Rutgers vs. Purdue

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

 Rutgers Purdue
Location New Brunswick, NJ West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 50,804 50,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #109 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Purdue
Tuition (In State) $12,536 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $29,737 $28,520
Room & Board $13,402 $10,030
Avg Net Price $17,835 $12,294
Avg Grant Aid $13,602 $10,778
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 56%

Admission

 Rutgers Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,161 59,436
Admitted 29,419 40,898
Acceptance Rate 68.2% 68.8%
Enrolled % 24.2% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/33 26/33
SAT Range 1240/1470 1190/1430
Submit Test Scores Considered but not required Considered but not required
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2023

Academics

 Rutgers Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Purdue
Graduation Rate 77% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $229 $222

Diversity

 Rutgers Purdue
% Men 46% 58%
% Women 54% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 65%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Rutgers Purdue
% In-State 86% 45%
% Out-of-State 6% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Purdue based on total student enrollment (50,804 students vs. 50,344 students)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Purdue?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 29% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($12,536.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Rutgers than Purdue University Main Campus ($29,737.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Rutgers ($12,294 vs. $17,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 33.6% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($10,030 vs. $13,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Purdue University Main Campus (63% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 26.2% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($13,602 vs. $10,778)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 6 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than Rutgers (68.2%)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (77% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $5,000 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $61,200)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($222 vs. $229)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 68%)

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