Centre College vs. Purdue

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

Centre College Purdue
Location Danville, KY West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,357 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #147 #101
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centre.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Centre College Purdue
Tuition (In State) $48,070 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $48,070 $28,520
Room & Board $12,300 $10,030
Avg Net Price $23,584 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $37,116 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

Centre College Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,724 68,582
Admitted 1,712 36,146
Acceptance Rate 62.8% 52.7%
Enrolled % 23.4% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 27/34
SAT Range 1195/1470 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Centre College Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • History (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Centre College Purdue
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,500 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

Centre College Purdue
% Men 48% 58%
% Women 52% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Centre College Purdue
% In-State 53% 46%
% Out-of-State 40% 44%

Campus

Centre College Purdue
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 Centre College based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 1,357 students)

Centre College vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centre College or Purdue?

  • Centre College is 394.6% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($48,070.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.5% higher at Centre College than Purdue University Main Campus ($48,070.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Centre College ($12,576 vs. $23,584)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 22.6% lower than costs at Centre College ($10,030 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centre College than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Centre College students is 314.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($37,116 vs. $8,950)

Centre College vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Centre College (1279) is 48 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming Centre College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Centre College (3.62)
  • Centre College has a higher acceptance rate (62.8%) than Purdue (52.7%)

Centre College vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centre College 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 Centre College.

  • The graduation rate at Centre College is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $8,700 more per year than Centre College graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $52,500)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Centre College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Centre College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Centre College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 78%)

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