Kenyon vs. Purdue

Deciding between Kenyon College and Purdue University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Kenyon College
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kenyon Gambier, OH
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • Kenyon Distant Rural
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Kenyon 2,249
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • Kenyon Private 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kenyon #62
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kenyon -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • Kenyon Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kenyon
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kenyon $71,520
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • Kenyon $15,640
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Kenyon $46,859
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kenyon $40,731
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kenyon 82%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kenyon 7,726
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • Kenyon 2,397
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kenyon 31%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Kenyon 18.3%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kenyon 1430
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kenyon 32
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kenyon 3.84
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kenyon A-
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kenyon Exceptional
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kenyon High
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kenyon 31/33
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • Kenyon 1358/1503
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kenyon Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Kenyon Jan 15, 2027
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kenyon 9:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kenyon
    • Social Sciences (22%)
    • English and Literature (17%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kenyon $52,900
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kenyon 87%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kenyon $19,000
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kenyon $196
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kenyon 44%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • Kenyon 56%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kenyon Low
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • Kenyon No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • Kenyon 73%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kenyon 7%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • Kenyon 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kenyon 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kenyon 4%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • Kenyon 5%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kenyon 3%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kenyon 12%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kenyon 78%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Purdue No
  • Meal Plan
  • Kenyon Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Kenyon No
  • Purdue No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Kenyon No
  • Purdue Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Kenyon College in Gambier, OH with Purdue University Main Campus in West Lafayette, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Purdue University Main Campus is larger than Kenyon based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 2,249 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kenyon College is located in Gambier, OH (Distant Rural setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Kenyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kenyon College 9:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

Kenyon vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kenyon or Purdue? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Kenyon ($13,722 vs. $46,859).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 18% lower than at Kenyon College ($12,820 vs. $15,640).
  • Kenyon College is 615.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $61,528 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 148.4% higher at Kenyon than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $42,726 more per year; $71,520.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kenyon College than at Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kenyon College students is 260.6% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($40,731 vs. $11,294).

Kenyon vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kenyon or Purdue? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Purdue and Kenyon.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Kenyon College (1430) is 90 points higher than at Purdue (1340).
  • Incoming Kenyon students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at Purdue).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kenyon College 1358/1503; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kenyon College 31/33; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kenyon - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kenyon Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Kenyon students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Purdue (3.67).
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (49.9%) than Kenyon (31%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.3% at Kenyon vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

Kenyon vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kenyon and Purdue? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Kenyon College's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Purdue University Main Campus's (68%).
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $8,300 more per year than Kenyon graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,200 vs. $52,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kenyon College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than Purdue graduates ($19,000 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, Kenyon graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Purdue graduates ($196 vs. $222).
  • More Kenyon 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.