Pitt vs. Purdue

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

Pitt Purdue
Location Pittsburgh, PA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 33,767 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #128 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pitt.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pitt Purdue
Tuition (In State) $19,760 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $28,520
Room & Board $12,360 $10,030
Avg Net Price $24,286 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 48%

Admission

Pitt Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,072 68,582
Admitted 26,079 36,146
Acceptance Rate 49.1% 52.7%
Enrolled % 16.8% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 27/34
SAT Range 1280/1470 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

Pitt Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Pitt Purdue
Graduation Rate 79% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,909 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $278 $222

Diversity

Pitt Purdue
% Men 42% 58%
% Women 58% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Pitt Purdue
% In-State 54% 46%
% Out-of-State 40% 44%

Campus

Pitt Purdue
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 Pitt based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 33,767 students)

Pitt vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pitt or Purdue?

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is 103.3% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($19,760.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.2% higher at Pitt than Purdue University Main Campus ($36,000.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Pitt ($12,576 vs. $24,286)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 23.2% lower than costs at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($10,030 vs. $12,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Purdue University Main Campus (85% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus students is 22% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($10,919 vs. $8,950)

Pitt vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (1272) is 41 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming Pitt students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman Pitt students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Pitt (49.1%)

Pitt vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pitt 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 Pitt.

  • The graduation rate at Pitt is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (79% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $3,200 more per year than Pitt graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $58,000)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,409 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,909)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($222 vs. $278)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pitt students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 75%)

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