Purdue vs. Michigan vs. Michigan State

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

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
Location West Lafayette, IN Ann Arbor, MI East Lansing, MI
Setting Midsize Suburban Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 52,905 52,065 51,316
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #103 #47 #227
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website purdue.edu umich.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $9,718 $16,896 $15,648
Tuition (Out of State) $28,520 $57,740 $43,032
Room & Board $11,650 $13,856 $11,754
Avg Net Price $12,421 $19,005 $24,630
Avg Grant Aid $11,126 $22,005 $8,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 39% 55% 96%

Admission

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
Applied 73,083 87,632 58,879
Admitted 36,763 15,722 49,414
Acceptance Rate 50.3% 17.9% 83.9%
Enrolled % 25.5% 47.5% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.88 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 27/34 31/34 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1460 1350/1530 1150/1350
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
Graduation Rate 68% 90% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,200 $74,400 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $20,103 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $222 $207 $263

Diversity

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
% Men 15% 18% 9%
% Women 10% 18% 12%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium Medium
HBCU No No No
% White 65% 62% 67%
% Black 3% 4% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3% 3%
% International 17% 7% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 6% 1%

Students

 Purdue Michigan Michigan State
% In-State 46% 51% 76%
% Out-of-State 44% 44% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Michigan based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 52,065 students)

Purdue vs. Michigan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purdue or Michigan?

  • University of Michigan is 73.9% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($16,896.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.5% higher at Michigan than Purdue University Main Campus ($57,740.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Michigan ($12,421 vs. $19,005)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 18.9% lower than costs at University of Michigan ($11,650 vs. $13,856)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Michigan than Purdue University Main Campus (55% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Michigan students is 97.8% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($22,005 vs. $11,126)

Purdue vs. Michigan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan (1384) is 153 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming Michigan students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than Michigan (17.9%)

Purdue vs. Michigan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purdue or Michigan? 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 Michigan and Purdue.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (90% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan earn on average $13,200 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($74,400 vs. $61,200)
  • University of Michigan students graduate with a $1,397 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($20,103 vs. $21,500)
  • Michigan graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($207 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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