Rutgers vs. Purdue

Should I go to Rutgers University New Brunswick or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rutgers 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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Rutgers University New Brunswick vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
Rutgers University New Brunswick Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Rutgers University New Brunswick Purdue University Main Campus
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Overview

 Rutgers Purdue
Location New Brunswick, NJ West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 50,637 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Purdue
Tuition (In State) $12,900 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $30,600 $28,520
Room & Board $13,909 $10,030
Avg Net Price $17,535 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $12,785 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 48%

Admission

 Rutgers Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 41,654 68,582
Admitted 27,612 36,146
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.2% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 27/34
SAT Range 1270/1480 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 Rutgers Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Purdue
Graduation Rate 77% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $229 $222

Diversity

 Rutgers Purdue
% Men 46% 58%
% Women 54% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 65%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Rutgers Purdue
% In-State 85% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Rutgers based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 50,637 students)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Purdue?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 32.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.3% higher at Rutgers than Purdue University Main Campus ($30,600.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Rutgers ($12,576 vs. $17,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 38.7% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($10,030 vs. $13,909)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Purdue University Main Campus (57% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 42.8% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($12,785 vs. $8,950)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 6 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Purdue (52.7%)

Rutgers vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (77% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $5,000 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $61,200)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($222 vs. $229)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 68%)

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