Columbus State vs. Purdue North Central

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

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Location Columbus, GA Westville, IN
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,479 6,092
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu pnc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $6,746
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $16,164
Room & Board $12,080 $7,380
Avg Net Price $12,902 $7,832
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $7,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 51%

Admission

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 2,975
Admitted 3,398 1,485
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 49.9%
Enrolled % 30.4% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/23 19/23
SAT Range 900/1130 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2025

Academics

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Engineering Technology (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (4%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Graduation Rate 31% 17%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,836
Median Loan Payment $268 $256

Diversity

Columbus State Purdue North Central
% Men 40% 0%
% Women 60% 0%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 81%
% Black 37% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Columbus State Purdue North Central
% In-State 92% -
% Out-of-State 5% -

Campus

Columbus State Purdue North Central
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbus State University is larger than than Purdue North Central based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 6,092 students)

Columbus State vs. Purdue North Central Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Purdue North Central?

  • Purdue University North Central Campus is 54.3% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($6,746.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at Purdue North Central than Columbus State University ($16,164.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University North Central Campus than Columbus State ($7,832 vs. $12,902)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University North Central Campus are 63.7% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($7,380 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Purdue University North Central Campus (98% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus State University students is 27.6% larger than aid received Purdue University North Central Campus ($9,147 vs. $7,168)

Columbus State vs. Purdue North Central Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 18 points higher than at Purdue North Central (943)
  • Incoming Columbus State students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at Purdue North Central (20)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue North Central students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Purdue North Central (49.9%)

Columbus State vs. Purdue North Central Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Purdue North Central? 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 North Central and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Columbus State is higher than Purdue University North Central Campus (31% vs. 17%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University North Central Campus earn on average $4,500 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($41,900 vs. $37,400)
  • Purdue University North Central Campus students graduate with a $1,164 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($24,836 vs. $26,000)
  • Purdue North Central graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($256 vs. $268)
  • More Purdue North Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 37%)

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