Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana · Public · 44,503 undergraduates · purdue.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
43%
of 87,220 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1220 to 1470
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,470Est.Estimate
$50,960 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Purdue University-Main Campus
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
43% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$50,960
a year in 2027-28, from a $50,960 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1360
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
Named scholarships you may qualify for (4)
$16,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview.
$10,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview.
$10,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs an application, essay or interview.
National Recognition Programs Scholarship
$1,000 a year
You meet the GPA and score minimums. Also needs other requirements.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- CLT accepted in place of SAT/ACT
Source: Purdue University Application Guide · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov1Priority deadline · November 1, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
43%
of applicants were admitted: 37,881 of 87,220 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 1/15.
Wait list
8,981 students were offered a spot; 3,916 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 84% of them sent SAT scores and 23% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1220 to 1470
Reading and Writing 610 to 730
Math 600 to 760
ACT composite 28 to 34
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160043%
- 1200 to 139936%
- 1000 to 119918%
- 800 to 9992.8%
- 600 to 7990.1%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.81
- 4.043%
- 3.75 to 3.9928%
- 3.50 to 3.7416%
- 3.25 to 3.498.2%
- 3.00 to 3.243.3%
- 2.50 to 2.991.7%
- Below 2.500.2%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$31,470
a year, in state
$50,960
a year, out of state (tuition $29,490)
- Tuition (in state)$10,000
- Fees$280
- Food and housing$17,220
- Books and supplies$1,120
- Transportation and other$2,850
Purdue University-Main Campus published $30,586 in state for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$6,147
- $30,001 to $48,000$5,618
- $48,001 to $75,000$9,056
- $75,001 to $110,000$15,253
- Over $110,000$23,490
Financial aid
65%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$13,698
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
21%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $5,789 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 4/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Trustees Scholarship
$10,000 to $16,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
- Indiana residents; holistic review, an application, essay or interview$10,000
- nonresidents; holistic review, an application, essay or interview$16,000
Deadline: November 1 (firm). To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA or higher; it renews for up to 8 semesters.
DetailsPresidential Scholarship
$4,000 to $10,000 a year
Competitive · No separate application
- Indiana residents; holistic review, an application, essay or interview$4,000
- nonresidents; holistic review, an application, essay or interview$10,000
Deadline: November 1 (firm). To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA or higher; it renews for up to 8 semesters.
DetailsIndy Scholars
Competitive · No separate application
- holistic review; Indianapolis enrollment, an application, essay or interview$10,000
Deadline: November 1 (firm). To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA or higher; it renews for up to 8 semesters.
DetailsNational Recognition Programs Scholarship
$1,000 a year
National Merit · No separate application
- College Board National Recognition Programs distinction
Deadline: November 1 (priority). To keep it: stay in good academic standing (not on academic probation).
Details
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
41 of 41
Earn credit with a score of 3
41 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,000Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | A&D 1XXXX | |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | A&D 1XXXX | |
| African American Studies | 3 | AAS 1XUND | |
| African American Studies | 4 | AAS 27100 | |
| Art History | 3 | A&D 1XXXX | |
| Biology | 3 | BIO 1XXXX | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 11000 | |
| Biology | 5 | BIOL 11000 & 11100 | |
| Calculus AB | 3 | MA 15555 | |
| Calculus AB | 4 | MA 16500 | |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MA 15555 | |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MA 16500 & 16600 | |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | MA 15555 | |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | MA 16500 | |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHM 11100 | |
| Chemistry | 4 | CHM 11510, 11520, 11610 and 11620 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | CHNS 10100 & 10200 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | CHNS 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | CHNS 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | POL 1XXXX | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | POL 14100 | |
| Computer Science A | 3 | CS 1XXXX | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | CS 17700 | |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | CS 1XXXX | |
| Computer Science Principles | 5 | CS 17700 | |
| Drawing | 3 | A&D 1XXXX | |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | ENGL 1XXXX | |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | ENGL 10600 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | ENGL 1XXXX | |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | ENGL 23100 | |
| Environmental Science | 3 | EAPS 1XXXX | |
| Environmental Science | 4 | EAPS 12500 | |
| European History | 3 | HIST 1XXXX | |
| European History | 4 | HIST 10400 | |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | FR 10100 & 10200 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | FR 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | FR 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | GER 10100 & 10200 | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | GER 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | GER 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| Human Geography | 3 | EAPS 1XXXX | |
| Human Geography | 4 | EAPS 12000 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | ITAL 10100 & 10200 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | ITAL 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | ITAL 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | JPNS 10100 & 10200 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | JPNS 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | JPNS 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| Latin | 3 | LATN 10100 | |
| Latin | 4 | LATN 10100 & 10200 | |
| Latin | 5 | LATN 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | ECON 2XXXX | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 25200 | |
| Microeconomics | 3 | ECON 2XXXX | |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 25100 | |
| Music Theory | 3 | MUSIC 1XXXX | |
| Physics 1 | 3 | PHYS 1XXXX | |
| Physics 1 | 5 | PHYS 22000 | |
| Physics 2 | 3 | PHYS 1XXXX | |
| Physics 2 | 5 | PHYS 21000 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | PHYS 1XXXX | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | PHYS 27200 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | PHYS 1XXXX | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | PHYS 17200 | |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | MA 1XXXX | |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | MA 15800 | |
| Psychology | 3 | PSY 1XXXX | |
| Psychology | 4 | PSY 12000 | |
| Research | 3 | UND 1XXXX | |
| Seminar | 3 | UND 1XXXX | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | SPAN 10100 & 10200 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | SPAN 10100, 10200 & 20100 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | SPAN 10100, 10200, 20100 & 20200 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | SPAN 1XXXX | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | SPAN 24100 | |
| Statistics | 3 | STAT 1XXXX | |
| Statistics | 4 | STAT 30100 | |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | POL 1XXXX | |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | POL 10100 | |
| United States History | 3 | HIST 1XXXX | |
| United States History | 4 | HIST 15100 & 15200 | |
| World History: Modern | 3 | HIST 1XXXX | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | HIST 10500 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
84%
Come back for a second year
93%
Typical earnings
$80,082
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Purdue University-Main Campus$86,461
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 75 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Purdue University-Main Campus. The Purdue University-Main Campus logo is a trademark of the college.