UC Davis vs. Purdue

Should I go to University of California Davis or Purdue University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Davis 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

IU UCSD Virginia Tech Illinois UCSB UCI UCSC Rose-Hulman Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State Iowa
University of California Davis vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
University of California Davis Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Davis Purdue University Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Davis Purdue
Location Davis, CA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 39,679 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #92 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdavis.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Davis Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,520
Room & Board $17,692 $10,030
Avg Net Price $17,385 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $20,548 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 48%

Admission

UC Davis Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 94,747 68,582
Admitted 35,377 36,146
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 52.7%
Enrolled % 18.1% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.67
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 25/33 27/34
SAT Range 1160/1400 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

UC Davis Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UC Davis Purdue
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,676 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $151 $222

Diversity

UC Davis Purdue
% Men 41% 58%
% Women 59% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 28% 65%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 11% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UC Davis Purdue
% In-State 75% 46%
% Out-of-State 7% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UC Davis based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 39,679 students)

UC Davis vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis or Purdue?

  • University of California Davis is 19% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46% higher at UC Davis than Purdue University Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UC Davis ($12,576 vs. $17,385)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 76.4% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($10,030 vs. $17,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Davis than Purdue University Main Campus (57% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 129.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($20,548 vs. $8,950)

UC Davis vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 5 points higher than at UC Davis (1226)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than UC Davis (37.3%)

UC Davis vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Davis 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 UC Davis.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $4,000 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $61,200)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $6,824 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($14,676 vs. $21,500)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($151 vs. $222)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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