CSU vs. Purdue

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

 CSU Purdue
Location Chicago, IL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,317 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $28,520
Room & Board $13,800 $10,030
Avg Net Price $6,446 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 48%

Admission

 CSU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 68,582
Admitted 3,592 36,146
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 52.7%
Enrolled % 4.8% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.67
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/19 27/34
SAT Range 750/963 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 CSU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 CSU Purdue
Graduation Rate 21% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $323 $222

Diversity

 CSU Purdue
% Men 33% 58%
% Women 67% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 3% 65%
% Black 75% 3%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 17%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

 CSU Purdue
% In-State 77% 46%
% Out-of-State 20% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 26.9% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 272.5% higher at Purdue than Chicago State University ($28,520.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Purdue ($6,446 vs. $12,576)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 37.6% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($10,030 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chicago State University than Purdue University Main Campus (93% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 77.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($15,891 vs. $8,950)

CSU vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 356 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than Chicago State University (68% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $22,900 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $38,300)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $9,750 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $31,250)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($222 vs. $323)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 25%)

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