Cornell College vs. Purdue

Should I go to Cornell College or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cornell College or Purdue 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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Cornell College vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
Cornell College Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Cornell College Purdue University Main Campus
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Overview

Cornell College Purdue
Location Mount Vernon, IA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,073 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #424 #101
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cornellcollege.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cornell College Purdue
Tuition (In State) $48,514 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $48,514 $28,520
Room & Board $10,872 $10,030
Avg Net Price $25,686 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $38,069 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

Cornell College Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,057 68,582
Admitted 2,425 36,146
Acceptance Rate 79.3% 52.7%
Enrolled % 13.6% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 27/34
SAT Range 1170/1380 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

Cornell College Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Cornell College Purdue
Graduation Rate 70% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,400 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

Cornell College Purdue
% Men 52% 58%
% Women 48% 42%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 66% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 17%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Cornell College Purdue
% In-State 30% 46%
% Out-of-State 67% 44%

Campus

Cornell College Purdue
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Cornell College based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 1,073 students)

Cornell College vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cornell College or Purdue?

  • Cornell College is 399.2% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($48,514.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.1% higher at Cornell College than Purdue University Main Campus ($48,514.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Cornell College ($12,576 vs. $25,686)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 8.4% lower than costs at Cornell College ($10,030 vs. $10,872)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell College than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell College students is 325.4% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($38,069 vs. $8,950)

Cornell College vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 54 points higher than at Cornell College (1177)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cornell College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Cornell College (3.53)
  • Cornell College has a higher acceptance rate (79.3%) than Purdue (52.7%)

Cornell College vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cornell College or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Cornell College.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell College is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $15,800 more per year than Cornell College graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $45,400)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cornell College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Cornell College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornell College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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