# Purdue University (PU)

Public college in West Lafayette, IN. IPEDS ID 243780.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 50% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $14,600 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 83%; beats 98% of IN colleges and 91% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $72,424; beats 94% of IN colleges and 88% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $15,000

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $5,098 |
| 30-48k | $6,241 |
| 48-75k | $9,438 |
| 75-110k | $18,177 |
| 110k+ | $22,742 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.26 years on average (64% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $72,424 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $5,098 | $21,717 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $6,241 | $26,587 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $9,438 | $40,206 | 1.1 years |
| 75-110k | $18,177 | $77,434 | 2.1 years |
| 110k+ | $22,742 | $96,881 | 2.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $24,591 in-state; about $43,393 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $9,992 in-state, $28,794 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $11,650; books: $1,030

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 600–720; SAT math: 600–760; ACT: 27–34 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 73,083 applicants, 36,763 admitted, 9,381 enrolled; test scores required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 50%, ACT 27–34 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 50%, ACT 27–34 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (112 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $94,786 | $146,685 | $19,375 |
| Computer Engineering | $89,965 | $121,462 | $23,000 |
| Materials Engineering | $78,265 | $107,557 | $21,335 |
| Industrial Engineering | $81,379 | $107,031 | $19,427 |
| Electrical Engineering | $84,300 | $105,396 | $19,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $81,105 | $104,514 | $21,500 |
| Statistics | $72,579 | $104,047 | $19,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $80,374 | $102,572 | $19,937 |
| Construction Engineering | $76,966 | $101,108 | $24,250 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $72,132 | $99,896 | $19,985 |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $75,913 | $97,594 | $19,270 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $71,989 | $97,332 | $21,500 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $70,903 | $93,976 | $18,284 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $72,749 | $93,434 | $19,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $74,369 | $90,873 | $19,500 |
| Accounting | $63,021 | $90,119 | $19,500 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $68,582 | $88,474 | $21,345 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $72,252 | $87,914 | $16,625 |
| Engineering, Other | $74,668 | $87,331 | $20,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $67,093 | $86,891 | $20,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $72,168 | $86,306 | $20,000 |
| Air Transportation | $45,190 | $86,161 | $21,250 |
| Finance | $59,938 | $85,924 | $22,335 |
| Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $74,981 | $85,224 | $23,250 |
| Marketing | $56,668 | $84,725 | $19,264 |
| Economics | $59,187 | $83,195 | $24,700 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $47,570 | $82,581 | $23,538 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $62,580 | $82,441 | $19,402 |
| Business Administration | $57,106 | $81,040 | $19,500 |
| Nursing | $71,759 | $80,403 | $20,455 |
| Environmental Engineering | $71,861 | $78,770 | $16,316 |
| Food Science and Technology | not reported | $75,060 | not reported |
| Agricultural Mechanization | $58,806 | $73,393 | $20,270 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $26,687 | $72,724 | $20,500 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | $56,835 | $71,868 | $15,211 |
| Political Science | $39,708 | $71,601 | $20,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $38,989 | $69,768 | $19,500 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences Business Services | $40,999 | $69,246 | $19,500 |
| Chemistry | $47,213 | $67,680 | $19,500 |
| Biochemistry | $41,625 | $67,639 | $18,540 |
| Physics | $30,203 | $67,505 | $21,948 |
| Landscape Architecture | not reported | $67,113 | not reported |
| Public Health | $45,274 | $66,892 | $21,500 |
| Agricultural Business | $52,804 | $65,900 | $17,500 |
| Communications | $41,409 | $65,517 | $18,500 |
| Engineering / Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians, Other | $50,059 | $63,954 | $21,500 |
| Software and Media Applications | $38,234 | $59,766 | $21,250 |
| Dietetics | $52,631 | $59,649 | $20,254 |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | $24,949 | $59,050 | $19,500 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $44,602 | $58,917 | $20,250 |
| Hospitality Management | $41,099 | $58,861 | $19,432 |
| Mathematics | $49,387 | $58,453 | $18,820 |
| Biology | $40,145 | $58,225 | $20,380 |
| Botany / Plant Biology | not reported | $57,530 | not reported |
| Forestry | $43,029 | $56,754 | not reported |
| Anthropology | $28,587 | $55,624 | $18,972 |
| Special Education | $48,773 | $55,308 | $26,276 |
| Sociology | $36,826 | $55,072 | $20,500 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $44,923 | $54,559 | $19,500 |
| Animal Sciences | $35,318 | $54,089 | $20,500 |
| History | not reported | $53,708 | $22,980 |
| Psychology (Research) | $31,172 | $52,170 | $19,500 |
| Film and Photography | not reported | $52,105 | $17,034 |
| English | $35,378 | $52,053 | $19,500 |
| Writing | $25,084 | $49,918 | $20,038 |
| Human Development and Family Studies | $35,436 | $49,649 | $15,304 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,459 | $48,502 | $18,646 |
| Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians | $43,747 | $45,935 | $17,098 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | $31,317 | $40,053 | $20,500 |
| Agriculture | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Agricultural Public Services | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Plant Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Soil Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Area Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Information Technology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Nuclear Engineering | $63,226 | not reported | $20,500 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Family and Consumer Sciences / Human Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Genetics | $39,052 | not reported | $15,000 |
| Physiology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Neuroscience | $37,612 | not reported | $21,177 |
| Applied Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Systems Science and Theory | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Nutrition Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | $39,692 | not reported | $16,000 |
| Psychology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | $27,114 | not reported | $21,128 |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medical Laboratory Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $57,096 | not reported | $19,046 |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage $95,600 (Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN), $95,560 (IN), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Computer Science → Software developer: median wage $99,750 (Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN), $105,920 (IN), $135,980 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).