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About

Date Drop Presents

PRINCETON

State of Dating

2025 Report

Demographics

1,700 students signed up for Princeton Date Drop. Here's who showed up

Gender

53%
46%
WomenMenNon-binary

Top 5 majors

Economics
n = 210
Computer Science
n = 175
Public and International Affairs
n = 164
Operations Research and Financial Engineering
n = 148
Electrical and Computer Engineering
n = 140

Religion

Agnostic
26%
Atheist
16%
Catholic
12%
Christian (Other)
11%
Spiritual but not religious
8%
Protestant
8%
Jewish
5%
Hindu
4%
Other
4%
Muslim
3%
Buddhist
2%
Mormon
0%

Ethnicity

Percents do not add to 100% because people can select multiple ethnicities.

White
40%
Asian (East)
33%
Asian (South)
14%
Hispanic / Latinx
10%
Black / African American
9%
Asian (Southeast)
5%
Middle Eastern / North African
4%
African
4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
1%
Native American / Alaskan Native
1%

What We Want

From soulmates to situationships — Date Drop asked Princeton students what they're actually looking for

Relationship intentions

Life partner
8%
Long-term relationship
20%
Long-term relationship, open to short
35%
Short-term relationship, open to long
32%
Short-term relationship
5%

By class year

Life partner
Long-term
LT open to ST
ST open to LT
Short-term
2026
6%
27%
36%
28%
4%
2027
8%
21%
38%
29%
4%
2028
10%
24%
36%
26%
3%
2029
7%
14%
32%
40%
7%

Core values we prioritize

Percentage of students who ranked each value in their top 5.

1. Kind
56%
2. Ambitious
45%
3. Intelligent
45%
4. Adventurous
41%
5. Creative
32%

For me, a fulfilling life includes having children

Distribution (1 = hard pass, 7 = it's my dream)

1
9%
2
10%
3
19%
4
25%
5
20%
6
13%
7

I expect my partner to challenge me intellectually

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
3
10%
4
27%
5
30%
6
27%
7

How We Relate

Date Drop asked Princeton students about communication, quality time, and intimacy. Here's how they connect

I'd want to be in constant communication with my partner

Distribution (1 = I need space, 7 = constant contact)

1
2
18%
3
27%
4
27%
5
14%
6
9%
7

My partner should actively push me to become a better person

Distribution (1 = accept me as I am, 7 = challenge me)

1
2
3
10%
4
19%
5
38%
6
29%
7

I want to spend most of my free time with my partner

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
3
8%
4
31%
5
36%
6
22%
7

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
0%
0%
2%
5%
27%
37%
28%
5.8
Men
0%
0%
2%
11%
36%
36%
15%
5.5
Non-binary
0%
0%
0%
0%
46%
31%
23%
5.8

I regularly express appreciation for others' efforts

By major (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

Most appreciative
Astrophysical Sciences
6.06
Psychology
5.93
Anthropology
5.89
Least appreciative
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
5.37
Classics
5.31
Architecture
5

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
0%
1%
3%
7%
26%
38%
25%
5.7
Men
0%
1%
3%
10%
30%
39%
18%
5.6
Non-binary
0%
0%
7%
14%
36%
43%
0%
5.1

How We Live

Date Drop explored how Princeton students balance their lifestyles — from substances to sleep schedules

I'm comfortable with my partner drinking

By class year (1 = nope, 7 = bottoms up)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
2026
2%
5%
5%
9%
16%
28%
35%
5.6
2027
1%
2%
7%
12%
19%
25%
34%
5.6
2028
3%
5%
9%
12%
15%
26%
31%
5.3
2029
5%
6%
7%
11%
18%
22%
31%
5.2

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
3%
5%
7%
13%
17%
23%
32%
5.3
Men
3%
5%
8%
9%
17%
26%
34%
5.4
Non-binary
0%
0%
17%
8%
8%
42%
25%
5.5

I'm comfortable with my partner smoking weed

By class year (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
2026
28%
11%
12%
10%
13%
13%
12%
3.6
2027
24%
16%
10%
13%
12%
12%
13%
3.6
2028
33%
11%
11%
9%
12%
10%
14%
3.4
2029
40%
12%
11%
8%
11%
7%
11%
3.0

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
36%
12%
10%
11%
12%
9%
11%
3.2
Men
29%
13%
12%
8%
12%
11%
14%
3.5
Non-binary
23%
8%
31%
0%
8%
23%
8%
3.6

I'm comfortable with my partner using drugs

By class year (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
2026
54%
15%
11%
8%
8%
2%
3%
2.2
2027
48%
18%
12%
9%
7%
3%
3%
2.3
2028
56%
13%
10%
9%
6%
3%
3%
2.2
2029
59%
15%
8%
6%
5%
2%
3%
2.0

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
60%
14%
9%
8%
5%
2%
2%
2.0
Men
50%
17%
11%
8%
8%
3%
4%
2.3
Non-binary
58%
8%
8%
8%
0%
17%
0%
2.3

I lead a very active lifestyle

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
9%
3
16%
4
22%
5
25%
6
21%
7

I prefer saving money for long-term security over spending for current enjoyment

Distribution (1 = YOLO, 7 = nest egg)

1
2
18%
3
25%
4
31%
5
18%
6
7

I have expensive taste

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

8%
1
20%
2
18%
3
17%
4
22%
5
10%
6
7

What We Think

From abortion to Trump, Date Drop surveyed Princeton political and social views — here's where campus stands

I approve of President Trump

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

63%
1
17%
2
8%
3
9%
4
5
6
7
Highest approval
Economics
2.17
Operations Research and Financial Engineering
2.06
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
1.94
Lowest approval
Civil and Environmental Engineering
1.29
Comparative Literature
1.27
Anthropology
1.22

Access to abortion should be an unconditional right

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

1
2
6%
3
10%
4
14%
5
25%
6
40%
7

Society ought to preserve traditional values

Distribution (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

8%
1
19%
2
24%
3
20%
4
20%
5
7%
6
7

The Tea

I'm dominant in the bedroom

Distribution (1 = sub, 7 = dom)

1
15%
2
18%
3
37%
4
16%
5
7%
6
7
Most dominant
Computer Science
4.11
Electrical and Computer Engineering
4.03
Economics
3.98
Most submissive
English
3.37
Chemical and Biological Engineering
3.2
Psychology
3.14

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
7%
24%
26%
34%
6%
1%
1%
3.2
Men
1%
5%
9%
40%
27%
14%
4%
4.5
Non-binary
8%
23%
0%
54%
15%
0%
0%
3.5

Career advancement should take priority over work-life balance

Distribution (1 = work to live, 7 = live to work)

1
14%
2
28%
3
21%
4
25%
5
6
7
Most career-oriented
Civil and Environmental Engineering
4.09
Classics
4.07
Chemical and Biological Engineering
4.05
Least career-oriented
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
3.27
Anthropology
3.26
Astrophysical Sciences
3.06

How long do you wait until you have sex?

Distribution (1 = first date, 7 = marriage)

19%
1
2
33%
3
19%
4
5
10%
6
10%
7

By gender

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Avg
Women
11%
0%
33%
33%
0%
11%
11%
3.9
Men
25%
8%
33%
8%
8%
8%
8%
3.3

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