IU South Bend vs. Purdue Northwest

Should I go to Indiana University South Bend or Purdue University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU South Bend or Purdue Northwest 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 South Bend vs. Purdue University Northwest comparison
Indiana University South Bend Purdue University Northwest College 3 College 4
Indiana University South Bend
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Overview

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Location South Bend, IN Hammond, Indiana
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,326 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #917
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iusb.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $14,364
Room & Board $9,190 $8,215
Avg Net Price $8,785 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $7,821 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 75%

Admission

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,348 5,670
Admitted 2,040 4,129
Acceptance Rate 86.9% 72.8%
Enrolled % 37.8% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/22 18/24
SAT Range 970/1190 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 22% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 47% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,530 N/A
Median Loan Payment $253 N/A

Diversity

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
% Men 33% 44%
% Women 67% 56%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 74% 0%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 9% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
% In-State 95% 87%
% Out-of-State 4% 13%

Campus

IU South Bend Purdue Northwest
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than IU South Bend based on total student enrollment (8,911 students vs. 4,326 students)

IU South Bend vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU South Bend or Purdue Northwest?

  • Purdue University Northwest is 1.4% more expensive to attend than IU South Bend for in-state tuition ($7,373.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.7% higher at IU South Bend than Purdue University Northwest ($20,634.00 vs. $14,364.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University South Bend than Purdue Northwest ($8,785 vs. $9,162)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 11.9% lower than costs at Indiana University South Bend ($8,215 vs. $9,190)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University South Bend than Purdue University Northwest (95% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University South Bend students is 10.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($7,821 vs. $7,070)

IU South Bend vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman IU South Bend students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.24) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • IU South Bend has a higher acceptance rate (86.9%) than Purdue Northwest (72.8%)

IU South Bend vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU South Bend or Purdue Northwest? 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 Northwest and IU South Bend.

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