Alabama vs. Purdue

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

Alabama Purdue
Location Tuscaloosa, AL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 39,622 52,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #403 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $32,400 $28,520
Room & Board $14,840 $11,650
Avg Net Price $21,761 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $16,394 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 39%

Admission

Alabama Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,418 73,083
Admitted 44,295 36,763
Acceptance Rate 75.8% 50.3%
Enrolled % 18.7% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/31 27/34
SAT Range 1170/1400 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

Alabama Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Alabama Purdue
Graduation Rate 66% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $222

Diversity

Alabama Purdue
% Men 6% 15%
% Women 10% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 65%
% Black 11% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 17%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Alabama Purdue
% In-State 36% 46%
% Out-of-State 63% 44%

Campus

Alabama 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 Alabama based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 39,622 students)

Alabama vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Purdue?

  • The University of Alabama is 14.2% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,100.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at Alabama than Purdue University Main Campus ($32,400.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Alabama ($12,421 vs. $21,761)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 27.4% lower than costs at The University of Alabama ($11,650 vs. $14,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than Purdue University Main Campus (72% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 47.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($16,394 vs. $11,126)

Alabama vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 50 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Alabama (27)
  • Accepted freshman Alabama students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (75.8%) than Purdue (50.3%)

Alabama vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama 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 Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than The University of Alabama (68% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $11,300 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $49,900)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,750)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($222 vs. $245)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 59%)

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