Principia College

Elsah, IL · Midwest

Known forBig endowment per studentGenerous aid

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 339 undergrads, where 0% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

339

undergrads · larger than 16% of colleges

Diversity index

0.69

Pell Grant

below the median

Rural, near a cityNCAA D-III · St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.47 → 0.69 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Education, General (12% of graduates). 6 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 95% of colleges. 81% of faculty are full-time. Spends $32,709 a year on instruction per student.

6 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 95% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $21,178 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $3.1K less than the national median. The 90% who received grants paid $18,248 on average; the other 10% paid the full sticker price of $48,650.

56%

$21.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $3.1K below the national median

Full price: $48,650 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes

Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 56% of full price

Federal loans

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office

Cost steady · +0% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

79% graduate within six years.

79%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Retention

83%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 88% → 74% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 4% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid held about steady, as grants covered less of it.

Cost
Steady
0% after inflation
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.47 → 0.69

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Curtis Institute of Music

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Manhattan School of Music

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Principia College (2026)
Principia College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 148016 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything