Here’s how Princeton’s aid program work played out for the class of 2022.
At Princeton, students from families that make $65,000 a year or less qualify for a grant that covers tuition, room and board and the residential college fee. The average grant for students in this income bracket is $67,350.
For students from families making between $65,000 and $85,000 the average grant amount is $62,865, which covers tuition, fees and 76% of room and board costs. For students from families making between $85,000 and $100,000 the average grant amount is $59,140 which covers tuition, fees and 54% of room and board costs.
Princeton covers full tuition and some of room and board costs for students from families earning up to $140,000, and covers all of tuition for students from families making between $140,000 and $160,000.
Even students from families that make as much as $250,000 earn average grants of about $29,900 that covers 60% of tuition.
Most students at Princeton come from wealthy backgrounds. According to The New York Times, the median family income of a student from Princeton is $186,100, and 72% come from the highest-earning 20% of American households. Further, 17% come from the highest-earning 1% of American households.