PennWest California vs. Purdue Northwest

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

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
Location California, PA Hammond, Indiana
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,509 8,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1038
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $14,795
Room & Board $10,416 $9,097
Avg Net Price - $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $0 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 85%

Admission

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 6,394
Admitted - 4,516
Acceptance Rate 70.6%
Enrolled % 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 16/25
SAT Range 940/1150 920/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 53% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 64% -
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $258 N/A

Diversity

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
% Men 39% 4%
% Women 61% 5%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 77% 0%
% Black 12% 0%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PennWest California Purdue Northwest
% In-State 86% 80%
% Out-of-State 13% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (8,679 students vs. 6,509 students)

PennWest California vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Purdue Northwest?

  • PennWest California is 1.6% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,594.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.8% higher at Purdue Northwest than PennWest California ($14,795.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 14.5% lower than costs at PennWest California ($9,097 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Purdue University Northwest than PennWest California (85% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Northwest students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($6,420 vs. $0)

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

  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)

PennWest California vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.

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