Yale Vs Princeton University

The big question is, where would you rather be? Yale or Princeton? Yale vs Princeton: These guys do everything right and rarely say “No!” Yes, those two titans of US education once squared off in a mini-controversy over the classification of this school vs that school. An Ivy campus feud erupts as America’s best and brightest claim their claim to the title of “best” as they vie for the top rate spots at the nation’s most elite universities.

Yale Vs Princeton University – who has the more impressive resume? We all know that Yale is a world-class learning institution. The first Ivy League School that was founded over 350 years ago! I’m not arguing that they are on the same level as Yale, however, after having some students graduate from both schools, the curriculum at Princeton matches up with Yale. These are two of the most prestigious universities in the country with some of the brightest minds on their campuses.

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yale university

Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world.

One of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution, the Collegiate School was renamed Yale College in 1718 to honor the school’s largest private benefactor for the first century of its existence, Elihu Yale. Chartered by Connecticut Colony, the Collegiate School was established in 1701 by clergy to educate Congregational ministers before moving to New Haven in 1716. Originally restricted to theology and sacred languages, the curriculum began to incorporate humanities and sciences by the time of the American Revolution. In the 19th century, the college expanded into graduate and professional instruction, awarding the first PhD in the United States in 1861 and organizing as a university in 1887. Yale’s faculty and student populations grew after 1890 with rapid expansion of the physical campus and scientific research.

Yale is organized into fourteen constituent schools: the original undergraduate college, the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and twelve professional schools. While the university is governed by the Yale Corporation, each school’s faculty oversees its curriculum and degree programs. In addition to a central campus in downtown New Haven, the university owns athletic facilities in western New Haven, a campus in West Haven, Connecticut, and forests and nature preserves throughout New England. As of 2021, the university’s endowment was valued at $42.3 billion, the second largest of any educational institution. The Yale University Library, serving all constituent schools, holds more than 15 million volumes and is the third-largest academic library in the United States. Students compete in intercollegiate sports as the Yale Bulldogs in the NCAA Division I – Ivy League.

As of October 2020, 65 Nobel laureates, five Fields Medalists, four Abel Prize laureates, and three Turing award winners have been affiliated with Yale University. In addition, Yale has graduated many notable alumni, including five U.S. Presidents, 19 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, 31 living billionaires, and many heads of state. Hundreds of members of Congress and many U.S. diplomats, 78 MacArthur Fellows, 252 Rhodes Scholars, 123 Marshall Scholars, and nine Mitchell Scholars have been affiliated with the university. Yale is a member of the Big Three (colleges).

Yale Vs Princeton University

Yale University and Princeton University are two of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Founded in 1701 and 1746 respectively, they are also among the three oldest schools in the United States. 

Students flock to New Haven, Connecticut, and Princeton, New Jersey, to study under some of the world’s greatest minds, including bestselling authors, Nobel laureates, leading lawyers and justices, and others. They have also graduated plenty of leaders across fields, including politics, the arts, medicine, law, and more.

Getting into just one of these colleges is an accomplishment. But if you’re admitted to both of the famed members of the Ivy League, how do you choose between them?

Princeton vs. Yale: A Quick Overview

PrincetonYale
LocationPrinceton, NJNew Haven, CT
Campus TypeSuburbanUrban
Undergraduate Enrollment5,4285,964
Acceptance Rate5%6.3%
U.S. News Ranking13
Sticker Price$71,960 (2020-2021 school year)$74,900 (2020-2021 school year)
Student to Faculty Ratio5:16:1
Middle 50% SAT/ACTSAT: 750-800 (M);  710-770 (ERW)ACT: 33-35 (composite)SAT: 720-770 (EWR); 730-790 (M)ACT: 33-35
Subject Tests Required?Two recommendedRecommended (no number specified)
Median Starting Salary$69,800$66,800
Admission and Academics
Acceptance Rate6.1%5.8%
Avg High School GPA3.953.87
Admissions StandardsEliteElite
Applicant CompetitionExtremeExtreme
ACT Range33/3533/35
SAT Range1460/15701460/1570
Application DeadlineDec 31, 2019Jan 1, 2020

yale vs princeton economics

Yale offers 80 majors, including diverse subjects such engineering, theater studies, art, religious studies, and astrophysics. The university also has numerous special programs, including Residential College Seminars, which are hosted by the 14 residential colleges and cover nontraditional material. 

While there are distribution requirements, they are fairly lenient and include two course credits each in: 

  • Humanities and the arts
  • Sciences
  • Social sciences
  • Quantitative reasoning
  • Writing
  • Foreign languages

Students at Yale don’t need to declare a major until the end of sophomore year (for STEM majors), or the beginning of junior year for all other majors. 

Princeton offers 37 concentrations, with degree programs in areas like architecture, French and Italian, computer science, and others. Students may also earn certificates in programs such as creative writing and robotics and intelligent systems. There are different distribution requirements depending on whether you’re earning a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E), although both include writing and foreign language. Most A.B. candidates declare their majors in spring of their sophomore years, and B.S.E. candidates are required to do so in May of their freshman year.

Generally, A.B. students must write a Junior Paper, which is an independent research project. This paper often becomes the basis of a student’s senior thesis, which is required for all A.B. students. Many engineering students also complete independent projects in their junior year, and pursue a senior thesis.

At both schools, students have the option of pursuing an independent or special major or concentration with approval and guidance.

yale vs harvard

Part of the elite US group of Ivy League schoolsHarvard and Yale are among the world’s most acclaimed and competitive universities. Of the eight Ivy League members, these two are among the highest-ranked in the QS World University Rankings®. In the 2020 edition, Harvard is ranked third in the world and Yale 17th.

Both excel across the full spectrum of academic subjects, and both (like all the Ivy League schools) are based within the north-eastern New England region. However, while Harvard and Yale have much in common, there are also some points of difference, which may help you pick between the two if you’re fortunate enough to be faced with that choice.

Here’s a look at how these two top Ivy League schools compare on key indicators, with an at-a-glance overview followed by a more in-depth explanation. Find out which would be best for you: Harvard or Yale?


Harvard University
Yale University
QS World University Rankings® 2020•       Ranked third worldwide in 2020•       Ranked first in the world with both academics and graduate employers•       40th for faculty/student ratio•       Eighth for research impact (citations per faculty member)•       186th in the world for percentage of international faculty members, and 221st for international students•       Ranked 17th worldwide in 2020•       Ranked ninth in the world by academics and seventh by employers•       Fifth for faculty/student ratio•       190th for research impact (citations per faculty member)•       224th in the world for percentage of international faculty members, and 249th for international students
Subject strengths*Ranked second in the world for arts & humanities12th for engineering & technology
First for life sciences & medicine
Third for natural sciencesFirst for social sciences & management
Sixth in the world for arts & humanities=61st for engineering & technology12th for life sciences & medicine 
=21st for natural sciencesEighth for social sciences & management
 LocationCambridge, MassachusettsJust north of Boston, on the north-east coast of the USNew Haven, ConnecticutSeparated from New York by the Long Island Sound
Student communityAbout 22,000 students, of which 15,250 are postgraduates
23.8 percent of all students are international.
About 13,433 students – 5,964 undergraduates and 7,469 postgraduatesAround 2,996 are international (22 percent of students overall)
Fees and fundingFor 2019/20, annual tuition fees for undergraduates are $47,730 ($51,925 including all fees).55% of undergraduates receive need-based aid, and Harvard provides need-blind admission for all students.For 2019/20, annual tuition fees for undergraduates are $55,500 (plus a $125 Student Activities Fee).Yale is also need-blind to all students, both domestic and international. 64% of undergraduates received financial aid in 2017/18.

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