UC Berkeley vs. Purdue

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

IU UCLA Virginia Tech Illinois Stanford UCSD Rose-Hulman Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State Iowa UC Davis
University of California Berkeley vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
University of California Berkeley Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley Purdue University Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UC Berkeley Purdue
Location Berkeley, CA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 45,307 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,520
Room & Board $21,402 $10,030
Avg Net Price $19,257 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 48%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 68,582
Admitted 14,523 36,146
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 52.7%
Enrolled % 46.3% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 27/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 UC Berkeley Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Purdue
Graduation Rate 90% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $222

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Purdue
% Men 46% 58%
% Women 54% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 65%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 14% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UC Berkeley Purdue
% In-State 78% 46%
% Out-of-State 11% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 45,307 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Purdue?

  • University of California Berkeley is 19% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46% higher at UC Berkeley than Purdue University Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UC Berkeley ($12,576 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 113.4% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($10,030 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Berkeley than Purdue University Main Campus (52% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 142.1% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($21,669 vs. $8,950)

UC Berkeley vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 166 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (90% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $13,500 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $61,200)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $7,300 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($14,200 vs. $21,500)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($146 vs. $222)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 78%)

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