UVA vs. Purdue

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

 UVA Purdue
Location Charlottesville, VA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 25,924 52,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website virginia.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UVA Purdue
Tuition (In State) $17,490 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $53,836 $28,520
Room & Board $13,940 $11,650
Avg Net Price $17,831 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $29,675 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 28% 39%

Admission

 UVA Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,528 73,083
Admitted 9,533 36,763
Acceptance Rate 16.9% 50.3%
Enrolled % 41.6% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 27/34
SAT Range 1410/1530 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 UVA Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 UVA Purdue
Graduation Rate 94% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $222

Diversity

 UVA Purdue
% Men 15% 15%
% Women 17% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 65%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 5% 17%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

 UVA Purdue
% In-State 65% 46%
% Out-of-State 29% 44%

Campus

 UVA 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 UVA based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 25,924 students)

UVA vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVA or Purdue?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 80% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($17,490.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.8% higher at UVA than Purdue University Main Campus ($53,836.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UVA ($12,421 vs. $17,831)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 19.7% lower than costs at University of Virginia Main Campus ($11,650 vs. $13,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Purdue University Main Campus than University of Virginia Main Campus (39% vs. 28%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 166.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($29,675 vs. $11,126)

UVA vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 133 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than UVA (16.9%)

UVA vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVA 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 UVA.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (94% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $16,000 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $61,200)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UVA graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 78%)

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