UNI vs. Purdue

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

 UNI Purdue
Location Cedar Falls, IA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 8,945 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #414 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI Purdue
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $28,520
Room & Board $9,343 $10,030
Avg Net Price $15,782 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 48%

Admission

 UNI Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 68,582
Admitted 4,362 36,146
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 52.7%
Enrolled % 32.9% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 27/34
SAT Range 1020/1330 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 UNI Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 UNI Purdue
Graduation Rate 67% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $213 $222

Diversity

 UNI Purdue
% Men 36% 58%
% Women 64% 42%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 65%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 17%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UNI Purdue
% In-State 91% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 44%

Campus

 UNI 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 UNI based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 8,945 students)

UNI vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 19.8% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48% higher at Purdue than University of Northern Iowa ($28,520.00 vs. $19,265.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UNI ($12,576 vs. $15,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 7.4% lower than costs at Purdue University Main Campus ($9,343 vs. $10,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Iowa than Purdue University Main Campus (83% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students is 39.6% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($8,950 vs. $6,412)

UNI vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 181 points higher than at UNI (1050)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UNI (23)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at UNI (3.61)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Purdue (52.7%)

UNI vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI 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 UNI.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than University of Northern Iowa (68% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $13,500 more per year than UNI graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $47,700)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($20,625 vs. $21,500)
  • UNI graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($213 vs. $222)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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