Princeton vs Vanderbilt
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 1%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TNCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 1%
At a glance
- Princeton has the higher graduation rate: 98% against 94% at Vanderbilt.
- For families earning up to $30,000, Princeton has the lower price after aid: $41 a year, against $3,414 at Vanderbilt.
- Princeton has the lower average price after aid: $6,128 a year, against $15,846 at Vanderbilt.
Scores
Compass Score
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
Value
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 1%
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 2%
The college
Category
National universities
National universities
Location
Princeton, NJ
Nashville, TN
Setting
City
City
Students
8,922
13,456
Sports
NCAA Division I · Ivy Group
NCAA Division I · Southeastern Conference
Admission
Admission rate
5%
6%
Average SAT
1553
1549
ACT middle 50%
34–35
34–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
98%
94%
First-year retention
98%
96%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$110,066
$91,565
Median debt
$10,320
$14,000
Cost
Average price after aid
$6,128
$15,846
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$41
$3,414
$30,001–$48,000
$352
$1,876
$48,001–$75,000
$1,217
$4,498
$75,001–$110,000
$4,478
$12,153
Over $110,000
$36,094
$45,145
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $217,973
- Computer engineering $214,274
- Economics $160,763
- Mechanical engineering $115,927
- Public Policy Analysis $107,792
- Computer science $160,021
- Mathematics $141,171
- Economics $140,337
- Chemical Engineering $121,641
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering $116,662
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.