ISU vs. Purdue

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

ISU Purdue
Location Ames, IA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 30,177 52,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #351 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $8,982 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $26,168 $28,520
Room & Board $9,726 $11,650
Avg Net Price $17,354 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $10,718 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 39%

Admission

ISU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,995 73,083
Admitted 20,496 36,763
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 50.3%
Enrolled % 28.6% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/34
SAT Range 1110/1350 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

ISU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Purdue
Graduation Rate 68% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $222

Diversity

ISU Purdue
% Men 8% 15%
% Women 8% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 65%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 17%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

ISU Purdue
% In-State 52% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 30,177 students)

ISU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 8.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at Purdue than Iowa State University ($28,520.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than ISU ($12,421 vs. $17,354)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 19.8% lower than costs at Purdue University Main Campus ($9,726 vs. $11,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than Purdue University Main Campus (77% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students is 3.8% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($11,126 vs. $10,718)

ISU vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 89 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Purdue (50.3%)

ISU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is the same as at Purdue University Main Campus (68% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $7,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $53,700)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($222 vs. $246)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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