Purdue University — All Rankings Are Wrong

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Basic Information

Type Public

Geographical Reach National

Location West Lafayette, IN

Population 220,000

Website https://www.purdue.edu/

Weather

Comfortable Days 110 (71%)

Sunshine Hours 2,440 (30%)

Days Without Precipitation 240 (37%)

Honors College

Name John Martinson Honors College

Students 2,700 (6%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 42,442

Men / Women 60% / 40%

From State 42%

From Region 13%

Athletes 1.6%

Racial/Ethnic

White 54%

Asian 15%

International 10%

Hispanic 7%

Mixed 5%

Black 3%

Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Agriculture	695	37% / 63%	3%	$69,163	75	98%
Biochemistry	55 —	33% / 67%	5%	$79,421	86	100%
Agribusiness	120 —	52% / 48%	6%	$75,120	82	95%
Agricultural Economics	24 —	71% / 29%	17%	$75,120	82	95%
Agricultural Education	10 —	0% / 100%	0%	$59,309	56	97%
Agricultural Mechanization	19 —	100% / 0%	0%	$71,899	79	100%
Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture	— —	—	—	$74,427	81	100%
Agronomy and Crop Science	34 +1	65% / 35%	6%	$69,069	75	—
Animal Sciences	177 —	19% / 81%	1%	$70,604	77	99%
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries	47 +2	40% / 60%	0%	$41,864	11	100%
Farm Management	10 —	80% / 20%	0%	$75,120	82	95%
Fermentation Science	39 +3	23% / 77%	13%	$77,732	84	100%
Forestry	17 —	71% / 29%	0%	$57,941	53	95%
Horticultural Science	16 —	31% / 69%	0%	$69,464	76	—
Insect Biology	13 —	15% / 85%	0%	$55,651	46	—
Natural Resources and Environmental Science	39 —	28% / 72%	0%	$71,228	78	91%
Soil Science and Agronomy	— —	—	—	$69,035	75	—
Sustainable Food and Farming Systems	17 —	35% / 65%	0%	$69,259	75	—
Turf Management and Science	5 —	100% / 0%	0%	$69,583	76	—
Veterinary Technology	22 —	0% / 100%	0%	$47,570	22	100%
Wood Science	— —	—	—	$56,408	48	—
Agricultural Communication	12 —	0% / 100%	0%	$67,938	73	—
Humanities	7 —	14% / 86%	14%	$75,811	83	98%
Landscape Architecture	12 —	50% / 50%	0%	$67,748	73	100%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Education	163	12% / 88%	1%	$56,158	48	97%
Education	12 —	25% / 75%	8%	$81,927	88	97%
Elementary Education	105 —	5% / 95%	0%	$52,100	36	97%
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching	— —	—	—	$59,309	56	—
Social Studies Education	22 —	50% / 50%	0%	$59,309	56	97%
Special Education	13 —	0% / 100%	0%	$57,150	50	100%
Technology Education	2 —	0% / 100%	0%	$59,309	56	97%
Art Teacher Education	9 —	0% / 100%	0%	$59,309	56	97%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Engineering	3,106	75% / 25%	12%	$100,333	97	96%
Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering	427 —	83% / 17%	10%	$99,749	97	95%
Biomedical Engineering	181 —	44% / 56%	6%	$94,601	95	92%
Chemical Engineering	183 —	64% / 36%	5%	$96,727	96	98%
Civil Engineering	216 —	62% / 38%	8%	$87,110	91	95%
Computer Engineering	455 —	85% / 15%	21%	$120,254	99	97%
Construction Engineering	31 —	68% / 32%	0%	$100,909	97	100%
Electrical Engineering	244 —	81% / 19%	24%	$97,496	96	97%
Environmental and Ecological Engineering	63 —	57% / 43%	0%	$78,615	85	100%
Industrial Engineering	263 —	67% / 33%	18%	$102,286	97	92%
Materials Engineering	58 —	78% / 22%	7%	$107,346	98	97%
Mechanical Engineering	792 —	84% / 16%	9%	$99,346	97	97%
Multidisciplinary Engineering	63 —	79% / 21%	6%	$87,159	91	94%
Nuclear Engineering	33 —	88% / 12%	9%	$93,365	94	95%
Agricultural and Biological Engineering	97 —	47% / 53%	2%	$86,975	91	100%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Health and Human Sciences	1,110	19% / 81%	4%	$64,525	67	97%
Nutrition Science	9 —	0% / 100%	0%	$64,078	66	—
Nutrition and Dietetics	43 —	9% / 91%	12%	$57,425	51	97%
Environmental Health	4 —	0% / 100%	25%	$58,941	55	96%
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences	2 —	0% / 100%	0%	$82,235	88	100%
Health and Wellness	8 —	12% / 88%	12%	$64,871	68	—
Health/Medical Physics	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	$58,941	55	96%
Kinesiology	165 —	36% / 64%	3%	$67,368	72	—
Medical Laboratory Science	13 —	15% / 85%	0%	$81,702	87	—
Nursing	184 —	12% / 88%	1%	$91,065	93	97%
Public Health	63 —	17% / 83%	5%	$58,941	55	96%
Public Health Education and Promotion	— —	—	—	$58,941	55	96%
Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences	110 —	1% / 99%	1%	$64,831	68	96%
Consumer Science	3 —	0% / 100%	0%	$78,610	85	—
Personal Financial Planning	43 —	77% / 23%	7%	$81,838	88	100%
Retail Management	21 +2	29% / 71%	24%	$62,813	64	97%
Developmental and Family Science	64 —	3% / 97%	2%	$50,724	31	93%
Psychological Sciences	363 —	20% / 80%	4%	$51,710	34	99%
Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs	14 —	0% / 100%	0%	$52,100	36	97%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Liberal Arts	967	37% / 63%	5%	$58,542	54	96%
Mathematics and Computer Science	7 —	86% / 14%	43%	$116,820	99	—
Systems Science and Theory	— —	—	—	$90,503	93	—
Biological and Physical Sciences	18 —	56% / 44%	11%	$67,278	72	—
African American Studies	4 —	100% / 0%	0%	$61,656	61	—
American Studies	3 —	100% / 0%	33%	$62,046	62	—
Anthropology	28 —	21% / 79%	0%	$56,657	49	100%
Artificial Intelligence (Liberal Arts)	78 —	72% / 28%	10%	$61,792	62	—
Asian Studies	12 —	25% / 75%	17%	$62,192	63	—
Classical Studies	9 —	44% / 56%	0%	$61,541	61	—
Communication	28 —	43% / 57%	4%	$60,783	59	96%
Communications	113 —	23% / 77%	7%	$60,783	59	96%
Comparative Literature	1 —	0% / 100%	0%	$55,811	47	—
Creative Writing	27 +8	26% / 74%	0%	$45,056	16	95%
English	44 +1	20% / 80%	2%	$53,223	39	100%
French	4 —	25% / 75%	25%	$60,397	59	—
German	4 —	0% / 100%	0%	$60,646	59	—
History	44 —	64% / 36%	5%	$49,047	27	93%
Interdisciplinary Studies	11 —	91% / 9%	0%	$64,646	67	—
Japanese	13 —	54% / 46%	0%	$60,855	60	—
Japanese Studies	1 —	100% / 0%	100%	$62,144	63	—
Linguistics	10 —	10% / 90%	0%	$59,476	56	—
Political Science	112 —	50% / 50%	4%	$75,637	83	94%
Professional Writing	22 +8	23% / 77%	0%	$45,056	16	95%
Religious Studies	2 +1	0% / 100%	0%	$60,308	58	—
Russian	1 —	100% / 0%	100%	$60,868	60	—
Sociology	172 —	29% / 71%	3%	$55,266	45	96%
Spanish	27 —	22% / 78%	0%	$57,346	51	—
Technical and Scientific Communication	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	—	—	—
Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies	12 —	25% / 75%	0%	$61,432	61	—
Acting	— —	—	—	$43,935	14	—
Art History	6 —	17% / 83%	0%	$40,704	9	89%
Film and Video	24 —	58% / 42%	4%	$52,867	38	100%
Industrial Design	26 —	38% / 62%	8%	$55,504	46	100%
Interior Design	50 —	14% / 86%	6%	$55,504	46	100%
Music	6 —	83% / 17%	17%	$44,805	16	—
Studio Art	34 —	12% / 88%	3%	$40,704	9	89%
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology	— —	—	—	$44,183	15	—
Theatre	13 —	23% / 77%	0%	$44,528	15	—

⇅	Trends	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Pharmacy		50	42% / 58%	10%	$86,435	91	79%
Pharmaceutical Sciences		50 —	42% / 58%	10%	$86,435	91	79%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
College of Science	1,797	62% / 38%	16%	$108,469	98	92%
Artificial Intelligence (Science)	3 +5	100% / 0%	33%	$96,840	96	98%
Computer Science	21 —	81% / 19%	0%	—	—	—
Computer Science	730 +61	77% / 23%	21%	$153,090	100	89%
Data Analytics	4 —	75% / 25%	50%	—	—	—
Applied Mathematics	10 +1	40% / 60%	40%	$96,620	96	—
Atmospheric Science	18 —	56% / 44%	0%	$62,252	63	—
Chemistry	107 +2	54% / 46%	10%	$61,775	62	100%
Financial Mathematics	11 —	36% / 64%	55%	$97,421	96	—
Geology and Geophysics	41 +2	59% / 41%	2%	$59,327	56	90%
Mathematics	102 +3	69% / 31%	25%	$59,090	56	97%
Physics	56 —	77% / 23%	21%	$68,194	74	95%
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	10 —	60% / 40%	0%	$79,421	86	100%
Biology	141 —	36% / 64%	4%	$80,758	87	93%
Biomedical Sciences	167 —	28% / 72%	2%	$80,758	87	93%
Cell and Molecular Biology	23 —	22% / 78%	9%	$72,477	79	—
Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Sciences	14 —	36% / 64%	0%	$56,613	49	—
Genetics	31 +7	32% / 68%	3%	$58,730	55	90%
Microbiology and Immunology	15 —	40% / 60%	13%	$69,524	76	—
Neurobiology and Anatomy	36 +2	31% / 69%	11%	$56,565	49	94%
Plant Biology	11 —	27% / 73%	0%	$58,475	54	100%
Plant Genetics	7 —	71% / 29%	0%	$58,730	55	90%
Actuarial Science	239 +10	66% / 34%	24%	$100,562	97	97%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business	1,350	62% / 38%	12%	$89,010	92	97%
Accounting	174 —	70% / 30%	3%	$91,574	94	93%
Actuarial Science	79 —	68% / 32%	10%	$104,644	98	96%
Business Analytics and Information Management	62 —	68% / 32%	11%	$104,644	98	96%
Finance	281 +10	78% / 22%	5%	$81,838	88	100%
General Management	122 +12	56% / 44%	4%	$88,368	92	95%
Hospitality and Tourism Management	83 —	18% / 82%	14%	$57,615	52	93%
Management Sciences	154 +15	62% / 38%	31%	$104,644	98	96%
Marketing	147 +23	35% / 65%	10%	$86,095	90	100%
Professional Selling	108 +4	64% / 36%	2%	$95,529	95	94%
Quantitative Business Economics	140 —	71% / 29%	31%	$84,483	89	100%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Polytechnic Institute	1,594	78% / 22%	10%	$84,955	90	96%
Computer Graphics	200 +46	62% / 38%	14%	$55,293	45	94%
Computer and Information Technology	158 +29	75% / 25%	18%	$96,840	96	98%
Cybersecurity	176 +9	82% / 18%	10%	$94,516	95	—
Biomedical Technology/Technician	4 —	75% / 25%	0%	—	—	—
Engineering Management	6 —	83% / 17%	17%	$89,734	93	100%
Organizational Leadership	79 —	42% / 58%	1%	$88,368	92	95%
Supply Chain and Sales Engineering Technology	63 +11	83% / 17%	24%	$92,536	94	88%
Design and Construction Integration	28 —	18% / 82%	4%	$55,504	46	100%
Aeronautical Engineering Technology	160 —	89% / 11%	11%	$84,754	90	96%
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	181 —	86% / 14%	3%	$97,292	96	100%
Aviation Technology	97 —	84% / 16%	13%	$83,301	89	96%
Electrical Engineering Technology	89 +9	92% / 8%	7%	$87,280	91	100%
Engineering Technologies/Technicians	2 —	100% / 0%	0%	$81,379	87	100%
Flight	111 —	80% / 20%	6%	$83,301	89	96%
Industrial Engineering Technology	53 +1	74% / 26%	15%	$92,536	94	88%
Mechanical Engineering Technology	187 —	89% / 11%	3%	$84,754	90	96%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $9,961

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $32,831

Est. In-State Cost $12,886

Est. Out-of-State Cost $42,470

ROI Percentile 91th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 93%

4-Year Graduation Rate 65%

6-Year Graduation Rate 83%

Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Asian Black Hispanic White International

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅	%	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Engineering	27.8%	3,009	76% / 24%	12%	$100,764	97	96%
Business & Economics	16.7%	1,804	62% / 38%	13%	$90,145	93	97%
Computer Science	12.0%	1,299	76% / 24%	18%	$122,338	99	91%
Humanities & Social Sciences	11.3%	1,229	31% / 69%	4%	$56,941	50	97%
Professional	8.1%	880	86% / 14%	7%	$87,706	91	97%
Agriculture & Food Science	7.0%	758	37% / 63%	4%	$69,953	76	98%
Health Sciences	5.6%	604	20% / 80%	3%	$75,131	82	94%
Life & Natural Sciences	4.9%	528	33% / 67%	4%	$75,115	82	94%
Physical Sciences & Math	3.2%	345	62% / 38%	17%	$63,904	66	97%
Arts	1.9%	208	26% / 74%	4%	$52,230	36	98%
Education	1.6%	168	11% / 89%	1%	$55,651	46	97%

Research R1

⇅	Research $	Rank	Federal	Industry $	PhDs	Rank	PhD students	Postdocs
Engineering	$393M	#7	56%	$40.7M	399	#1	2,254	184
Agriculture & Food Science	$161M	#6	38%	$6.9M	48	#7	249	76
Health Sciences	$118M	#55	42%	$7.3M	40	#45	248	55
Physical Sciences & Math	$78.3M	#43	58%	$7.2M	150	#4	978	104
Computer Science	$36.8M	#17	61%	$3.2M	40	#17	457	16
Life & Natural Sciences	$32.3M	#101	51%	$1.0M	40	#66	402	70
Business & Economics	$30.4M	#10	20%	$2.0M	16	#78	45	—
Humanities & Social Sciences	$15.6M	#129	35%	$0.2M	71	#70	206	28
Education	$10.6M	#52	44%	$0.0M	29	#145	—	—
Total	$877M	#36	49%	$68.3M	833	#8	4,839	533

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes

Acceptance Rate 43%

Yield (Unbound) 25%

Early Action Nov 1

Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

	In-State	Out-of-State	International
Regular Decision	71%	44%	23%

Early Action and Restrictive Early Action applicants are reported at the regular-decision rate.

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy required

Submitted Test Scores 100%

SAT Range 1220 – 1470

SAT Math Range 600 – 760

SAT RW Range 610 – 730

SAT Composite

25th 75th

SAT Math

25th 75th

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.