UChicago vs. Purdue

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

UChicago Purdue
Location Chicago, IL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 18,339 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago Purdue
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $28,520
Room & Board $18,396 $10,030
Avg Net Price $36,991 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 48%

Admission

UChicago Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 68,582
Admitted 2,039 36,146
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 52.7%
Enrolled % 84.8% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 27/34
SAT Range 1500/1580 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

UChicago Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UChicago Purdue
Graduation Rate 92% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $149 $222

Diversity

UChicago Purdue
% Men 54% 58%
% Women 46% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 11% 17%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

UChicago Purdue
% In-State 12% 46%
% Out-of-State 69% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 18,339 students)

UChicago vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Purdue?

  • University of Chicago is 529.5% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($61,179.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.5% higher at UChicago than Purdue University Main Campus ($61,179.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UChicago ($12,576 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 83.4% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($10,030 vs. $18,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Chicago than Purdue University Main Campus (52% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Chicago students is 441% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($48,422 vs. $8,950)

UChicago vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 275 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than UChicago (5.4%)

UChicago vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago 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 UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at UChicago is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (92% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $37,300 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $61,200)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($14,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($149 vs. $222)
  • More UChicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 78%)

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