IWU vs. Purdue

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

 IWU Purdue
Location Marion, IN West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,603 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #299 #101
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website indwes.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IWU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $29,684 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $29,684 $28,520
Room & Board $10,050 $10,030
Avg Net Price $21,755 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $20,194 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

 IWU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,946 68,582
Admitted 3,422 36,146
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 52.7%
Enrolled % 16.9% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 27/34
SAT Range 1000/1190 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 IWU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (56%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (3%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 IWU Purdue
Graduation Rate 70% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,104 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $249 $222

Diversity

 IWU Purdue
% Men 34% 58%
% Women 66% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 65%
% Black 19% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 IWU Purdue
% In-State 60% 46%
% Out-of-State 39% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 2,603 students)

IWU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Purdue?

  • Indiana Wesleyan University is 205.5% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($29,684.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at IWU than Purdue University Main Campus ($29,684.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than IWU ($12,576 vs. $21,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 0.2% lower than costs at Indiana Wesleyan University ($10,030 vs. $10,050)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana Wesleyan University than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana Wesleyan University students is 125.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($20,194 vs. $8,950)

IWU vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 145 points higher than at IWU (1086)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at IWU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at IWU (3.61)
  • IWU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Purdue (52.7%)

IWU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU 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 IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $6,900 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $54,300)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,604 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,104)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($222 vs. $249)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 55%)

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