Butler vs. IU vs. Purdue

Should I go to Butler University or Indiana University Bloomington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Butler or IU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Butler University vs. Indiana University Bloomington vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
Butler University Indiana University Bloomington Purdue University Main Campus College 4
Butler University Indiana University Bloomington Purdue University Main Campus
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Overview

 Butler IU Purdue
Location Indianapolis, IN Bloomington, IN West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 5,763 47,527 52,905
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #201 #209 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website butler.edu iub.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Butler IU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $44,990 $10,312 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $44,990 $39,004 $28,520
Room & Board $15,870 $13,380 $11,650
Avg Net Price $40,140 $16,282 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $24,662 $9,857 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 74% 39%

Admission

 Butler IU Purdue
Applied 9,431 54,279 73,083
Admitted 8,098 43,624 36,763
Acceptance Rate 85.9% 80.4% 50.3%
Enrolled % 14.2% 21.9% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.74 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 27/32 27/34
SAT Range 1180/1360 1170/1400 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Butler IU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Butler IU Purdue
Graduation Rate 72% 72% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,400 $56,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 72% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232 $222

Diversity

 Butler IU Purdue
% Men 8% 12% 15%
% Women 14% 11% 10%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low Medium
HBCU No No No
% White 82% 71% 65%
% Black 4% 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4% 2%
% International 1% 11% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 0% 2%

Students

 Butler IU Purdue
% In-State 51% 54% 46%
% Out-of-State 48% 41% 44%

Campus

 Butler IU Purdue
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No
Daycare Facility No Yes Yes
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Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Butler based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 5,763 students)

Butler vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler or IU?

  • Butler University is 336.3% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($44,990.00 vs. $10,312.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at Butler than Indiana University Bloomington ($44,990.00 vs. $39,004.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Butler ($16,282 vs. $40,140)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 18.6% lower than costs at Butler University ($13,380 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Butler University than Indiana University Bloomington (97% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 150.2% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($24,662 vs. $9,857)

Butler vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butler or IU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between IU or Butler .

  • The average SAT score at Butler University (1209) is 10 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming Butler students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at IU (3.74)
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (85.9%) than IU (80.4%)

Butler vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Butler or IU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between IU and Butler.

  • The graduation rate at Butler is the same as at Indiana University Bloomington (72% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Butler University earn on average $12,200 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($68,400 vs. $56,200)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Butler graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • IU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Butler graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 72%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/