Berea College vs. Purdue

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

Berea College Purdue
Location Berea, KY West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,487 52,905
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Berea College Purdue
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $28,520
Room & Board $7,892 $11,650
Avg Net Price $4,379 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 39%

Admission

Berea College Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 73,083
Admitted 678 36,763
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 50.3%
Enrolled % 60.9% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 24/27 27/34
SAT Range 1156/1335 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 31, 2026

Academics

Berea College Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Berea College Purdue
Graduation Rate - 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $59 $222

Diversity

Berea College Purdue
% Men 1% 15%
% Women 0% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 65%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 8% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Berea College Purdue
% In-State 44% 46%
% Out-of-State 46% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 1,487 students)

Berea College vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or Purdue?

  • Berea College is 400.1% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($48,600.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.4% higher at Berea College than Purdue University Main Campus ($48,600.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than Purdue ($4,379 vs. $12,421)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 47.6% lower than costs at Purdue University Main Campus ($7,892 vs. $11,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 366.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($51,923 vs. $11,126)

Berea College vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 114 points higher than at Berea College (1117)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Berea College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Berea College (3.62)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Berea College 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 Berea College.

  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $25,100 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $15,700 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($5,800 vs. $21,500)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $163 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($59 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berea College 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/