Princeton trustees approve $3.4B core mission budget

Princeton’s trustees have adopted a $3.407 billion operating budget for 2026–27, reflecting a strategic shift from a decade of historic growth to a sharper focus on the University’s core mission. The budget represents a 2.1% increase over the prior year—the smallest annual rise in over a decade, excluding pandemic-related declines.

Undergraduate financial aid will increase by 5.4% to $342 million, with approximately 70% of undergraduates expected to receive aid. Graduate student stipends will rise by 2.25%. The endowment is projected to cover 65% of the University’s net operating budget.

In response to federal research funding cuts, reduced endowment return assumptions, and rising health benefit costs, Princeton plans to implement cost-saving measures. Future efforts may include reimagining campus services, workforce adjustments, and consolidating or eliminating certain functions, while maintaining investments in teaching, research, and financial aid.