IPFW vs. Purdue

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

 IPFW Purdue
Location Fort Wayne, IN West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 9,069 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #848 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IPFW Purdue
Tuition (In State) $7,815 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $20,403 $28,520
Room & Board $10,111 $10,030
Avg Net Price $11,951 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $7,432 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

 IPFW Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,853 68,582
Admitted 4,721 36,146
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 52.7%
Enrolled % 25.6% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 27/34
SAT Range 980/1210 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 IPFW Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 IPFW Purdue
Graduation Rate 26% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $222

Diversity

 IPFW Purdue
% Men 48% 58%
% Women 52% 42%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 65%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 17%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 IPFW Purdue
% In-State 85% 46%
% Out-of-State 11% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 9,069 students)

IPFW vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 24.4% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.8% higher at Purdue than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($28,520.00 vs. $20,403.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Purdue ($11,951 vs. $12,576)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 0.8% lower than costs at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($10,030 vs. $10,111)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students is 20.4% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($8,950 vs. $7,432)

IPFW vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 236 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • IPFW has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Purdue (52.7%)

IPFW vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IPFW 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 IPFW.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (68% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $22,600 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $38,600)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,500)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($222 vs. $253)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 51%)

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