Princeton Ethnic Breakdown
Princeton University is a highly diverse and inclusive community, with students and faculty from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Princeton ethnic breakdown is one of the most diverse in the US.
The university’s student body consisted of students from more than 80 countries, representing a wide range of ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.
In the lines that follow, we will offer you information about Princeton ethnic breakdown of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff members. In addition, we will discuss the university’s racial equity commitments and how they currently manage them.
Princeton Ethnic Breakdown
Racial and ethnic minorities are more substantially represented among undergraduates at Princeton, as at other prestigious schools and universities, than among graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, professors, and senior administrators.
Individuals who are black, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or Native Alaskan are underrepresented in all university demographics in comparison to their national proportions.
What is the student ethnic breakdown at Princeton?
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Princeton University’s student body? Princeton ethnic breakdown shows the racial/ethnic composition of various student groups (Undergraduates, Master’s students, Doctoral students, and Postdocs) in the university. Some implications based on the data are listed below.
Race/Ethnicity of Princeton Campus Populations (Academic Year 2022-2023)
| Population | Asian | Black | Hispanic | Native American, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
White | Multi-racial | Unknown |
| Undergraduates | 28% | 9% | 11% | >1% | 41% | 7% | 3% |
| Master’s Students | 27% | 9% | 15% | 0% | 39% | 3% | 7% |
| Doctoral Students | 33% | 4% | 9% | >1% | 39% | 4% | 10% |
| Postdocs | 31% | 3% | 7% | >1% | 44% | 1% | 14% |
High representation of Asian students
The high representation of Asian students in all student groups suggests that the university has a diverse student body.
Additionally, it can also indicate that the university has a strong outreach and recruitment program aimed at attracting Asian students.
Low representation of Black students
There are concerns regarding the university’s outreach and recruiting efforts made toward people of African descent because there is a disproportionately small number of black students across all student groupings.
Moderate representation of Hispanic students
The university’s attempts to reach out to and attract Hispanic students are reflected in the university’s modest representation of Hispanic students across all student groupings.
However, the lower representation in higher-level programs, such as doctorate students and postdoctoral fellows, indicates that more has to be done to assist their advancement and success.
Low representation of Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students
A greater effort must be made to reach out to and recruit students from these areas, as well as to support their success and retention, as seen by the low presence of these students across all student groupings.
Moderate representation of Multiracial students
The fact that there are a fair number of students from more than one race shows that the university is making progress toward making its student body more open and diverse.
Moderate representation of students with unknown ethnicity
There is a moderate number of students whose ethnicity cannot be determined, which raises issues regarding the data gathering and monitoring techniques used by the university.
It may also signal that there is a need for better outreach and assistance to make sure that all students feel supported and comfortable in the community of the university.
What is the teaching staff ethnic breakdown at Princeton?
What racial and ethnic backgrounds are represented in Princeton’s teaching faculty? Princeton ethnic breakdown shows the racial and ethnic representation of faculty in four different categories: Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, Full Professors, and Non-Tenure-Track Faculty. This part of Princeton ethnic breakdown suggests that representation of racial and ethnic minorities is limited across all levels of the faculty.
| Population | Asian | Black | Hispanic | Native American, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
White | Multi-racial | Unknown |
| Assistant Professors | 20% | 12% | 5% | 1% | 49% | 1% | 13% |
| Associate Professors | 11% | 3% | 8% | 0% | 73% | 1% | 4% |
| Full Professors | 11% | 4% | 3% | 0% | 78% | 0% | 4% |
| Non-Tenure-Track Faculty | 14% | 9% | 9% | 0% | 57% | 1% | 10% |
For Assistant Professors, Asian individuals are the most represented minority group at 20%, followed by Black individuals at 12% and Hispanic individuals at 5%. Representation of Native American, Native Alaskan, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander individuals is extremely limited, with only 1% represented. White individuals make up 49% of the group and there is a low representation of multiracial individuals (1%) and individuals with unknown ethnicities (13%).
For Associate Professors, representation of minority groups is lower. Asian individuals make up 11% of the group, followed by Hispanic individuals at 8%. Black individuals are the least represented minority group at only 3%. White individuals make up 73% of the group, with a low representation of multiracial individuals (1%) and individuals with unknown ethnicities (4%).
For Full Professors, representation of minority groups is even lower. Asian individuals make up 11% of the group, followed by Black individuals at 4% and Hispanic individuals at 3%. There is no representation of Native American, Native Alaskan, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander individuals, and white individuals make up 78% of the group. Representation of individuals with unknown ethnicities is 4%.
For Non-Tenure-Track Faculty, representation of minority groups is slightly higher compared to the other categories. Asian individuals make up 14% of the group, followed by Black individuals at 9% and Hispanic individuals at 9%. White individuals make up 57% of the group, with a low representation of multiracial individuals (1%) and individuals with unknown ethnicities (10%).
The data suggests that there is limited representation of racial and ethnic minorities at all levels of the faculty, with representation declining as the level of seniority increases.
What is the non-teaching staff ethnic breakdown at Princeton?
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Princeton’s administrative and support staff? Princeton ethnic breakdown shows the racial demographic distribution of two groups of staff: senior staff and all other staff.
It suggests that the senior staff group is predominantly white (75%) with a minority of Asian (11%) and Black (8%) individuals. The Hispanic population is even lower (4%) and there are no Native American, Native Alaskan, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander individuals represented. The remaining 2% are unknown.
| Population | Asian | Black | Hispanic | Native American, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
White | Multi-racial | Unknown |
| Senior Staff | 11% | 8% | 4% | 0% | 75% | 0% | 2% |
| All Other Staff | 12% | 13% | 8% | >1% | 64% | 1% | 3% |
For the “all other staff” group, the demographic distribution is somewhat different. While the white population is still the largest (64%), the Asian (12%) and Black (13%) populations are slightly higher. The Hispanic population is also slightly higher (8%). The Native American, Native Alaskan, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander population is above 1%. Multiracial individuals make up 1% and the unknown population is 3%.
If the population of Asian and Black individuals in the “All Other Staff” group is higher than in the Senior Staff group, it may indicate that there is a more diverse representation among the lower ranks of staff compared to the senior leadership.
This could potentially mean that the organization has made a recent effort to increase diversity among the lower ranks of staff, but this effort has not yet been reflected in the senior leadership.
What are some of Princeton’s racial equity commitments?
Upon knowing Princeton ethnic breakdown, what kinds of commitments does Princeton have in terms of racial equity? Princeton University is committed to promoting racial equity and creating a welcoming and inclusive community for all members of its campus.
This commitment is rooted in the university’s belief in equal opportunity, diversity, and social justice, and is reflected in its various policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at addressing racial disparities and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Commitment: Explore the possibility of a new credit- or degree-granting program that would extend Princeton’s teaching to a new range of students from communities disproportionately affected by systemic racism and other forms of disadvantage.
Cole Crittenden has been named the first vice provost for academic affairs by the Office of the Provost. Crittenden will look for creative ways to use Princeton’s purpose, advantages, and resources to meet the special needs and ambitions of non-traditional students, with a concentration on adult learners.
The vice provost for academic affairs will collaborate with campus leaders and other institutions serving non-traditional students to find innovative ways to help professors and students at these institutions through cooperation, exchanges, complementing educational experiences, and mentorship.
Commitment: Assemble a faculty that more closely reflects both the diverse make-up of Princeton’s students and the national pool of candidates; establish and strengthen parallel initiatives to diversify the pipeline of Princeton’s postdoctoral researchers, lecturers, visiting faculty and graduate students; and re-conceive the Faculty Advisory Committee on Diversity.
Frederick Wherry has been named the first vice dean for diversity and inclusion in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty, as well as the head of the Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellows Program, by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.
Wherry will be the principal thought leader on issues of diversity and inclusion for all populations designated through the Dean of the Faculty’s Office.
In addition, the establishment of the Effron Center for the Study of America will allow Princeton to make critical investments in professors, visitors, and fellows to promote developing fields of American studies study and provide a broader range of curricular offerings; given the rising Princeton ethnic breakdown.
Finally, in spring 2021, members of the Faculty Advisory Committee on Diversity (FACD) were chosen. The FACD, chaired by President Eisgruber, met on a regular basis during the academic year to assess and offer input on top University academic leaders’ strategic goals and plans for diversity and inclusion.
The team also met with the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Academic Affairs to describe their activities and solicit trustee comments.
Commitment: Develop an institution-wide, multi-year action plan for supplier and contractor diversity.
To begin, last spring, the Office of Finance and Treasury approved a multi-year supplier diversity action plan. The strategy intends to create a more diverse supplier base for the University by broadening the pool of supplier skills, capabilities, and viewpoints, as well as including more businesses that are at least 51% owned and run by people of color, women, veterans, or LGBTQ+ community members. Michelle Thomas, an assistant director for supplier diversity, has been appointed to help with the plan’s execution.
Finally, the Office of Facilities hosted an action forum comprised of peer institutions, architects, construction executives, and others to discuss collaborative ways for increasing the pipeline of minority-owned enterprises in the building trades.
Commitment: Develop general principles to govern questions about when and under what circumstances it might be appropriate for the University to remove or contextualize the names and representations of historical individuals honored on the Princeton campus.
The proposals for overarching principles for naming, renaming, and modifying campus iconography were issued in April 2021 by the Trustee Ad Hoc Committee to Govern Naming and Changes to Campus Iconography.
Prospect House and portions of Nassau Hall were refurbished with new, community-oriented artwork in response to the Trustee Ad Hoc Committee’s suggestions to continue to diversify and contextualize the visual environment of the campus.
Three new portraits commissioned by the University’s History and Sense of Place Initiative have been finished and will be dedicated later this month and in the autumn.
Former U.S. Senator William (Bill) Bradley, Class of 1965; Elaine Fuchs, Graduate School Class of 1977 and a world-renowned leader in cell biology and molecular genetics; and Ruth Simmons, a distinguished Princeton administrator and former vice provost who now serves as president of Prairie View A&M University, are featured in the portraits.
The three pictures are among eight new portraits of graduates, retired academics, and administrators commissioned since 2018 to highlight the University’s diversity.
Experience a diverse community at Princeton
Princeton University’s commitment to promoting racial equity and creating a diverse and inclusive community is reflected in its student and faculty populations.
The university’s ongoing efforts to diversify Princeton ethnic breakdown help to create a rich and dynamic learning environment, where students are able to broaden their perspectives, engage in meaningful cross-cultural exchanges, and learn from a diverse range of perspectives.
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