Kentucky vs. Purdue

Deciding between University of Kentucky and Purdue University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Kentucky
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Kentucky Lexington, KY
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • Kentucky Large City
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Kentucky 34,709
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • Kentucky Public 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Kentucky #437
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Kentucky -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • Kentucky Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Kentucky
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Kentucky $13,502
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Kentucky $34,140
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • Kentucky $16,016
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Kentucky $21,958
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Kentucky $12,898
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Kentucky 95%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Kentucky 31,517
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • Kentucky 29,293
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Kentucky 92.9%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Kentucky 22.2%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Kentucky 1180
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • Kentucky 24
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Kentucky 3.59
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Kentucky A-
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Kentucky Challenging
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Kentucky
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • Kentucky 21/28
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • Kentucky 1070/1290
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Kentucky Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Kentucky Feb 15, 2027
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Kentucky 18:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Kentucky
    • Business (19%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Engineering (8%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Kentucky 59%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Kentucky $51,000
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Kentucky 62%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Kentucky $22,750
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Kentucky $235
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Kentucky 40%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • Kentucky 60%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Kentucky Low
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • Kentucky No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • Kentucky 76%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • Kentucky 2%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • Kentucky 8%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Kentucky 4%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • Kentucky 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Kentucky 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Kentucky 3%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • Kentucky 3%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Kentucky 3%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Kentucky 58%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Kentucky 41%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Kentucky Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Kentucky No
  • Purdue No
  • Meal Plan
  • Kentucky Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Kentucky No
  • Purdue No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Kentucky No
  • Purdue Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY with Purdue University Main Campus in West Lafayette, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Purdue University Main Campus is larger than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 34,709 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Kentucky is located in Lexington, KY (Large City setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • University of Kentucky is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Kentucky 18:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

Kentucky vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Purdue? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Kentucky ($13,722 vs. $21,958).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 20% lower than at University of Kentucky ($12,820 vs. $16,016).
  • University of Kentucky is 35.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $3,510 more per year; $13,502.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 18.6% higher at Kentucky than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $5,346 more per year; $34,140.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Kentucky than at Purdue University Main Campus (95% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 14.2% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($12,898 vs. $11,294).

Kentucky vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kentucky or Purdue? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Purdue and Kentucky.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Purdue University Main Campus (1340) is 160 points higher than at Kentucky (1180).
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 24 at Kentucky).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Kentucky 1070/1290; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Kentucky 21/28; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kentucky - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Kentucky Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Kentucky (3.59).
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than Purdue (49.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.2% at Kentucky vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

Kentucky vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kentucky and Purdue? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Purdue University Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than University of Kentucky's (59%).
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $10,200 more per year than Kentucky graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,200 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Purdue University Main Campus graduates have a $1,250 lower median loan debt than Kentucky graduates ($21,500 vs. $22,750).
  • Among borrowers, Purdue graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Kentucky graduates ($222 vs. $235).
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.