Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #87 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $81,751 four years after enrollment, placing Purdue University-Main Campus in the 87.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #35 nationally for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a program-level anchor that reflects Purdue University-Main Campus's dominant engineering and applied-sciences profile. Students at Purdue University-Main Campus graduate with median earnings that place the university among the strongest performers for long-term financial outcomes in the Azimuth coverage set. Purdue University-Main Campus's return ranking and earnings profile reflect the depth of its engineering, computer science, and applied-technology programs, which consistently connect graduates to high-demand careers.
Azimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #87 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in West Lafayette, IN, Purdue University-Main Campus enrolls roughly 44,503 undergraduates. Retention stands at 92.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 83.1%, reflecting strong degree completion relative to the broader national landscape. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #155 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,579 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Purdue University-Main Campus in the 74.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Engineering is the dominant program family, and the university's deep engineering and technical portfolio helps explain why post-graduation earnings consistently outpace those at comparable institutions. Mobility also contributes meaningfully, sitting in the 94.9 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Purdue University-Main Campus admits about 49.9% of applicants, and 13.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants while 18.5% are first-generation college students — figures that place access in the 78.3 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 75.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, shaped by net prices that run higher for middle- and upper-income families relative to many peer publics. For students admitted to Purdue University-Main Campus, the earnings payoff is substantial, but families should weigh upfront costs carefully against the strong long-term financial trajectory.
Purdue University-Main Campus prices its education differently across income levels, and the spread is meaningful. Low-income families pay approximately $5,098 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $9,438, and higher-income families pay closer to $22,742. Azimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #345 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That standing reflects Purdue's public-tuition structure and the earnings power graduates bring to loan repayment, particularly in engineering and technical fields where starting salaries tend to be strong. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown — a dynamic explored further in the net price illusion. Purdue participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and need-based aid plays a meaningful role in shaping what lower- and middle-income families actually pay. The gap between sticker price and net price is most pronounced for low-income students, where grant and scholarship dollars close a substantial portion of the published cost. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and Purdue's aid office processes both need-based and, where applicable, merit-based awards that together determine the net price each household faces. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $29,448; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Purdue University-Main Campus's median four-year earnings of $81,751, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Purdue University-Main Campus is a strong fit for students drawn to engineering, technology, and applied sciences who want a large public research university in IN with a national reputation for career-ready outcomes. Graduates earn in the 87.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Purdue University-Main Campus sits in the 74.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $4,579 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a signal that the institution's program mix translates into measurable post-graduation financial advantage. Purdue University-Main Campus enrolls 13.0% Pell-eligible undergraduates and 18.5% first-generation students, with a Pell completion rate of 74.3%. Median student debt at graduation is $19,500, and the institution's strong earnings trajectory means most borrowers are well-positioned to service that debt under standard repayment terms. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the dominant program family is Engineering, which represents 26% of degrees, so students whose interests align with STEM and applied fields will find the strongest outcomes — those pursuing humanities or social sciences will find a narrower program core. The admit rate of 49.9% makes Purdue competitive but not prohibitively selective, and the West Lafayette campus draws a nationally mobile student body oriented toward industry-facing careers.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Purdue University-Main Campus hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Computer Science
439 graduates
Computer Engineering
297 graduates
Materials Engineering
74 graduates
Industrial Engineering
262 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
203 graduates
Purdue University-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in Engineering, which accounts for 26% of degree output — a concentration that shapes the institution's earnings profile and employer-recruitment footprint. Business represents 11% of graduates and Social Sciences accounts for 4%, rounding out a portfolio tilted toward applied, workforce-ready fields.
Computer Science is the largest program with 439 graduates, followed by Mechanical Engineering (430 graduates), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (307 graduates), Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering (298 graduates), and Computer Engineering (297 graduates). Across 102 programs serving roughly 8,664 students annually, 68 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.
The strongest national ranks cluster in engineering and computing subfields. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #35 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 439 graduates earning $146,685.
Azimuth ranks Computer Engineering #24 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $121,462, and Azimuth ranks Industrial Engineering #7 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 262 graduates earning $107,031. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a defining program for the institution's overall return profile — Azimuth ranks it #35 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $146,685.
Mechanical Engineering and Artificial Intelligence round out the top earners, with graduates earning $102,572 and $99,896 respectively — Azimuth ranks them #26 and #71 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Engineering and computer science programs at Purdue University-Main Campus are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the national labor market directly, and four-year earnings reflect actual workforce outcomes rather than a holding pattern before graduate school.
Programs like Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering and Computer Engineering may include a larger share of graduates who continue to graduate or professional study, where four-year earnings undercount the full trajectory. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework provides context for how Purdue University-Main Campus's dominant engineering and computing fields align with national labor-market demand, and the [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) methodology explains the ranking approach behind these figures. ```
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wabash College Higher acceptance rate (12.5 percentage points higher) and located 27 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 63% | $69,952 | Compare |
Butler University Higher acceptance rate (35.6 percentage points higher) and located 57 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 86% | $77,235 | Compare |
Valparaiso University Higher acceptance rate (41.9 percentage points higher) and located 72 miles away; similar graduate earnings | IN | 92% | $63,191 | Compare |
South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology Higher acceptance rate (35 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | SD | 85% | $72,257 | Compare |
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina Higher acceptance rate (47.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | SC | 98% | $72,085 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ohio State University-Main Campus Similar quality tier in Midwest (#4200 ranked) | OH | 61% | $60,409 | #4200 | Compare |
Texas Tech University Similar quality tier (#4190 ranked) | TX | 73% | $62,454 | #4190 | Compare |
University Of Wisconsin-Madison Similar quality tier in Midwest (#4188 ranked) | WI | 45% | $73,792 | #4188 | Compare |
Wayne State University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#4187 ranked) | MI | 81% | $53,493 | #4187 | Compare |
Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College Similar quality tier (#4186 ranked) | LA | 73% | $61,251 | #4186 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Purdue University-Main Campus prices its education differently across income levels, and the spread is meaningful. Low-income families pay approximately $5,098 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $9,438, and higher-income families pay closer to $22,742.
Azimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #345 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That standing reflects Purdue's public-tuition structure and the earnings power graduates bring to loan repayment, particularly in engineering and technical fields where starting salaries tend to be strong.
Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown — a dynamic explored further in the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Purdue participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and need-based aid plays a meaningful role in shaping what lower- and middle-income families actually pay.
The gap between sticker price and net price is most pronounced for low-income students, where grant and scholarship dollars close a substantial portion of the published cost. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and Purdue's aid office processes both need-based and, where applicable, merit-based awards that together determine the net price each household faces.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $29,448; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Purdue University-Main Campus's median four-year earnings of $81,751, median federal debt of $19,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $220 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Purdue University-Main Campus earn median earnings of $81,751 four years after enrollment, placing Purdue University-Main Campus in the 87.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn about $4,579 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 74.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Purdue University-Main Campus #155 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Engineering is the dominant program family, accounting for 26% of degrees awarded, followed by Business at 11% and Social Sciences at 4%. That concentration in applied and quantitative fields helps explain the university's strong earnings profile.
Computer Science combines large cohort scale with strong pay, making it a central driver of Purdue University-Main Campus's aggregate return story. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #35 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 439 graduates earning median earnings of $146,685 four years after enrollment.
The Mechanical Engineering program graduates 430 students with median earnings of $102,572, and Azimuth ranks it #26 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians posts median earnings of $86,891 with 307 graduates, while Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering reaches $97,332 with 298 graduates — both reflecting the depth of Purdue University-Main Campus's engineering and technical pipeline in IN.
