Purdue University-Main Campus

A major public college based in West Lafayette, Purdue University ranks among the largest colleges in Indiana with more than 43,000 students enrolled each year. Known for cutting-edge research activity, the school stands at the forefront of key fields such as agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. Purdue also features some of the country's top programs in engineering, aeronautical engineering, aviation technology, and spaceflight technology. The school counts more than 20 astronauts among alumni, including Neil Armstrong. Purdue's English department boasts a national reputation for its Online Writing Lab (OWL), which launched in 1994. With resources for all types of academic writing, the Purdue OWL is a model for many schools' online writing resources. Purdue also delivers a major distance education program with degrees at all academic levels. The school offers several additional master's programs exclusively online, including options in aviation management and construction management.
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Admissions Breakdown
Acceptance Rate Insight
19% of students
were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools
with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but
are still accessible to many students who apply.
Retention Rate Insight
97% of full-time
students stayed to continue their studies the following academic
year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall
2020.
Graduation Rate Insight
97% of students
graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their
studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are
not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners.
Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.
Application Considerations
Test scores: | Considered (not required) | High school transcript: | Required |
High school rank: | Recommended | Letter of recommendation: | Required |
High school GPA: | Recommended | Open admission: | No |
Completion of college prep program: | Recommended | Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL): |
Transfer Credit Policy
Dual enrollment: Implied no
Advance placement (AP) credits: Yes
Credit for qualified life experience*:
ⓘ
*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials,
or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a
portfolio to earn credit.
Learning Environment
13k
Students enrolledOnline student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio
51%
Online student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio
9:1
Student to faculty ratio
Degrees Awarded by Program
Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.
# | Programs | BA | MA | Doc |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Architecture And Related Services | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
2 | Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
3 | Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, And Group Studies | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
4 | Biological And Biomedical Sciences | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
5 | Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
6 | Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
7 | Education | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |
8 | Engineering | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
9 | English Language And Literature/Letters | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
10 | Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
11 | Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
12 | Health Professions And Related Programs | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
13 | History | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
14 | History | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
15 | Legal Professions And Studies | ✕ | ✔ | ✔ |
16 | Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
17 | Mathematics And Statistics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
18 | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
19 | Natural Resources And Conservation | ✔ | ✕ | ✕ |
20 | Philosophy And Religious Studies | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
21 | Physical Sciences | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
22 | Psychology | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
23 | Social Sciences | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
24 | Theology And Religious Vocations | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
25 | Visual And Performing Arts | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ |