Iowa vs. Purdue

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

Iowa Purdue
Location Iowa City, IA West Lafayette, IN
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 30,015 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #224 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Purdue
Tuition (In State) $8,711 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $30,674 $28,520
Room & Board $11,476 $10,030
Avg Net Price $19,587 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $9,959 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 48%

Admission

Iowa Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,729 68,582
Admitted 22,128 36,146
Acceptance Rate 86% 52.7%
Enrolled % 23.4% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 27/34
SAT Range 1130/1340 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline May 1, 2024

Academics

Iowa Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa Purdue
Graduation Rate 71% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $223 $222

Diversity

Iowa Purdue
% Men 44% 58%
% Women 56% 42%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 65%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 17%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Iowa Purdue
% In-State 54% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 44%

Campus

Iowa 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 Iowa based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 30,015 students)

Iowa vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 11.6% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.6% higher at Iowa than Purdue University Main Campus ($30,674.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Iowa ($12,576 vs. $19,587)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 14.4% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($10,030 vs. $11,476)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than Purdue University Main Campus (82% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 11.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($9,959 vs. $8,950)

Iowa vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 67 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Purdue (52.7%)

Iowa vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa 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 Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $1,400 more per year than Iowa graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $59,800)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $116 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($21,500 vs. $21,616)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($222 vs. $223)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

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