NC State vs. Purdue

Should I go to North Carolina State University at Raleigh or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NC State 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

IU Clemson UNC Chapel Hill Virginia Tech UNC Charlotte Illinois UofSC Rose-Hulman Penn State ASU Wisconsin UT Austin
North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Purdue University Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NC State Purdue
Location Raleigh, NC West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 36,700 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #123 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Purdue
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $28,276 $28,520
Room & Board $12,748 $10,030
Avg Net Price $14,852 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $9,181 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 48%

Admission

NC State Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,568 68,582
Admitted 16,779 36,146
Acceptance Rate 47.2% 52.7%
Enrolled % 33.5% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 27/34
SAT Range 1280/1460 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

NC State Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

NC State Purdue
Graduation Rate 72% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $214 $222

Diversity

NC State Purdue
% Men 51% 58%
% Women 49% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 65%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

NC State Purdue
% In-State 83% 46%
% Out-of-State 14% 44%

Campus

NC State 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 NC State based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 36,700 students)

NC State vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 48.7% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at Purdue than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($28,520.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than NC State ($12,576 vs. $14,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 27.1% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($10,030 vs. $12,748)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Purdue University Main Campus (71% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 2.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($9,181 vs. $8,950)

NC State vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 33 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than NC State (47.2%)

NC State vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State 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 NC State.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (72% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $4,000 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $718 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($20,782 vs. $21,500)
  • NC State graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($214 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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