Butler vs. Purdue

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

Butler Purdue
Location Indianapolis, IN West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 5,525 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #210 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website butler.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Butler Purdue
Tuition (In State) $43,470 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $43,470 $28,520
Room & Board $15,260 $10,030
Avg Net Price $37,399 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $25,728 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 48%

Admission

Butler Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,386 68,582
Admitted 10,985 36,146
Acceptance Rate 82.1% 52.7%
Enrolled % 10.9% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 27/34
SAT Range 1110/1320 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

Butler Purdue
% Men 39% 58%
% Women 61% 42%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 65%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Butler Purdue
% In-State 45% 46%
% Out-of-State 53% 44%

Campus

Butler Purdue
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Butler based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 5,525 students)

Butler vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butler or Purdue?

  • Butler University is 347.3% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($43,470.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at Butler than Purdue University Main Campus ($43,470.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Butler ($12,576 vs. $37,399)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 52.1% lower than costs at Butler University ($10,030 vs. $15,260)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Butler University than Purdue University Main Campus (98% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Butler University students is 187.5% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($25,728 vs. $8,950)

Butler vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 22 points higher than at Butler (1209)
  • Incoming Butler students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at Purdue (28)
  • 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 (82.1%) than Purdue (52.7%)

Butler vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Butler 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 Butler.

  • The graduation rate at Butler is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Butler University earn on average $7,200 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($68,400 vs. $61,200)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Butler graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans 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/