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 1,410 51,528
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #356 #101
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website owu.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OWU Purdue
Tuition (In State) $49,262 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $49,262 $28,520
Room & Board $13,745 $10,030
Avg Net Price $27,311 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $36,757 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

OWU Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,324 68,582
Admitted 2,778 36,146
Acceptance Rate 52.2% 52.7%
Enrolled % 16.3% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/30 27/34
SAT Range 1123/1358 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

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 44% 58%
% Women 56% 42%
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 (51,528 students vs. 1,410 students)

OWU vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OWU or Purdue?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 406.9% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($49,262.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.7% higher at OWU than Purdue University Main Campus ($49,262.00 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 ($12,576 vs. $27,311)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 37% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($10,030 vs. $13,745)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than Purdue University Main Campus (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 310.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($36,757 vs. $8,950)

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)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than OWU (52.2%)

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/