants	37,601	50,183
Total number of admissions given out	1,647	26,109
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,290	6,072
Yield rate	78.3%	23.3%
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: $30,997 Out of state: $58,678
Average net price	$20,908	$17,146
Tuition	$56,010	In state: $9,000 Out of state: $36,681
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,690 Meal plan: $7,490	Room/dormitory: $8,072 Meal plan: $5,578
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	65.0% Average amount $47,136	56.0% Average amount $10,645
Students receiving federal student loan	2.0% Average amount $5,278	20.0% Average amount $5,065
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $8,938	4.0% Average amount $22,924

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	5,321 Men 50.3% Women 49.7%	30,922 Men 50.8% Women 49.2%
Graduate students	3,157 Men 58.3% Women 41.7%	10,350 Men 50.7% Women 49.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	82.6%	29.5%
International students	22.8%	10.3%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	5,151	11,846
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	Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Academics
Popular study areas	Social Sciences Engineering Public Administration and Social Service Physical Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Engineering Business Education Computer and Information Science Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	5:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	97.6%	87.7%
Dropout rate	1.9%	4.0%
Transferred out	N/A	7.7%
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	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,765 Year 2: $106,102 Year 3: $116,295 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $125,155 Year 2: $112,923 Year 3: $112,074 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,533 Year 2: $94,112 Year 3: $102,555 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $93,018 Year 2: $94,408 Year 3: $101,716 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $84,727 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $99,501 Physics (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $72,899 Year 3: $92,830 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $88,418 Year 2: $80,466 Year 3: $92,230 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,675 Year 2: $72,762 Year 3: $83,667 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,798 Year 2: $71,761 Year 3: $82,867 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,391 Year 2: $66,485 Year 3: $82,784

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the primary differences between Princeton University and the University of Maryland-College Park?

Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university known for its small class sizes, strong focus on undergraduate education, and selective admissions. The University of Maryland-College Park (UMD) is a large public research university, offering a wider range of programs and a more accessible admissions process. Princeton emphasizes a liberal arts education, while UMD offers more pre-professional and technical programs.
How do the academic reputations of Princeton and UMD compare?

Princeton consistently ranks among the top universities globally, renowned for its academic rigor and research output across various disciplines. UMD is also a highly respected public university, particularly strong in STEM fields like engineering, computer science, and information science. While both are excellent institutions, Princeton generally holds a higher overall academic ranking.
What is the difference in cost of attendance between Princeton and UMD?

Princeton's cost of attendance is significantly higher than UMD's due to its private status. However, Princeton offers generous financial aid packages, often meeting 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students. UMD, as a public university, offers lower tuition rates, especially for in-state residents. The actual cost for each student will depend on their individual financial circumstances and any aid received.
What types of academic programs are offered at each university?

Princeton offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with a strong emphasis on the liberal arts, humanities, and sciences. UMD also offers a wide variety of programs, including strong offerings in engineering, business, computer science, journalism, and public policy, in addition to the liberal arts and sciences. UMD's breadth of programs is generally wider than Princeton's.
How do the campus environments and student life differ between Princeton and UMD?

Princeton has a smaller, more intimate campus environment with a strong sense of community. Student life revolves around residential colleges and a variety of extracurricular activities. UMD has a larger, more diverse campus with a vibrant student life, offering a wider range of clubs, organizations, and social events. UMD's proximity to Washington, D.C. also provides unique opportunities for internships and cultural experiences.
What are the admission requirements and acceptance rates for Princeton and UMD?

Princeton has a highly selective admissions process with a very low acceptance rate. Admission is based on a holistic review of academic achievements, standardized test scores (though test-optional policies may apply), essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. UMD's admissions process is also competitive, but the acceptance rate is significantly higher than Princeton's. UMD places a strong emphasis on academic performance, but also considers other factors such as extracurricular involvement and essays.
What career opportunities are available to graduates of Princeton and UMD?

Graduates from both Princeton and UMD have access to excellent career opportunities. Princeton graduates are highly sought after in fields such as finance, consulting, academia, and public service. UMD graduates find success in a wide range of industries, including technology, engineering, government, and business. UMD's location near Washington, D.C. provides a distinct advantage for students seeking careers in government and related fields.
How does the research environment compare between Princeton and UMD?

Both Princeton and UMD are major research universities with significant research funding and opportunities for students to get involved in research projects. Princeton's research is often focused on fundamental scientific and scholarly inquiry, while UMD's research has a strong emphasis on applied research and addressing real-world problems. Both universities offer state-of-the-art research facilities and resources.
What is the student-faculty ratio at Princeton and UMD?

Princeton has a significantly lower student-faculty ratio than UMD, allowing for more personalized attention and interaction with professors. This is a key difference that contributes to Princeton's strong focus on undergraduate education. While UMD also has dedicated faculty, the larger class sizes may result in less individual attention.
Are there any specific programs or departments where one university excels over the other?

Princeton is particularly strong in fields like mathematics, physics, history, and philosophy. UMD is renowned for its programs in engineering (especially aerospace and electrical), computer science, information science, and criminology. Consider your specific academic interests when evaluating which university is a better fit.

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