Updated October 28, 2026.
Princeton admitted 1,868 of 42,303 first-year applicants to the class that enrolled in fall 2025, the Class of 2029. That is 4.4 percent. Of those 1,868 admits, 1,408 enrolled, a yield of 75.4 percent. Those counts are in Princeton's Common Data Set for 2025-26. The file does not publish a separate early-action acceptance rate.
The Class of 2029 in the Common Data Set
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| Applicants | 42,303 |
| Admitted | 1,868 |
| Enrolled | 1,408 |
| Acceptance rate | 4.4% |
| Yield | 75.4% |
By residence at the time of application, Princeton reports 4,602 in-state applicants (229 admitted, 191 enrolled), 27,134 out-of-state applicants (1,398 admitted, 1,031 enrolled), and 10,567 international applicants (241 admitted, 186 enrolled).
Princeton's own news release on August 7, 2025, counted 1,409 first-year students as of July 29, before the official fall census in the Common Data Set. The same release said about 25 percent of the Class of 2029 was eligible for a federal Pell Grant, up from 21.7 percent in the Class of 2028, and that 69 percent of the freshmen qualified for financial aid.
Scores of students who enrolled
Scores describe students who enrolled and chose to send them. They are not a cutoff, and they are not the profile of everyone who was admitted.
| Test | Share who submitted | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT composite | 60% (848 students) | 1490 | 1530 | 1560 |
| ACT composite | 20% (288 students) | 34 | 35 | 35 |
Among SAT submitters, 95 percent scored 700 to 800 on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 96 percent scored 700 to 800 on math. Among ACT submitters, 98 percent of English scores and 94 percent of math scores were 30 to 36. Princeton was test optional for this class, so the students who sent scores are not a random sample of the class.
Early action, without a published rate
Princeton's early plan is restrictive single-choice early action. The Common Data Set lists a closing date of November 1 and notification in mid-December. It does not list how many students applied early or how many of them were admitted. A higher early rate is often assumed. Princeton has not published that split in this file, so this page does not estimate one.
Early action is nonbinding. It limits where else a student may apply early. Use it when Princeton is the first choice and the application is ready in November. It does not turn a thin file into a strong one. The supplement is a separate piece of work. Our Princeton supplement guide covers those prompts.
Testing for the next two cycles
For students enrolling in fall 2027, Princeton remains test optional. The admissions site says an application without an SAT or ACT is complete, and that students who do not submit scores are not at a disadvantage. Students who do submit must send official scores from the testing agency. Princeton accepts score choice on the SAT only within the same format, paper or digital, and it uses the highest ACT composite rather than a mix of sections. It accepts the older four-section ACT and the enhanced three-section ACT equally, and it says science on the redesigned ACT is optional.
Beginning with the 2027-28 cycle, first-year and transfer applicants enrolling in fall 2028 must submit the SAT or ACT. Active military personnel are exempt. There is no minimum score. Our Princeton testing guide walks through the current rule, and the enhanced ACT format explains what the three-section composite includes.
What it costs in 2026-27
| Charge | 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $68,140 |
| Required fees | $314 |
| Housing | $13,010 |
| Food | $9,110 |
| Food and housing together | $22,120 |
The sticker price is not what most aided families pay. Princeton's August 2025 aid announcement says most families with incomes up to $150,000 pay nothing for the total cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, books, and personal expenses, and most families with incomes up to $250,000 pay no tuition. The average undergraduate aid package for 2025-26 was more than $80,000. Run the net price calculator before treating $68,140 as the family's bill.
What a 4.4 percent rate does and does not say
The rate is one number for the whole pool. It is not the chance for any one student. Princeton does not publish separate rates for recruited athletes, legacies, or applicants with no institutional tie in this Common Data Set, so this page does not invent them. A list that treats Princeton as a reach, with colleges the student would attend if the answer is no, is the practical response to a rate this low. The same caution applies at Yale and Stanford.
Questions families ask
What is Princeton's latest published acceptance rate?
In the Common Data Set for 2025-26, Princeton reports 42,303 first-year applicants and 1,868 admits for the class that enrolled in fall 2025, the Class of 2029. That is 4.4 percent. Of those admits, 1,408 enrolled.
Does Princeton publish an early-action acceptance rate?
Not in the 2025-26 Common Data Set. Princeton offers restrictive single-choice early action, with a closing date of November 1 and notification in mid-December. The file does not list how many early-action applicants were admitted.
What did enrolled students score?
Among first-years who enrolled in fall 2025 and submitted scores, the middle 50 percent of SAT composites was 1490 to 1560, with a median of 1530. The ACT composite middle 50 percent was 34 to 35, with a median of 35. Sixty percent submitted an SAT (848 students) and 20 percent submitted an ACT (288 students).
How much is Princeton tuition for 2026-27?
The Common Data Set lists undergraduate tuition of $68,140 for 2026-27, required fees of $314, on-campus housing of $13,010, and a meal plan of $9,110. Most families with incomes up to $150,000 pay nothing for the total cost of attendance, and most families with incomes up to $250,000 pay no tuition, under the aid rules Princeton announced for fall 2025.
Does Princeton require the SAT or ACT?
Not for students enrolling in fall 2027. Princeton is test optional for the 2026-27 cycle and says an application without scores is complete. It will require the SAT or ACT for students enrolling in fall 2028, with an exception for active military personnel.
Sources
- Princeton University Common Data Set 2025-26, sections C1, C8, C9, C22, and G1. Listed on the Office of Institutional Research.
- Princeton University, Class of 2029 and financial aid, August 7, 2025.
- Princeton Admission, standardized testing.
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