Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Princeton University, Stanford University, Harvard University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | PrincetonPrinceton, NJ | StanfordStanford, CA | HarvardCambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 4.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1510–1580 | 1510–1580 | 1510–1580 |
| Average net price | $6,12819.2% on Pell grants | $13,80719.2% on Pell grants | $19,06616.4% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $62,688Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $65,910Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $61,676Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 97.6% | 91.9% | 97.6% |
| First-year retention | 98.4% | 98.2% | 98.3% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 19.2% | 19.2% | 16.4% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $110,066 | $124,080 | $101,817 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $10,320 | $12,000 | $14,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 5:1 | 6:1 | 7:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,709 | 7,554 | 7,601 |
| Consensus percentile | 1Lower is better | 1Lower is better | 1Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 1 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 1 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 1 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Princeton | Stanford | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #1 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #4 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #3 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | #3 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #4 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #6 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #7 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #6 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #6 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | #1 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #3 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #7 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #5 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #2 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #4 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Listed | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| QS | #25 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 | #3 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 | #5 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 |
Students comparing Princeton University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileAmbitious generalists who want an elite research university without giving up big-campus life, athletics or industry access — and who intend to use the Bay Area, not just live in it.
At roughly 3.9%, the lowest acceptance rate of any national university.
Full profileStudents comparing Harvard University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profile