Princeton, New Jersey has a population of about 30,451. The city’s median household income is $184,113 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 84.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Princeton. In the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $174,320 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Princeton city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County Community College | West Windsor, NJ | 7.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Thomas Edison State University | Trenton, NJ | 10.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Raritan Valley Community College | Branchburg, NJ | 17.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Middlesex College | Edison, NJ | 19.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| DeVry University-New Jersey | Iselin, NJ | 23.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New Jersey schools on the New Jersey engineering page.
Princeton is part of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area (BLS area code 45940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $100,710 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $97,587 |
| Electrical Engineer | $107,240 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $103,915 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $101,560 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $98,411 |
| Chemical Engineer | $131,320 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $127,248 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $128,400 | NJ statewide | $124,419 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $115,080 | NJ statewide | $111,512 |
| Environmental Engineer | $86,120 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $83,450 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $174,320 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $168,915 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,451 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $184,113 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 84.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 103.2 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Mercer County | 4,073 workers, 218 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Princeton. The closest is Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, NJ (7.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is DeVry University-New Jersey (23.8 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Princeton are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($174,320), Chemical Engineer ($131,320), Aerospace Engineer ($128,400). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Trenton, NJ is 10.4 miles from Princeton and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Princeton’s median household income of $184,113 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Princeton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
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