CSU vs. Purdue Northwest

Should I go to California State University Chico or Purdue University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or Purdue Northwest 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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California State University Chico vs. Purdue University Northwest comparison
California State University Chico Purdue University Northwest College 3 College 4
California State University Chico
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Overview

CSU Purdue Northwest
Location Chico, CA Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,183 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $14,364
Room & Board $15,212 $8,215
Avg Net Price $15,517 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 75%

Admission

CSU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 5,670
Admitted 20,347 4,129
Acceptance Rate 95% 72.8%
Enrolled % 9.9% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 970/1170 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

CSU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

CSU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 59% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 70% -
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $175 N/A

Diversity

CSU Purdue Northwest
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High -
HBCU No No
% White 46% 0%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 29% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

CSU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 97% 87%
% Out-of-State 2% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 8,911 students)

CSU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Purdue University Northwest is 28.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($7,373.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.7% higher at CSU than Purdue University Northwest ($17,622.00 vs. $14,364.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than CSU ($9,162 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 85.2% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($8,215 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Purdue University Northwest than California State University Chico (75% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 29.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($9,162 vs. $7,070)

CSU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Purdue Northwest (72.8%)

CSU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Northwest and CSU.

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