UIC vs. Purdue

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

UIC Purdue
Location Chicago, IL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Large City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 33,747 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #234 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC Purdue
Tuition (In State) $10,970 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $25,578 $28,520
Room & Board $14,400 $10,030
Avg Net Price $10,384 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $13,813 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 48%

Admission

UIC Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,562 68,582
Admitted 18,541 36,146
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 52.7%
Enrolled % 22.9% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 27/34
SAT Range 1110/1340 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

UIC Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UIC Purdue
Graduation Rate 54% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $222

Diversity

UIC Purdue
% Men 44% 58%
% Women 56% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 65%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 28% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UIC Purdue
% In-State 88% 46%
% Out-of-State 5% 44%

Campus

UIC 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 UIC based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 33,747 students)

UIC vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or Purdue?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 12.9% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($10,970.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Purdue than University of Illinois at Chicago ($28,520.00 vs. $25,578.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Purdue ($10,384 vs. $12,576)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 43.6% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($10,030 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Chicago than Purdue University Main Campus (73% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 54.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($13,813 vs. $8,950)

UIC vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 139 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than Purdue (52.7%)

UIC vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIC 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 UIC.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (68% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $700 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $61,200)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($18,750 vs. $21,500)
  • UIC graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($193 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC 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/