CMU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

CMU Purdue Northwest
Location Mount Pleasant, MI Hammond, Indiana
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,399 8,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmich.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CMU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $13,740 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $13,740 $14,795
Room & Board $12,178 $9,097
Avg Net Price $15,826 $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $10,638 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 85%

Admission

CMU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,102 6,394
Admitted 16,474 4,516
Acceptance Rate 91% 70.6%
Enrolled % 12.4% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 16/25
SAT Range 960/1210 920/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

CMU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

CMU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 54% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,500 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 54% -
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $279 N/A

Diversity

CMU Purdue Northwest
% Men 13% 4%
% Women 17% 5%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 79% 0%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

CMU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 88% 80%
% Out-of-State 8% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Central Michigan University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (14,399 students vs. 8,679 students)

CMU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Central Michigan University is 80.9% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($13,740.00 vs. $7,594.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Purdue Northwest than Central Michigan University ($14,795.00 vs. $13,740.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than CMU ($9,637 vs. $15,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 33.9% lower than costs at Central Michigan University ($9,097 vs. $12,178)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central Michigan University than Purdue University Northwest (95% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Michigan University students is 65.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($10,638 vs. $6,420)

CMU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CMU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • CMU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Purdue Northwest (70.6%)

CMU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CMU 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 CMU.

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