UMass vs. Purdue

Deciding between University of Massachusetts Amherst and Purdue University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Purdue University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Purdue West Lafayette, IN
  • Setting
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Purdue Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • UMass 31,726
  • Purdue 58,658
  • Type
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • Purdue Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UMass #169
  • Purdue #102
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UMass -
  • Purdue -
  • Status
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Purdue Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UMass
  • Purdue

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UMass $17,772
  • Purdue $9,992
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UMass $40,449
  • Purdue $28,794
  • Room & Board
  • UMass $16,710
  • Purdue $12,820
  • Average Net Price
  • UMass $22,948
  • Purdue $13,722
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UMass $13,110
  • Purdue $11,294
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UMass 81%
  • Purdue 40%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UMass 50,261
  • Purdue 78,745
  • Admitted
  • UMass 30,020
  • Purdue 39,272
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Purdue 49.9%
  • Enrolled
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Purdue 29.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UMass 1410
  • Purdue 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • UMass 31
  • Purdue 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • UMass 3.99
  • Purdue 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UMass A
  • Purdue A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Purdue Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UMass Low
  • Purdue Low
  • ACT Range
  • UMass 30/33
  • Purdue 27/34
  • SAT Range
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Purdue 1200/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UMass Test optional
  • Purdue Required
  • Application Deadline
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027
  • Purdue

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UMass 17:1
  • Purdue 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)
  • Purdue
    • Engineering (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Engineering Technology (8%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UMass 67%
  • Purdue 68%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UMass $55,200
  • Purdue $61,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UMass 76%
  • Purdue 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UMass $24,000
  • Purdue $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UMass $248
  • Purdue $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UMass 48%
  • Purdue 59%
  • % Women
  • UMass 52%
  • Purdue 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UMass Medium
  • Purdue Medium
  • HBCU
  • UMass No
  • Purdue No
  • % White
  • UMass 67%
  • Purdue 65%
  • % Asian
  • UMass 9%
  • Purdue 6%
  • % Black
  • UMass 4%
  • Purdue 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • UMass 5%
  • Purdue 4%
  • % Native American
  • UMass 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UMass 0%
  • Purdue 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UMass 3%
  • Purdue 2%
  • % International
  • UMass 4%
  • Purdue 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UMass 8%
  • Purdue 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UMass 69%
  • Purdue 41%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UMass 22%
  • Purdue 47%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UMass Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UMass No
  • Purdue No
  • Meal Plan
  • UMass Yes
  • Purdue Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UMass Yes
  • Purdue No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UMass Yes
  • Purdue Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA with Purdue University Main Campus in West Lafayette, IN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Purdue University Main Campus is larger than UMass based on total student enrollment (58,658 students vs. 31,726 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting); Purdue University Main Campus is in West Lafayette, IN (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1; Purdue University Main Campus 14:1.

UMass vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or Purdue? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UMass ($13,722 vs. $22,948).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 23.3% lower than at University of Massachusetts Amherst ($12,820 vs. $16,710).
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is 77.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Purdue (about $7,780 more per year; $17,772.00 vs. $9,992.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 40.5% higher at UMass than at Purdue University Main Campus (about $11,655 more per year; $40,449.00 vs. $28,794.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at Purdue University Main Campus (81% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students is 16.1% larger than aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students ($13,110 vs. $11,294).

UMass vs. Purdue Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMass or Purdue? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Purdue and UMass.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1410) is 70 points higher than at Purdue (1340).
  • Incoming UMass students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 30 at Purdue).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500; Purdue University Main Campus 1200/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33; Purdue University Main Campus 27/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UMass - Test optional; Purdue - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UMass Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Purdue (3.67).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Purdue (49.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.9% at UMass vs. 29.2% at Purdue.

UMass vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UMass and Purdue? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Purdue University Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,200 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Purdue University Main Campus graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than UMass graduates ($21,500 vs. $24,000).
  • Among borrowers, Purdue graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UMass graduates ($222 vs. $248).
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.