OWU vs. Purdue

Should I go to Ohio Wesleyan University or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OWU 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.

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Ohio Wesleyan University vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
Ohio Wesleyan University Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Ohio Wesleyan University Purdue University Main Campus
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Overview

OWU Purdue
Location Delaware, OH West Lafayette, IN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,452 52,905
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #369 #103
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website owu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OWU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $51,771 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $51,771 $28,520
Room & Board $14,226 $11,650
Avg Net Price $23,826 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $42,496 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 39%

Admission

OWU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,708 73,083
Admitted 2,892 36,763
Acceptance Rate 50.7% 50.3%
Enrolled % 14.8% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/31 27/34
SAT Range 1105/1350 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026

Academics

OWU Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

OWU Purdue
Graduation Rate 61% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,600 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

OWU Purdue
% Men 0% 15%
% Women 0% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 65%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

OWU Purdue
% In-State 66% 46%
% Out-of-State 27% 44%

Campus

OWU 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 OWU based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 1,452 students)

OWU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OWU or Purdue?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 432.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($51,771.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.5% higher at OWU than Purdue University Main Campus ($51,771.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than OWU ($12,421 vs. $23,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 22.1% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($11,650 vs. $14,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 282% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($42,496 vs. $11,126)

OWU vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • OWU has a higher acceptance rate (50.7%) than Purdue (50.3%)

OWU vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OWU 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 OWU.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than Ohio Wesleyan University (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $11,600 more per year than OWU graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $49,600)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More OWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 78%)

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