Is NYU or Princeton generally considered more prestigious?

Princeton is generally viewed as more prestigious overall. It has the older Ivy League brand, a stronger across-the-board academic reputation, and more of the traditional elite-college image that people usually mean when they talk about prestige. NYU is very well known and highly respected, but its reputation is more tied to specific programs and to its location and professional connections in New York City.

For a student thinking in broad national reputation, Princeton carries more status in most academic and public perception contexts. People tend to associate it with top-tier undergraduate teaching, very strong research, and a highly selective, residential campus experience. That kind of reputation is unusually consistent across majors, which is a big reason it is seen as more prestigious.

NYU appeals to a somewhat different kind of student and has prestige in a more targeted way. If someone is focused on areas like business, film, the arts, media, or industries where being in New York matters a lot, NYU can feel every bit as impressive in those circles. Its name is especially strong through schools like Stern and Tisch, and many people associate NYU with ambition, networking, and career access.

So in a simple head-to-head answer, Princeton has the higher general prestige. NYU is still a major global university with serious name recognition, but it is usually discussed as having standout prestige in certain programs rather than the same level of universal institutional prestige as Princeton.