SAU vs. Purdue Northwest

Should I go to Spring Arbor University or Purdue University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAU or Purdue Northwest 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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Spring Arbor University vs. Purdue University Northwest comparison
Spring Arbor University Purdue University Northwest College 3 College 4
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Overview

 SAU Purdue Northwest
Location Spring Arbor, MI Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,390 8,679
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #553
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SAU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $31,940 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $31,940 $14,795
Room & Board $10,960 $9,097
Avg Net Price $21,720 $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $21,522 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 85%

Admission

 SAU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,145 6,394
Admitted 1,174 4,516
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 70.6%
Enrolled % 17.5% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 17/25 16/25
SAT Range 935/1165 920/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 SAU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

 SAU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 56% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 58% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 N/A
Median Loan Payment $248 N/A

Diversity

 SAU Purdue Northwest
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 48% 5%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 77% 0%
% Black 10% 0%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 SAU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 82% 80%
% Out-of-State 15% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (8,679 students vs. 2,390 students)

SAU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Spring Arbor University is 320.6% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($31,940.00 vs. $7,594.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.9% higher at SAU than Purdue University Northwest ($31,940.00 vs. $14,795.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than SAU ($9,637 vs. $21,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 20.5% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($9,097 vs. $10,960)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Purdue University Northwest (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 235.2% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($21,522 vs. $6,420)

SAU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • Purdue Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than SAU (37.3%)

SAU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Northwest and SAU.

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