Illinois vs. Purdue

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

 Illinois Purdue
Location Champaign, IL West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 56,916 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Purdue
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $28,520
Room & Board $12,720 $10,030
Avg Net Price $14,544 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 48%

Admission

 Illinois Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 68,582
Admitted 28,354 36,146
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.1% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 27/34
SAT Range 1320/1510 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Purdue
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $222

Diversity

 Illinois Purdue
% Men 54% 58%
% Women 46% 42%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 65%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Illinois Purdue
% In-State 71% 46%
% Out-of-State 11% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Purdue based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 51,528 students)

Illinois vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Purdue?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 28.4% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at Illinois than Purdue University Main Campus ($30,446.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Illinois ($12,576 vs. $14,544)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 26.8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($10,030 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Purdue University Main Campus (54% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 84.9% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($16,552 vs. $8,950)

Illinois vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 74 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $5,300 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $61,200)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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