CU Boulder vs. Purdue

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

CU Boulder Purdue
Location Boulder, CO West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 39,585 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Purdue
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $28,520
Room & Board $16,146 $10,030
Avg Net Price $21,836 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 48%

Admission

CU Boulder Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 68,582
Admitted 43,416 36,146
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 52.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 27/34
SAT Range 1160/1390 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Purdue
Graduation Rate 68% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $222

Diversity

CU Boulder Purdue
% Men 55% 58%
% Women 45% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 65%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

CU Boulder Purdue
% In-State 53% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 44%

Campus

CU Boulder 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 CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Purdue?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 18.5% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.9% higher at CU Boulder than Purdue University Main Campus ($38,770.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than CU Boulder ($12,576 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 61% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($10,030 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder than Purdue University Main Campus (57% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 17.1% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($10,477 vs. $8,950)

CU Boulder vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 19 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Purdue (52.7%)

CU Boulder vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder 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 CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is the same as at Purdue University Main Campus (68% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $4,300 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $56,900)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 73%)

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