UCLA vs. Purdue

Should I go to University of California Los Angeles or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCLA 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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University of California Los Angeles vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
University of California Los Angeles Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Los Angeles Purdue University Main Campus
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Overview

 UCLA Purdue
Location Los Angeles, CA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 46,430 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucla.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCLA Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,520
Room & Board $17,231 $10,030
Avg Net Price $16,999 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $21,766 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 48%

Admission

 UCLA Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 149,801 68,582
Admitted 12,845 36,146
Acceptance Rate 8.6% 52.7%
Enrolled % 50.3% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 29/35 27/34
SAT Range 1300/1530 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

 UCLA Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 UCLA Purdue
Graduation Rate 90% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,700 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,300 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $168 $222

Diversity

 UCLA Purdue
% Men 43% 58%
% Women 57% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 65%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 21% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 13% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UCLA Purdue
% In-State 77% 46%
% Out-of-State 15% 44%

Campus

 UCLA 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 UCLA based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 46,430 students)

UCLA vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCLA or Purdue?

  • University of California Los Angeles 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 UCLA 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 UCLA ($12,576 vs. $16,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 71.8% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($10,030 vs. $17,231)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Purdue University Main Campus than University of California Los Angeles (48% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 143.2% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($21,766 vs. $8,950)

UCLA vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 108 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than UCLA (8.6%)

UCLA vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCLA 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 UCLA.

  • The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (90% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn on average $9,500 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($70,700 vs. $61,200)
  • University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $5,200 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($16,300 vs. $21,500)
  • UCLA graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($168 vs. $222)
  • More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue 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/