Princeton's Computer Science department, housed in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, sits inside a university that admits all undergraduates through a single pool rather than to individual majors, and ranks 14th globally in QS's subject rankings for Computer Science and Information Systems. Princeton has no law, medical, or business school, which keeps its overall enrollment small relative to its research output, and Computer Science has become one of its most popular concentrations alongside Economics and Public and International Affairs. At the graduate level, Princeton also offers a PhD in Computer Science with its own distinct, department-set admission standards. This guide walks through what it takes to get into Princeton CS, at both levels, what it costs, English-test rules, and where graduates go.
Acceptance Rate
Princeton does not publish a separate acceptance rate for Computer Science at either level:
- Undergraduate: Princeton admits all first-years through a single pool (indicating a preferred concentration such as CS is not the same as being admitted to it), at an overall acceptance rate of approximately 4.4% for recent cycles, among the lowest of any US university.
- Graduate: Princeton's Graduate School reports an overall acceptance rate of roughly 6.2% (around 22,479 applicants, 1,396 admits in a recent cycle), but this is an aggregate across more than 45 decentralized departments and schools, not a Computer Science-specific figure. Recently admitted Computer Science PhD applicants averaged a combined TOEFL score of 108, which gives some indirect signal about how strong the applicant pool is, even without an admit-rate percentage.
Bottom line: treat 4.4% (undergraduate) and 6.2% (graduate, university-wide) as the honest published figures, since Princeton releases no CS-specific admit rate at either level. Computer Science is consistently one of Princeton's most in-demand concentrations, so applicants should not assume either published rate overstates the department's actual selectivity.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
Princeton charges the same tuition regardless of concentration or degree level (all figures below are 2025-26):
| Cost Item | Undergraduate (USD/year) | Graduate (USD/year) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $65,210 | $65,210 |
| Living expenses | $25,508 | $38,610 |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | $90,718 | $103,820 |
For a four-year undergraduate degree, that's roughly $360,000-$370,000 before financial aid. Princeton's application fee is $70 (undergraduate) or $75 (graduate). Critically, Princeton is one of the few US universities that is need-blind and meets full demonstrated financial need for every admitted undergraduate, including international applicants, using grants rather than loans. At the graduate level, PhD students in Computer Science are essentially fully funded: Princeton guarantees tuition, the student health plan, and a base living stipend (about $38,610 for 2025-26) to all regularly enrolled PhD candidates regardless of citizenship, so the graduate cost-of-attendance figure above is rarely paid out of pocket by PhD students.
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate, based on Princeton's published international-applicant requirements:
- Common Application or Coalition Application
- Official transcripts / school report
- Two teacher recommendations plus a counselor recommendation
- A graded written paper
- Standardized test scores (test-optional through the 2026-27 cycle; Princeton has announced a return to requiring SAT/ACT from fall 2028 entry)
- English proficiency test (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/Duolingo) unless exempt
Graduate (PhD in Computer Science), based on Princeton's Graduate School requirements:
- Online Graduate School application
- Statement of Academic Purpose
- Résumé/CV
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
- The GRE is not required or accepted by Computer Science at all
- English proficiency test score for non-exempt applicants, with a Speaking sub-score floor for Master's applicants (see below)
- $75 non-refundable application fee
Princeton does not publish a minimum GPA at either level. Undergraduate deadlines are Early Action (November 1) or Regular Decision (January 1); graduate CS deadlines typically fall in mid-November to mid-December.
How to Get Into Princeton's Computer Science Program
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Undergraduate: let the graded written paper do real work. Princeton is one of the few Ivy League schools that still requires a graded academic paper as part of the application; a strong one is a direct, credible signal of your academic writing ability that essays alone can't replicate.
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Undergraduate: build a genuine technical portfolio. With SAT/ACT optional and no official minimum GPA, admissions committees lean on demonstrated CS work, competitive programming, research, or substantial independent projects, to differentiate an already elite applicant pool.
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Graduate: don't submit a GRE score. Princeton's Computer Science department does not accept the GRE at all, so time spent preparing for it is time not spent strengthening your statement of purpose or securing stronger recommendations.
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Graduate: target department-level benchmarks, not university-wide figures. Since Princeton's Graduate School sets no aggregate acceptance rate that's meaningful for CS specifically, benchmark your profile against recent CS PhD admits (averaging a combined TOEFL of 108) rather than the 6.2% university-wide rate.
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Apply well ahead of deadlines at either level. A fully polished application submitted before November 1 (undergraduate Early Action) or your target department's December deadline (graduate) avoids last-minute issues with transcripts or recommenders.
English Proficiency Requirement (IELTS/TOEFL)
Princeton sets no university-wide minimum score at either level, but department-level practice varies:
- Undergraduate: no published minimum for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo; the requirement is waived if English is the applicant's native language or if they completed at least three years of secondary schooling taught primarily in English
- Graduate (Computer Science specifically): no university-wide minimum either, but the department sets an explicit Speaking sub-score floor of 8.0 on IELTS or 28/30 on TOEFL for Master's applicants; any admit scoring below that floor is typically required to take an English course after enrolling. Recently admitted CS PhD applicants averaged a combined TOEFL score of 108 (Reading 29, Listening 28, Speaking 24, Writing 27)
- Princeton does not offer conditional admission pending a future English test score at either level
For the full breakdown of Princeton's testing policy across schools, see Princeton University IELTS requirements and Princeton University TOEFL requirements. Because Princeton sets no official floor at the undergraduate level, treat a high score as a way to remove doubt entirely rather than merely clear a bar.
Career Outcomes
Princeton does not publish outcomes broken out specifically for Computer Science; the figures below reflect Princeton's broader undergraduate outcomes data (graduate outcomes are not published):
- Employment rate after 6 months: ~60.5% (university-wide undergraduate figure; a meaningful share of Princeton grads, especially in CS, go on to graduate study or take time before reporting employment)
- Average starting salary: ~$95,600 (university-wide undergraduate figure; CS-specific compensation, particularly in software engineering roles, is typically well above this blended average)
- Top recruiters (university-wide undergraduate): Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Google
Princeton CS graduates benefit from the university's brand recognition in both traditional tech recruiting and Wall Street-adjacent quant roles, a combination that's especially strong given Princeton's location roughly an hour from both New York City and Philadelphia.
FAQ
Does Princeton publish a separate acceptance rate for Computer Science? No, at either level. Undergraduate admission runs through a single pool (4.4% overall), and the Graduate School's 6.2% figure is an aggregate across 45+ departments, not CS-specific.
Is the GRE required for Princeton's Computer Science PhD? No. Princeton's Computer Science department does not require or accept the GRE at all, unlike some other Princeton graduate programs (e.g. SPIA's MPA, which does require it).
What IELTS or TOEFL score do I need for Princeton Computer Science? There's no official minimum at the undergraduate level. At the graduate level, Computer Science sets a Speaking sub-score floor of IELTS 8.0 or TOEFL 28/30 for Master's applicants, and recently admitted PhD applicants averaged a combined TOEFL score of 108.
How much does Princeton's Computer Science program cost? Undergraduate tuition is $65,210/year with total cost of attendance around $90,718/year. Graduate cost of attendance is around $103,820/year, but PhD students are essentially fully funded (tuition, health fees, and a living stipend), so this is rarely paid out of pocket.
Is Princeton need-blind for international undergraduate applicants? Yes. Princeton is one of the few US universities that is need-blind and meets full demonstrated financial need for every admitted undergraduate, including international applicants, using grants rather than loans.
Are Princeton's Computer Science PhD students fully funded? Yes. Princeton guarantees full funding, tuition, the student health plan, and a base living stipend, to all regularly enrolled PhD candidates for the length of their program, regardless of citizenship.