Hillsdale College vs. Purdue

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

Hillsdale College Purdue
Location Hillsdale, Michigan West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,823 52,905
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #103
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hillsdale.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hillsdale College Purdue
Tuition (In State) $30,780 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $30,780 $28,520
Room & Board $13,180 $11,650
Avg Net Price $26,030 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $20,505 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 39%

Admission

Hillsdale College Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,773 73,083
Admitted 571 36,763
Acceptance Rate 20.6% 50.3%
Enrolled % 61.8% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/33 27/34
SAT Range 1340/1510 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 15, 2026

Academics

Hillsdale College Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Hillsdale College Purdue
Graduation Rate - 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments - 78%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $21,500
Median Loan Payment N/A $222

Diversity

Hillsdale College Purdue
% Men 5% 15%
% Women 2% 10%
Racial Diversity - Medium
HBCU No No
% White 0% 65%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 17%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Hillsdale College Purdue
% In-State 21% 46%
% Out-of-State 78% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Hillsdale College based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 1,823 students)

Hillsdale College vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hillsdale College or Purdue?

  • Hillsdale College is 216.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($30,780.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at Hillsdale College than Purdue University Main Campus ($30,780.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Hillsdale College ($12,421 vs. $26,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 13.1% lower than costs at Hillsdale College ($11,650 vs. $13,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hillsdale College than Purdue University Main Campus (97% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hillsdale College students is 84.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($20,505 vs. $11,126)

Hillsdale College vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Hillsdale College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than Hillsdale College (20.6%)

Hillsdale College vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale College.

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