princeton phd political science admissions

Areas of Study

I Decided to Pick Politics

December 9, 2020.

I’ve loved following politics since I was a kid — as early as middle school, I would come home in the afternoons from school and turn the TV to political commentary while I did my homework. Accordingly, I’m sure it came as a surprise to no one who knows me when I decided to pick Politics as my major at Princeton, even though it wasn’t what I thought I would pick when I first stepped on campus. However, declaring Politics is one of the best choices I’ve made at Princeton, and I can’t imagine my university experience without it. 

Students who come to Princeton interested in politics and political science tend to choose between two departments: Politics and the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) , although some of my classmates who care most deeply about those subjects choose to concentrate in totally unrelated areas. While SPIA is an interdisciplinary program that spans politics as well as history, sociology, and economics, Politics is more precisely focused on political science and theory. Students generally choose Politics over SPIA or vice-versa because of personal subject matter preference, rather than any (likely non-existent) employability or graduate school-related concerns. 

There are also a number of ways to get involved with activities concerning politics, political science or government outside of the classroom. Whig-Clio is Princeton’s umbrella extracurricular political group. Organized within it are the Princeton Debate Panel , Princeton Mock Trial , Princeton Model Congress and more. Even if you don’t want to directly be involved in these sorts of extracurricular activities, Whig-Clio regularly hosts guest speaker events and even Presidential debate watch parties that are open to the whole student body. Outside of this organizing structure are the Princeton College Democrats and the Princeton College Republicans , which are rather directly tied to American political parties and offer community to politically like-minded undergrads. 

If you’re a writer, Princeton has a ton of outlets for you to share your beliefs. Perhaps two of the most prominent are The Princeton Progressive (known to students as “The Prog”), which terms itself “Princeton’s only left publication,” and The Princeton Tory , characterized on its website as “the leading Princeton publication of conservative thought.” Other publications like the Princeton Legal Journal , the Nassau Weekly  and even The Daily Princetonian aren’t overtly political in nature but provide fora for students to express their opinions. 

Many students either email me or ask me on my tours about what it’s like to study politics in college, since it’s a subject not usually taught in high schools. I can’t speak to what it’s like everywhere — but at Princeton, it’s been an exceedingly fulfilling experience.

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Princeton welcomes Class of 2028, growing transfer student community

The Office of Communications

Princeton welcomed 1,411 first-time, first-year students in the Class of 2028 for the opening of the 2024-25 academic year. Thirty-six transfer students also joined the undergraduate community, which represents the largest group of incoming transfers since the program’s reinstatement in fall 2018.

The first-year Class of 2028 includes 16.3% who are first-generation college students and 11.2% who are children of alumni.

The number of undergraduates receiving financial aid continues to increase under the University’s new financial aid model . In the Class of 2028, 71.5% of students qualify for financial aid and 21.7% of the class are lower-income students eligible for federal Pell Grants.

Princeton’s financial aid program, made possible by the University endowment and the sustained generosity of alumni and others, is known as one of the most generous in the country. The average aid package for an undergraduate student in 2024-25  is approximately $73,000.

Most families with incomes up to $100,000 a year pay nothing for their student to attend Princeton, and many families living in the U.S. with incomes up to and even beyond $300,000 receive grant aid, including those at higher income levels with multiple children in college.

Students in the Class of 2028 come from 48 states and Washington, D.C. International students represent 56 countries, including El Salvador, Estonia, Hungary, Indonesia, Kenya and Portugal.

On their applications, 65.8% of first-time enrolled students indicated an interest in Princeton’s bachelor of arts degree, and 28.5% percent indicated an interest in the University’s bachelor of science in engineering degree. The remainder of students indicated they are undecided.

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Karen Richardson, a 1993 Princeton graduate, welcomed incoming students to campus. “We are excited to welcome this incredibly accomplished group to the Princeton community. My colleagues and I look forward to hearing about how they help shape and contribute to discussions across campus in the years to come.”

Undergraduate and transfer student expansion

The Class of 2028 enters Princeton amid a four-year undergraduate expansion that will increase the student body by 500 students. The enrollment increase, paired with Princeton’s generous, no-loan financial aid program, will ensure that more talented students from all backgrounds have access to a Princeton education.

The undergraduate expansion includes an increase in the transfer student community on campus. Princeton announced in 2022 a multi-year increase in its transfer program, which is aimed at enrolling more students from military and community college backgrounds.

Of the 36 transfer students entering Princeton this fall, 23 have served in the U.S. military.

Twenty-six transfer students matriculated from community colleges, such as Mercer County Community College and Rowan College at Burlington County in New Jersey, and Bronx Community College and Suffolk County Community College in New York. 

Before the academic year began, nearly 200 incoming students participated in the Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI) Residential and Online programs this summer . Both the in-person and virtual experience offer students the opportunity to earn one or two Princeton class credits, learn from Princeton faculty, become familiar with the University’s many academic and well-being resources, and build community and friendships.

FSI is one of many programs offered through the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunit y to empower all students to successfully navigate the University’s many resources to achieve their academic, personal and long-term professional goals.

The Office of Admission also works with college access groups that support students, including those from lower-income and first-generation backgrounds, such as QuestBridge, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) and the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP). Admission also works with transfer support networks and veteran and military programs, including Service to School and the Warrior-Scholar Project, in preparing U.S. military veterans and service members for higher education. The University is a member of the American Talent Initiative (ATI), a national effort to expand college access and opportunity for talented lower- and moderate-income students.

Princeton’s holistic admissions process carefully adheres to the limits set out by the Supreme Court in the Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard College and University of North Carolina cases.

Related Stories

Class of 2027 arrives in midst of four-year undergraduate expansion .

Two-thirds of the class qualifies for financial aid under the University's newly expanded program, which is one of the most generous in the country.

Class of 2026 arrives on campus; the first in Princeton’s four-year expansion of the undergraduate student body .

Princeton welcomed 1,500 first-time, first-year members of the Class of 2026. The class includes 17% who are first-generation college students, and 21% of the class are lower income students eligible for federal Pell Grants.  

Princeton’s Class of 2025 arrives from around the globe, embracing increased numbers of first-gen and lower-income students .

Princeton University has welcomed the Class of 2025 to campus with students coming from all 50 states — plus Washington, D. C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands — and 58 different countries. Eighteen percent are first-generation college students, 22% are lower-income students eligible for federal Pell grants and 62% qualify for financial aid. 

Princeton is pleased to offer admission to 1,823 students for Class of 2024 .

Students admitted to the incoming Class of 2024 include 17% who will be first-generation college students and 61% of U.S. citizens or permanent residents self-identified as people of color. 

Princeton is pleased to offer admission to 1,895 students for Class of 2023 .

Eighteen percent of those offered admission to Princeton's Class of 2023 will be first in their families to go to college.

In an extraordinary year, Princeton offers admission to 1,498 students for the Class of 2025 .

Students admitted to the incoming Class of 2025 include 22% who will be first-generation college students and 68% of U.S. citizens or permanent residents self-identified as people of color. 

Princeton celebrates the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity and programs supporting first-gen, lower-income, veteran and transfer students .

The University welcomed Emma Bloomberg ’01 and Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Bloomberg LP and 108th mayor of New York City, to campus on April 4 to dedicate the center.

Academic Programs

Graduate programs.

Undergraduate Program

Public Service Preparation

The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs offers a rigorous graduate curriculum that enables students to immerse themselves in a challenging intellectual environment. Students emerge with a sound understanding of the disciplines that shape public and international affairs.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Discover Our Research

Our students & faculty.

How to Apply

• Department of Political Science >
• Graduate >
• Graduate Admissions >
• Dowling, Conor

Find your home in UB Political Science! We're here to help you every step of the way. 

• 8/16/21 Graduate Admissions
• 10/18/18 Request More Information

Already enrolled in UB? Get details about advisement, forms and other resources for current students. 

• 3/16/23 Info for Current Students

Conor M. Dowling

Scholarly Interests

Mass and elite political behavior in the U.S. context; Public opinion; Electoral competition, representation, and public policy; Experimental methods

Contact Information

419 Park Hall

Buffalo NY, 14260

Phone: (716) 645-8436

[email protected]

Personal Information

Conor Dowling is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University at Buffalo, after joining the department in the fall of 2023. His research and teaching interests are in American Politics, where he studies both mass and elite political behavior with a substantive focus on issues of electoral competition, representation, and public policy, campaign finance law and health policy in particular. He is the co-author of three books and more than 30 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. He received his MA and PhD from Binghamton University and his BA from James Madison University.

• PhD, Binghamton University
• MA, Binghamton University
• BA, James Madison University

Current Research

Courses taught.

• PSC 436 Citizen Participation

Selected Publications

• Doherty, David, Conor M. Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2022.  Small Power: How Local Parties Shape Elections . Oxford University Press.
• Doherty, David, Conor M. Dowling, Michael G. Miller, and Michelle D. Tuma. 2022. “Race, Crime, and the Public’s Sentencing Preferences.” Public Opinion Quarterly  86(S1): 523-546.
• Doherty, David, Conor M. Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2021. “The Conditional Effect of Local Party Organization Activity on Federal Election Outcomes.” Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties  31(3): 368-387. 
• Patashnik, Eric M., Alan S. Gerber, and Conor M. Dowling. 2017 [2020 Paperback].   Unhealthy Politics: The Battle over Evidence-Based Medicine .  Princeton University Press.
• Dowling, Conor M., Michael Henderson, and Michael G. Miller. 2020. “Knowledge Persists, Opinions Drift: Learning and Opinion Change in a Three-Wave Panel Experiment.” American Politics Research  48(2): 263-274. 
• Doherty, David, Conor M. Dowling, and Michael G. Miller. 2019. “Do Local Party Chairs Think Women and Minority Candidates Can Win? Evidence from a Conjoint Experiment.” Journal of Politics  81(4): 1282-1297. 

Monday, September 9

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Princeton enrollment untouched by affirmative action ban

Louisa Gheorghita / The Daily Princetonian

The first Princeton class admitted following the Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious affirmative action has experienced little change in racial diversity, according to enrollment statistics released by the University on Wednesday.

The University’s admission numbers are in stark contrast to its peer institution, MIT, which saw a dramatic drop in Black and Hispanic/Latine enrollment following the ban. Hispanic/Latine enrollment at Princeton experienced a one point drop, from 10 percent to nine percent, while Black enrollment shifted by less than one percent.

Asian American enrollment, however, experienced a 2.2 percent decrease from 26 percent to 23.8 percent — an outcome shared by Yale University, which saw a six percent decline. The share of Asian American students enrolled, notably, is not an outlier for the University, with the population making up 20.5 percent of the Class of 2025, and 25 percent of the Class of 2026.

University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 announced his intention to maintain diversity at the University in spite of an affirmative action ban during a January 2023 interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“We’re going to be as creative as we can within the boundaries of the law,” he said ahead of the Supreme Court ruling.

In an emailed statement to The Daily Princetonian regarding how the numbers managed to stay stable, University spokesperson Jennifer Morrill wrote, “We can’t speak to the admissions processes of other institutions, either before or after the Court’s ruling. At Princeton, we are adhering to the limits set by the ruling and continuing to use a holistic admission process that involves a highly individualized assessment of the applicant's talents, achievements and his or her potential to contribute to learning at Princeton.” “It’s important to note that our admissions team continues to broaden its outreach to potential applicants to encourage the most talented students from across society to consider Princeton,” she added.

Alongside the release of enrollment statistics, the University has included a new note explaining that its admission cycle was in line with the court’s ruling. 

“Princeton’s holistic admissions process carefully adheres to the limits set out by the Supreme Court in the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard College and University of North Carolina cases,” the announcement reads.

Other groups also experienced drops in enrollment. The class has no Native Hawaiian American or Pacific Islander students, while in previous years the number floated at less than one percent. International student representation saw a two point drop as well, falling from 14 percent of the Class of 2027 to 12 percent in this year’s first-year class.

For the first time, the University has also disclosed the proportion of white students enrolled, making up 31.3 percent of the student body. 7.7 percent of the student body’s racial identity is unknown.

Following the court’s decision, the University updated its application process and invited applicants to reflect on their “ lived experiences ” through their application essays. 

The enrollment statistics also reveal other expansions in the University’s efforts to diversify the student body.

71.5 percent of the class qualifies for financial aid, a 5.5 percent climb from the Class of 2027. 36 transfer students were admitted alongside 2028, marking the largest transfer student cohort since the program’s reinstatement in 2018. 23 of the transfers are U.S. veterans.

Less first-years in the Class of 2028 are first-generation college students than in the Class of 2027, falling from 17 percent to 16.3 percent. 11.2 percent are children of alumni, compared to 13 percent in the Class of 2027. 

The percentage of students who are Pell Grant-eligible remained stable, however, with 21.7 percent of the Class of 2028 being eligible.

 In total, there are 1,411 first-time, first-year students, which marks a slight increase from the Class of 2027. The Class of 2026 remains the largest with 1,500 students — the first class admitted under the University’s student body expansion. 

The Class of 2028 represents 48 states, Washington, D.C., and 56 countries. 

Correction: A previous version of the piece incorrectly stated that Asian American enrollment dropped by 4.2 percent. In reality, it dropped by 2.2 percent.

Olivia Sanchez is an associate News editor for the ‘Prince.’ She is from New Jersey and often covers the graduate school and academic departments.

Please send corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Lawnparties, in motion

Moments from Fall 2024 Lawnparties with headliners Daya and NLE Choppa.

B(l)ack Together promotes belonging at annual community barbecue

On Thursday, Sept. 5, the BSU, CAF, and ODUS hosted the annual B(l)ack Together event, which is held during the first week of classes in the fall semester each year and serves as a networking event for Black undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff.

Daya and NLE Choppa take center stage at sunny Lawnparties

In a day filled with bright sun and blue skies, Daya and NLE Choppa both took to the main stage, though a student opener was absent due to last-minute changes.

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Search Form

Graduate admission.

Students with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university may apply to the M.A. or to the Ph.D. program. Admission is granted without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, national origin, or disability. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Fall 2024 priority deadline is January 1, 2024.

A completed application includes:

• A completed UNL Graduate Studies application form
• Payment of the Graduate Studies application fee ($50)
• Official grade transcripts from all colleges attended
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty members familiar with one's potential for graduate study
• GRE Scores are optional for Fall 2024 admissions.
• Writing sample (a college term paper, research report, or essay)
• Personal statement (2 pages)
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (1-2 pages)
• TOEFL or IETLS score (international students only)
• Evidence of financial resources for self-support (international students only)

Only completed applications are considered. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but priority admissions deadlines for funding consideration are listed below.

Graduate Degree Requirements

For departmental requirements:

David Csontos , Political Science Graduate Secretary

For general questions:

Office of Graduate Studies

Graduate School

Political Philosophy

General information, program offerings:.

• Interdepartmental Program

Department for program:

Director of graduate studies:, graduate program administrator:.

The Program in Political Philosophy is available to students with interests in one or more of three areas: (1) the history of political ideas, (2) the investigation of contemporary problems of political philosophy, and (3) the study of the relations between institutional and social history and systems of political thought. The program enables doctoral candidates in the affiliated departments to supplement their disciplinary training with specialized work in one of the other affiliated departments. The doctoral dissertation is written on a problem in political philosophy in one of the three areas.

Students join the program after first entering the Ph.D. program of one of the affiliated departments. Entry into and progress through the program is guided by the department’s director of graduate studies (or other departmental adviser) and by the director of the program.

Program Offerings

Program offering: interdepartmental program.

Students enrolled in the program are expected to concentrate within their departments, so far as departmental requirements permit, on studies relevant to it. They do their extra-departmental work in one or several of the affiliated departments. Students should check with their home department about whether the department has specific coursework requirements for students enrolled in the program.

General exam

The general examination is set by the individual departments after consultation with the director of the program. Whenever suitable, members of affiliated departments will be invited to participate in setting and grading the exam. The departmental requirements (which are subject to revision) are as follows:

• Classics students enrolled in the program are required to take a special field exam in political philosophy.
• History students enrolled in the program devote special attention to the history of political philosophy within the area and the chronological limits of their major field, and are examined on this special interest during the general examination.
• Philosophy students enrolled in the program are expected to show knowledge of the major political philosophers of the western tradition and to have given special attention to contemporary discussions of the problems of political philosophy (for example, the definition of law and the concepts of justice, freedom, and democracy). The departmental requirements are adjusted to their special needs. The general examination is in the field of political or social philosophy.
• Politics students enrolled in the program include, among the three fields on their general examination, a field in political philosophy (in addition to the regular departmental field in political theory). Coursework for the field in political philosophy must be taken outside the Department of Politics within one or more of the other departments participating in the program.
• Religion students enrolled in the program, concentrating in the field of “Religion, Ethics, and Politics,” include among the four parts of their general examination one essay on a topic in political philosophy, written under the supervision of an appropriate member from the classics, history, philosophy, or politics departments.

Additional requirements

The interdepartmental committee sponsors a colloquium for all members and associates of the program.  All graduate students participating in the interdepartmental program are encouraged to participate in colloquium seminars and lectures.

• Gregory A. Conti (acting)
• Jan-Werner Müller

Executive Committee

• Edward G. Baring, History
• Charles R. Beitz, Politics
• David A. Bell, History
• Flora Champy, French & Italian
• Michael A. Flower, Classics
• Daniel Garber, Philosophy
• Eric S. Gregory, Religion
• Elizabeth Harman, Philosophy
• Melissa Lane, Politics
• Stephen J. Macedo, Politics
• Jan-Werner Müller, Politics
• Alan W. Patten, Politics
• Michael Smith, Philosophy

Associated Faculty

• Paul E. Starr, Sociology

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

The 25 Colleges With The Highest Payoff

From mit to the city college of new york, these 25 schools send graduates out into the world with high earnings potential and little if any student debt., by francesca walton , forbes staff.

C ollege is an investment , and one more and more Americans are leery of. Most now say a college degree isn’t worth taking on student debt . A new Gallup poll finds a third of Americans—triple the number of a decade ago—have little to no confidence in higher education, with costs (along with politics) underlying this growing disenchantment.

So here’s the good news: There are lots of schools on Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list that actually produce an excellent return on investment. This is about more than just the sticker price. Go to a cheap school that produces lousy job prospects and taking on even a few thousand in debt (plus the lost time you spent studying) may not be worth it. Pick an “expensive” school that reduces the net cost with generous aid and catapults its graduates into lucrative careers and your investment could pay off, big-time.

To determine which of Forbes ’ top 500 colleges offer the best return on investment (ROI), we looked at each school’s price-to-earnings premium, a calculation by the think tank Third Way that shows the number of years it takes graduates to recoup the net cost of their education. We also factored in the schools’ debt-to-percent-borrowed index, a figure that Forbes created for the top 500 colleges list that takes into account how many students take on debt to attend the school, and how much debt those graduates leave with.

Combined, these measures gave us 25 schools that offer a low-debt education and promise high earnings potential. In other words, a high average ROI. Some of them come as no surprise—science and technology heavy-hitters Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , for example, both offer their students stellar ROIs. Others, like the nine City University of New York (CUNY) schools on this list, are less well known, particularly outside of New York.

To learn more about each school, click on the college name. To see where each school ranks in the top 500, click here .

Princeton University

Princeton University continues to take the #1 spot not only in the top 500, but also in terms of students’ return on investment. The New Jersey Ivy League university offers nearly 40 majors and certificate programs; the most popular majors are computer science, economics, and public policy. Over the years, more graduates have gone into the finance and technology sectors than any other industry (with business, consulting, and hedge funds also being well represented). The median salary for a Princeton graduate ten years after receiving their diploma is just under $200,000, and the university’s generous financial aid (backed by a huge $34 billion endowment) ensures that students graduate with little to no debt.

Stanford University

“Ivy-plus” Stanford University in California is known nationwide for its focus on STEM programs and its pipeline to high-paying Silicon Valley jobs. Many students end up in the technology and startup space, and within a few years of graduating, the median Stanford grad brings home $100,000 or more per year. Only around 5% of students take out federal loans to attend the university, with the median loan amount totaling $9,851.

CUNY City College of New York

CCNY is the first of nine City University of New York schools on this list, and the oldest in the 25-college public system. It was also the first free public institution of higher education in America. It’s no longer free, but undergraduate tuition for New York state residents is just $6,930 a year. Psychology, biology and computer science are popular majors at the public college in midtown Manhattan, and graduates recoup their net cost in just six months, according to Third Way data.

California Institute of Technology

Graduates of the California Institute of Technology earn a median salary of $132,140 six years after enrolling (and for many bachelor’s-degree holders, two years after graduating). The science and technology-oriented school in Pasadena, California offers its graduates a price-to-earnings premium of 0.73, meaning it takes graduates about nine months to recoup the cost of their education.

CUNY Hunter College

CUNY’s Hunter College, located on the upper east side of Manhattan, offers more than a hundred undergraduate and postgraduate majors across its five schools. Only 6.5% of students take out loans to attend the college, and their median loan balance is $8,812. Hunter College graduates typically recoup their net cost within half a year, per Third Way data.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology boasts high salaries for its graduates—MIT alumni earn a median $105,000 six years after graduating. A tiny 4% of MIT students take out federal student loans (with their median debt being $12,462) and 95% of borrowers are able to make a dent in their loan principal within five years of graduating. The Cambridge-based university is known for its intense science and technology programs, with computer science, mechanical engineering and math among the most popular majors.

CUNY Brooklyn College

Only 7% of students take out federal loans to attend CUNY Brooklyn College, and their median loan total sits at $9,218. Once graduated, Brooklyn College students make up the net cost of their education in just over half a year, according to Third Way data. The school accepts 55% of applicants, and popular majors include psychology, accounting, and business administration and management.

CUNY York College

CUNY York College in Jamaica, Queens, offers its undergraduates 60 majors to choose from, including nursing, social work and health services. About 5% of students take out federal loans to attend York College, and their median loan total is just $7,500, one of the lowest figures of the 25 schools on this list. Graduates recoup their net cost in just over a year, according to Third Way.

CUNY Queens College

CUNY Queens College, neighbor to York College, also offers its students a stand-out ROI: graduates recoup their net cost within nine months (low-income students do so within six months), and just 8% percent of students take out loans, with a median student debt of $8,580. The college accepts 70% of its applicants, and enrolls nearly 12,400 students.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

The CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers students an education in criminal justice and forensic science, and many graduates go on to work in local police forces, earn law degrees, or work in public policy. The 7% of students who borrow to attend the school take out a median $9,250 in loans, and graduates recoup their net cost in about 10 months. Low-income students recoup their cost in around half a year.

Harvard University

Less than 3% of students borrow federal dollars to attend America’s oldest college, Harvard University, thanks in large part to the comprehensive aid packages the school grants to all students showing financial need. Like Princeton, Harvard’s generosity is funded by its $50 billion endowment. After graduation, Harvard alumni need a little over a year to recoup their net cost, and low-income students specifically take about six months to do so.

Rice University

Rice University in Houston, Texas, which made its top-ten debut on this year’s Forbes ’ America’s Top Colleges list, is known for its engineering and computer science programs. Graduates earn a median salary of $88,000 six years after graduating, and an impressive $152,100 ten years out. Rice alumni recoup their net cost in just about a year after graduating, per Third Way data.

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Noticing a trend? CUNY Bernard M Baruch College is the seventh CUNY school on this list, cementing the New York system’s reputation as a cost-effective option for bachelor’s degree seekers. The Manhattan college offers 29 majors, with finance and accounting being the most popular. Graduates recoup their net cost within about five months, and low-income graduates do so in about two months, the fastest of any school on this list. About 10% of students borrow to attend the school, taking out a median $10,000 in loans.

Berea College

The median loan balance for students at Berea College in Kentucky is a low $3,516, which is no surprise given the school charges $0 in tuition. About 10% of students take out federal loans to cover other costs, such as room and board, books and supplies. Graduates of the small school take about 15 months to recoup their net cost, per Third Way data.

CUNY Lehman College

Popular programs at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx include psychology, healthcare administration and accounting. Nearly 11% of students take on debt to attend the school, with a median federal loan balance of $8,500. It takes graduates about nine months to recoup their net cost, and low-income students need about seven months to do so.

Yale University

Thanks to generous Yale financial aid, only 5% of students take out federal loans to attend this Ivy League school in New Haven, Connecticut and the median debt load for those graduates sits at $11,648. But paying back those loans shouldn’t be too hard, since two years after graduating with a four year degree, Yalies have a median salary of $81,765 and eight years later, the median is $168,300. Graduates take about 14 months to recoup their net cost, according to Third Way.

University of Florida

The University of Florida is the largest school on this list, counting nearly 33,000 undergraduates, 12% of whom take on student loans. Students who borrow take out a median $14,000 to attend the public university in Gainesville, and five years after graduating, three-quarters of those borrowers are able to make a dent in their loan principal. Popular majors among Gator Nation include engineering, marketing and communications. Earlier this year, the University of Florida was named one of Forbes ’ New Ivies , in part because of its high reputation among employers.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

For students interested in aviation and aerospace programs, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida offers a great return on investment. Graduates need about 14 months to recoup the net cost of their degree, and low-income graduates specifically take about 16 months. Ten percent of students borrow federal dollars to attend the university, with a median loan amount of $14,250.

CUNY College of Staten Island

Only 9% of students borrow to attend the College of Staten Island, and their median federal loan burden is $8,846. Graduates, including low-income graduates, can recoup their net cost within about a year and a half. Popular majors at the New York university include psychology, social science, and business.

University of Chicago

The rigorous University of Chicago, often dubbed an “Ivy-plus” school, is popular for its social sciences, mathematics and economics programs. Graduates recoup their net cost within about a year and a half, though low-income students can do so in less than a month, thanks largely to sizable financial aid packages that bring tuition, fees and housing costs to near-zero. About 5% of students borrow to attend the university, with a median debt load of $13,368.

Brigham Young University

Mormon mainstay Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, offers popular programs in business, biomedical science and engineering. About 10% of students borrow to attend the university, taking on median federal student debt of $8,310. Graduates need about a year and a half to recoup the net cost of their education, and low-income students can do so in a little less than a year.

University of Pennsylvania

Graduates of the University of Pennsylvania earn a median $89,100 six years after graduating, and a median $171,800 ten years out. These high salaries allow graduates to recoup their net cost within about a year and a half, though low-income students can do so in less than a month because of the university’s comprehensive financial aid. Popular majors at the Ivy League university include finance (at Penn’s Wharton School of business), social sciences, biology and nursing.

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College, part of the seven-school Claremont College consortium in southern California, enrolls about 1,400 students. Around 16% of students take out federal loans to attend the college, with a median debt balance of $11,948. Six years after graduating, alumni earn a median of $86,700, and $167,000 ten years out.

California State University-Dominguez Hills

California State University-Dominguez Hills in Carson, California enrolls around 12,000 undergraduates. After walking away with their degree, graduates need about 10 months to recoup their net cost, and low-income students specifically take about eight months. One in five students borrow money to attend the university, with an average federal loan balance of $11,902. Popular majors at the state university include business administration, psychology and criminal justice.

Vanderbilt University

At Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, just under 10% of students take out federal loans and they end up with a median debt of $12,913. The university offers 70 undergraduate majors, including economics, social science and computer science. It takes graduates about a year and a half to recoup the net cost of their degree, and low-income students can do so within about eight months.

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New princeton review rates usf as nation’s most diverse university.

by  Mary McInerney, USF News

USF is one of eight “standout schools” in the new Princeton Review college survey, recognized for having the nation’s most diverse student body and for being rated as a top university in the United States.

The university is also ranked as a “Best in the West” college for its “academically outstanding” curriculum, according to The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition , released Aug. 27.

The survey, based on 168,000 students’ responses, includes comments by USF students:

"Getting to know each other academically, socially, and morally while allowing ourselves to get distracted by the city of San Francisco."

"USF is interested in developing the individual into a strong leader with a particular emphasis on the forces of self-reflection and self-awareness."

“Outstanding for students who care about their community and the world beyond themselves."

The Princeton Review includes 15 percent of four-year colleges in the U.S.

New this year is the list of eight standout schools, including USF, which is the result of surveys of college applicants and their parents. The list highlights schools recognized in six areas — lowest tuition and fees, highest number of need-based scholarships, lowest average undergraduate debt, most diverse student body (USF), most countries represented, and highest four-year graduation rate.

USF students who responded to the survey talked about academics, student life, and campus life.

On academics: Make “an impact in the world in the area that you are passionate about.” Students are encouraged to think for themselves in an atmosphere that "emphasizes acceptance, diversity, and critical thinking."

On student life: Students "care about the community and believe in taking action to demonstrate their beliefs," and "the average student may be working for an NGO or volunteering regularly at one of the many nonprofits in San Francisco."

On campus life in San Francisco: There's something for everyone, "whether you enjoy hiking and nature (Golden Gate Park) or enjoy small coffee shops for a nice read."

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