Butler vs. Purdue

Deciding between Butler University 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.

Butler University
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Butler Indianapolis, IN
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • Butler Large City
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Butler 5,746
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • Butler Private 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Butler #209
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Butler -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • Butler Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Butler
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Butler $47,560
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • Butler $16,430
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Butler $38,438
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Butler $27,790
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Butler 97%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Butler 9,471
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • Butler 8,058
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Butler 85.1%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Butler 12.9%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Butler 1260
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • Butler 28
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Butler 3.92
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Butler A
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Butler Difficult
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Butler
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • Butler 26/31
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • Butler 1160/1350
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Butler Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Butler Aug 1, 2027
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Butler 11:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Butler
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Communication (9%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Butler 72%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Butler $68,400
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Butler 84%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Butler $27,000
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Butler $279
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Butler 38%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • Butler 62%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Butler Very Low
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • Butler No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • Butler 82%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • Butler 3%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • Butler 4%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Butler 4%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • Butler 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Butler 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Butler 2%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • Butler 1%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Butler 4%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Butler 51%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Butler 48%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Butler University in Indianapolis, IN 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 Butler based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 5,746 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Butler University is located in Indianapolis, IN (Large City setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Butler University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Butler University 11:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

Butler vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler 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 Butler ($13,722 vs. $38,438).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 22% lower than at Butler University ($12,820 vs. $16,430).
  • Butler University is 376% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $37,568 more per year; $47,560.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 65.2% higher at Butler than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $18,766 more per year; $47,560.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butler University than at Purdue University Main Campus (97% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 146.1% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($27,790 vs. $11,294).

Butler vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butler 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 Butler.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Purdue University Main Campus (1340) is 80 points higher than at Butler (1260).
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 28 at Butler).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 1160/1350; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Butler University 26/31; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butler - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Butler Aug 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Butler students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Purdue (3.67).
  • Butler has a higher acceptance rate (85.1%) than Purdue (49.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.9% at Butler vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

Butler vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butler 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).

  • Butler University's six-year graduation rate (72%) is higher than Purdue University Main Campus's (68%).
  • Graduates from Butler University earn a median of about $7,200 more per year than Purdue graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,400 vs. $61,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Purdue University Main Campus graduates have a $5,500 lower median loan debt than Butler graduates ($21,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Purdue graduates have an estimated $57 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butler graduates ($222 vs. $279).
  • More Butler graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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.