Northwestern vs. Purdue

Deciding between Northwestern 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.

Northwestern University
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Northwestern Evanston, IL
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • Northwestern Small City
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Northwestern 23,856
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • Northwestern Private 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Northwestern #15
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Northwestern -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • Northwestern Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Northwestern
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Northwestern $68,322
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Northwestern $68,322
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • Northwestern $21,126
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • Northwestern $26,830
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Northwestern $64,429
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Northwestern 53%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Northwestern 49,474
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • Northwestern 3,806
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Northwestern 7.7%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Northwestern 55.3%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Northwestern 1540
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • Northwestern 34
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Northwestern 3.92
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Northwestern A
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Northwestern Elite
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Northwestern Extreme
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • Northwestern 33/35
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • Northwestern 1510/1570
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Northwestern Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Northwestern Jan 1, 2027
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Northwestern 6:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Northwestern
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Communication (14%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Northwestern 94%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Northwestern $89,800
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Northwestern 87%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Northwestern $19,378
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Northwestern $200
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Northwestern 45%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • Northwestern 55%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Northwestern High
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • Northwestern No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • Northwestern 50%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • Northwestern 17%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • Northwestern 6%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Northwestern 12%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • Northwestern 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Northwestern 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Northwestern 5%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • Northwestern 8%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Northwestern 2%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Northwestern 19%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Northwestern 66%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Northwestern University in Evanston, IL 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 Northwestern based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 23,856 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Northwestern University is located in Evanston, IL (Small City setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Northwestern 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: Northwestern University 6:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

Northwestern vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern 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 Northwestern ($13,722 vs. $26,830).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 39.3% lower than at Northwestern University ($12,820 vs. $21,126).
  • Northwestern University is 583.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $58,330 more per year; $68,322.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 137.3% higher at Northwestern than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $39,528 more per year; $68,322.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwestern University than at Purdue University Main Campus (53% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 470.5% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($64,429 vs. $11,294).

Northwestern vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Northwestern University (1540) is 200 points higher than at Purdue (1340).
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at Purdue).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northwestern University 1510/1570; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northwestern University 33/35; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Northwestern - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Northwestern Jan 1, 2027.
  • 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 (49.9%) than Northwestern (7.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 55.3% at Northwestern vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

Northwestern vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northwestern 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).

  • Northwestern University's six-year graduation rate (94%) is higher than Purdue University Main Campus's (68%).
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn a median of about $28,600 more per year than Purdue graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,800 vs. $61,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Northwestern University graduates have a $2,122 lower median loan debt than Purdue graduates ($19,378 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, Northwestern graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.