NSU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

 NSU Purdue Northwest
Location Aberdeen, SD Hammond, Indiana
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,521 8,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #871
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northern.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $7,616 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $10,718 $14,795
Room & Board $10,300 $9,097
Avg Net Price $16,873 $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $5,565 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 85%

Admission

 NSU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,082 6,394
Admitted 1,004 4,516
Acceptance Rate 92.8% 70.6%
Enrolled % 31.8% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 16/25
SAT Range 800/1150 920/1140
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, 2026

Academics

 NSU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 NSU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 42% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 63% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,399 N/A
Median Loan Payment $252 N/A

Diversity

 NSU Purdue Northwest
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 13% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low -
HBCU No No
% White 83% 0%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 NSU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 72% 80%
% Out-of-State 28% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (8,679 students vs. 3,521 students)

NSU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Northern State University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $7,594.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38% higher at Purdue Northwest than Northern State University ($14,795.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than NSU ($9,637 vs. $16,873)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 13.2% lower than costs at Northern State University ($9,097 vs. $10,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern State University than Purdue University Northwest (93% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Northwest students is 15.4% larger than aid received Northern State University ($6,420 vs. $5,565)

NSU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (92.8%) than Purdue Northwest (70.6%)

NSU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.

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