Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant institution in West Lafayette, Indiana, renowned for engineering, computer science, agriculture, and aviation — it has graduated 30 astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, earning the nickname "Cradle of Astronauts." With roughly 43,000 undergraduates, Purdue is among the largest universities in the country yet remains selective, admitting about 43% of its roughly 87,000 applicants. Enrolled first-years post an average high school GPA of 3.81 with a middle-50% SAT of 1220–1470, and engineering accounts for more than a third of bachelor's degrees conferred. A long-running tuition freeze keeps in-state cost under $10,000, making Purdue one of the best values in public higher education.
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Purdue admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admitted~1.6× higher admit rate for in-state applicants.
Early action
Purdue offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized tests
Purdue requires standardized test scores for all applicants.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Purdue supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (Respond in 250 words or fewer.)
Briefly discuss your reasons for choosing your major and your interest in studying at this campus location (Indianapolis or West Lafayette). (Respond in 250 words or fewer.)
Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the alternate major and campus location (Indianapolis or West Lafayette) you have selected. (Respond in 250 words or fewer.)
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Class rank
Where Purdue's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 31.29% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Purdue does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Purdue weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Purdue's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Purdue admissions
Purdue is selective, admitting about 43% of applicants — roughly 37,881 admits from 87,220 applications in the most recent reported cycle, with around 9,656 enrolling. Admission is substantially tougher for in-demand programs such as engineering and computer science, which draw far more applicants than they can take.
It is meaningfully harder to get in as a non-resident. Purdue admits Indiana residents at a 71% rate versus 44% for domestic out-of-state applicants. That gap reflects both a public university's mission to serve state taxpayers and the heavier out-of-state demand for competitive programs like engineering and computer science. If you are applying from outside Indiana, plan for roughly a 44% admit rate overall and aim for the stronger end of Purdue's academic profile to improve your position.
Admitted first-years at Purdue report an average high school GPA of about 3.81 on a 4.0 scale. There's no hard cutoff, but the rigor of your course load is weighed as a very important factor alongside GPA, so competitive applicants — especially for engineering and computer science — typically present mostly A's in a demanding schedule.
A 1400 sits within Purdue's competitive range: the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored between 1220 and 1470 on the SAT (28–34 ACT), placing 1400 in the upper-middle of that band, below the 75th percentile of 1470. Aim toward the top of that range for the College of Engineering and computer science, where expectations run higher.
No — Purdue requires SAT or ACT scores from first-year applicants and is not test-optional. Among enrolled students the middle 50% scored 1220–1470 on the SAT and 28–34 on the ACT, and standardized test scores are weighed as an important admission factor.
Annual tuition and required fees are about $9,992 for Indiana residents and $28,794 for out-of-state students, held down by a multiyear tuition freeze that keeps in-state cost under $10,000. About 24% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, with an average need-based package near $14,569, and Purdue meets roughly 65% of demonstrated need on average.
Engineering is by far Purdue's largest field, accounting for about 36% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the liberal arts at 18% and the sciences, business, and computer science. Purdue is also a national leader in agriculture, and its engineering and computing programs are the most competitive to be admitted into.
Yes — Purdue rates the application essay as a very important factor in its review, on par with GPA and the rigor of your coursework. With about 43% of applicants admitted and far stiffer odds for engineering and computer science, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest places a strong applicant can stand out.
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Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Purdue University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Purdue. Banner photo by Amerique, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Purdue University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/purdue (retrieved 2026-06-25).