WLC vs. Purdue

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

WLC Purdue
Location Milwaukee, WI West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,086 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #532 #101
Religious Affiliation Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wlc.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WLC Purdue
Tuition (In State) $33,210 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $33,210 $28,520
Room & Board $11,380 $10,030
Avg Net Price $22,682 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $23,128 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

WLC Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,474 68,582
Admitted 1,383 36,146
Acceptance Rate 93.8% 52.7%
Enrolled % 22.3% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 27/34
SAT Range 1038/1243 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

WLC Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

WLC Purdue
Graduation Rate 63% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,000 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $222

Diversity

WLC Purdue
% Men 44% 58%
% Women 56% 42%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

WLC Purdue
% In-State 66% 46%
% Out-of-State 33% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 1,086 students)

WLC vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WLC or Purdue?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 241.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.4% higher at WLC than Purdue University Main Campus ($33,210.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than WLC ($12,576 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 13.5% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($10,030 vs. $11,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 158.4% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($23,128 vs. $8,950)

WLC vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 130 points higher than at WLC (1101)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than Purdue (52.7%)

WLC vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WLC 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 WLC.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $18,200 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $43,000)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WLC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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