JCU vs. Purdue

Deciding between John Carroll University and Purdue University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

John Carroll University
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • JCU University Heights, OH
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • JCU Large Suburban
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • JCU 2,864
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • JCU Private 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • JCU #222
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • JCU Roman Catholic
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • JCU Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • JCU
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • JCU $50,500
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • JCU $50,500
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • JCU $14,520
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • JCU $30,030
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • JCU $35,785
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • JCU 100%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • JCU 4,623
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • JCU 3,740
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • JCU 80.9%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • JCU 15.9%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • JCU 1260
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • JCU 28
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • JCU 3.66
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • JCU A-
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • JCU Difficult
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • JCU
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • JCU 25/32
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • JCU 1180/1330
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • JCU Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • JCU
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • JCU 13:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • JCU
    • Business (34%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Education (9%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • JCU 71%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • JCU $57,600
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • JCU 74%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • JCU $26,939
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • JCU $278
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • JCU 51%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • JCU 49%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • JCU Very Low
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • JCU No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • JCU 86%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • JCU 2%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • JCU 4%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • JCU 3%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • JCU 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • JCU 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • JCU 2%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • JCU 2%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • JCU 1%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • JCU 69%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • JCU 31%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • JCU Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • JCU No
  • Purdue No
  • Meal Plan
  • JCU Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • JCU No
  • Purdue No
  • Daycare Facility
  • JCU No
  • Purdue Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare John Carroll University in University Heights, OH with Purdue University Main Campus in West Lafayette, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Purdue University Main Campus is larger than JCU based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 2,864 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • John Carroll University is located in University Heights, OH (Large Suburban setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • John Carroll University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: John Carroll University 13:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

JCU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JCU or Purdue? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than JCU ($13,722 vs. $30,030).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 11.7% lower than at John Carroll University ($12,820 vs. $14,520).
  • John Carroll University is 405.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $40,508 more per year; $50,500.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 75.4% higher at JCU than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $21,706 more per year; $50,500.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at John Carroll University than at Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 216.8% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($35,785 vs. $11,294).

JCU vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, JCU or Purdue? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Purdue and JCU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Purdue University Main Campus (1340) is 80 points higher than at JCU (1260).
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 28 at JCU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: John Carroll University 1180/1330; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: John Carroll University 25/32; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: JCU - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at JCU (3.66).
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (80.9%) than Purdue (49.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.9% at JCU vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

JCU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for JCU and Purdue? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • John Carroll University's six-year graduation rate (71%) is higher than Purdue University Main Campus's (68%).
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $3,600 more per year than JCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,200 vs. $57,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Purdue University Main Campus graduates have a $5,439 lower median loan debt than JCU graduates ($21,500 vs. $26,939).
  • Among borrowers, Purdue graduates have an estimated $56 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than JCU graduates ($222 vs. $278).
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JCU 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.