Penn State vs. Purdue

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus 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.

Penn State Main Campus
Purdue University Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA 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 Penn State based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 50,737 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

Penn State vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State 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 Penn State ($13,722 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 11.4% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($12,820 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 106.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $10,652 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 45.1% higher at Penn State than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $12,996 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Purdue University Main Campus than at Penn State Main Campus (40% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 0.4% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($11,336 vs. $11,294).

Penn State vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State 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 Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Purdue University Main Campus (1340) is 10 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Purdue (49.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

Penn State vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus'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 $5,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Purdue University Main Campus graduates have a $5,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Purdue graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($222 vs. $277).
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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.