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IU Virginia Tech Illinois UChicago Rose-Hulman Notre Dame Duke Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State Vanderbilt UCSD| Northwestern University | Purdue University Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | West Lafayette, IN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 23,161 | 51,528 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #101 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | purdue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,391 | $9,718 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,391 | $28,520 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,440 | $10,030 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,095 | $12,576 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $61,716 | $8,950 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 48% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,261 | 68,582 | ||
| Admitted | 3,695 | 36,146 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 52.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.2% | 26.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 27/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 1200/1470 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $61,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $222 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 58% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 8% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 44% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | Purdue | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 23,161 students)
Northwestern vs. Purdue Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Purdue?
- Northwestern University is 542% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $9,718.00)
- Out of state tuition is 118.8% higher at Northwestern than Purdue University Main Campus ($62,391.00 vs. $28,520.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Northwestern ($12,576 vs. $22,095)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 93.8% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($10,030 vs. $19,440)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Purdue University Main Campus (50% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 589.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($61,716 vs. $8,950)
Northwestern vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Purdue? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purdue or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 229 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
- Incoming Northwestern students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Purdue (28)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Purdue (3.67)
- Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)
Northwestern vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (94% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $28,600 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $61,200)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $2,122 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($19,378 vs. $21,500)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($200 vs. $222)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/