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West Lafayette , IN
Purdue University is a public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Established in 1869, it is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the United States. Known for its cutting-edge research programs, technological advancements, and strong academic offerings, Purdue is renowned for its engineering, agriculture, business, and science programs.
One of Purdue's strengths lies in its engineering programs, consistently ranked among the top in the nation. Students benefit from access to state-of-the-art facilities and research centers, collaborating with renowned faculty experts in various engineering disciplines. The university is also home to Purdue Research Foundation, supporting innovative research and fostering entrepreneurship, resulting in numerous patents and successful startup companies.
Moreover, Purdue offers a diverse range of academic programs across its 10 colleges, ensuring students have ample opportunities to pursue their passions. With a student population from all 50 states and over 130 countries, the university provides a dynamic and inclusive environment for learning and growth. Beyond academics, Purdue boasts a vibrant campus life, with hundreds of student organizations, athletic events, and cultural activities, creating a well-rounded collegiate experience.
Located in West Lafayette, IN and set in a suburban environment, Purdue University is a public university. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 49%. The freshman retention rate at Purdue University is 92.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 84%.
Discover more about what you can expect if you get into Purdue University.
Quick Facts
44,170
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
84%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Learning as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission increases your chances of getting admitted. Check out some relevant facts about admission policy and requirements at Purdue University.
According to the newest data, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 39,096 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 79.48% and ACT scores 25.44%. 41.02% of the first-year students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 36.25% between 1,200 and 1,399, 19.83% between 1,000 and 1,199, 2.81% of the students between 800 and 999, and 0.09% of the students between 600 and 799. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 63.99, 27.63 between 24-29, 7.86 in the range between 18-23, and 0.52 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the enrolled students in 2025 was 29 and the average GPA was 3.76. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Purdue University; the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 639 and an average SAT Math score of 664.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university first-year students who return for their sophomore year. When you create your list of possible schools to attend, make sure to consider the freshmen retention rate.
The freshman retention rate for Purdue University was 92.9% in 2025, which is an excellent retention rate only the most prestigious institutions have.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 84%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the right choice for you. You can better understand the culture and life of the school by finding out more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution enrolled 58,009 students.
That year, the school had 49.19% of students coming from another state. There was a total of 44,170 students working towards bachelor's degrees, including 4,397 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 1,014.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 28,837 male and 19,986 female full-time students in 2025. This school had 3,909 full-time graduate male and 2,960 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
When it comes to improving a sense of inclusion and belonging among students, there is no denying the importance of student diversity. An inclusive student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 6,737, and the number of African American students was 1,216. 3,300 undergraduates at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 2,108 as multirace. The school also had 19 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 41 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 2,453 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into consideration when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Purdue University.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition cost for this university.
Tuition fees for area resident were $9,718, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. For students who don't live in the state in which the university is located, the tuition was $28,520 in 2025. Tuition costs at Purdue University for international students were $31,830. Full-time students in 2025 needed to pay additional fees in the amount of $274.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $28,520 | $274 | $28,794 |
| In-State | $9,718 | $274 | $9,992 |
Books and Supplies
The estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another significant financial element. Most students have to spend about $1,090 for books and supplies during their time at Purdue University.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do colleges and universities typically charge for accommodation and meals?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Purdue University was $13,720 in 2025. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 came to $7,820 for one academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was also $7,820.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 9,718 |
| Room and Board | $ 13,720 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,090 |
| Total Expense | $ 24,528 |
Financial Aid
Financial support for students comes in different forms: grants, loans, scholarships, or work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the info about need-based and non-need-based aid you might get at Purdue University.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 2,864 freshmen. The average financial aid package awarded to students came to $13,946.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
8,987 students were granted some form of need-based financial aid. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was estimated to be 11,222. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution added up to $30,142,409, and state $24,919,498. The students of Purdue University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $59,280,723, and external in the amount of $6,053,295.
$5,359
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
1,253 students, including freshmen, got institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this institution in 2025. 440 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $33,857,280. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $10,833,351 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
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Majors
Faculty
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at Purdue University was 15:1. That means that there were 15 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 3,162 faculty members. This number included 1,910 male and 1,252 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Purdue University: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about campus life at Purdue University.
It has a campus size of 2,468 acres.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 915 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. This number includes sororities and fraternities. 15 percent of male and 19 of female students are participants in different organizations at Purdue University. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is HTM Society, followed by Purdue Grand Prix and Purdue Student Union Board. Other popular organizations at Purdue University are Purdue Paint Crew and Purdue Dance Marathon.
Students who like music can join the Purdue University band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a passion for media and communication? Purdue University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Purdue University offers a number of services crucial for a pleasant and secure life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a 24-hour security patrol. The late-night transport/escort service is available.
This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services, Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Purdue University.
All in all, campus life at Purdue University is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Purdue University.
Career Counselling
At Purdue University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Knowing what salary you can expect once you have completed your studies can help you decide if a certain school matches your career goals.
Within six months of graduation, this school's students can expect an average base annual starting salary of 62,452 USD.
$62,452
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, IN.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Purdue University is 49%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Purdue University is 92.9%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.