IWU vs. Purdue

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

IWU Purdue
Location Bloomington, IL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,527 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $28,520
Room & Board $12,418 $10,030
Avg Net Price $30,096 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

IWU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 68,582
Admitted 1,861 36,146
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 52.7%
Enrolled % 20.5% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 27/34
SAT Range 1120/1330 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

IWU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

IWU Purdue
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

IWU Purdue
% Men 51% 58%
% Women 49% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 65%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 9% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

IWU Purdue
% In-State 77% 46%
% Out-of-State 14% 44%

Campus

IWU 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 IWU based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Purdue?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 451.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88% higher at IWU than Purdue University Main Campus ($53,610.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than IWU ($12,576 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 23.8% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,030 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 309.1% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($36,614 vs. $8,950)

IWU vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 18 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming IWU students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU 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 IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $700 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $60,500)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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