Purdue University Global is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in West Lafayette, Indiana. It enrolls 30,828 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes45
Value74
Affordability69
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Purdue University Global does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $7,770 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$10,101
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$14,412
Room & Board (off-campus)
$6,870
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,580
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,660
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,16710%percentile
$3,98325%percentile
$26,078Medianpercentile
$29,12575%percentile
$43,60090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,104
↓ $13,974
No Pell $10,500
↓ $15,578
Dependent students $6,000
↓ $20,078
Independent students $12,500
↓ $13,578
Female students $12,500
↓ $13,578
Male students $9,239
↓ $16,839
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,334, less than completers ($26,078), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
22% of students who start here finish within six years, and 43% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
43%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $36,596 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,596
Earning > $25K
60%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$53,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$29,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$58,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $17,700, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
25.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 57% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 30,828 students, a sprawling student community. Worth knowing: 53% are the first in their family to go to college, and 82% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
30,828
Part-Time
82%
First-Generation
53%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 51.6%15,901
Black 19.1%5,876
Hispanic 16.8%5,170
Other 5.7%1,763
Asian 3.0%922
International 0.4%136
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Purdue University Global. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Purdue University Global offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
87 distinct programs across
14 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 25 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.
Student : Faculty
25:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$2,391
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$127,688
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$57,052
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
298 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
298
100%
$57,052
Pros & Cons of Purdue University Global
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Purdue University Global is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Purdue University Global is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Purdue University Global
The questions families ask most about Purdue University Global, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
How much does Purdue University Global cost?
Budget around $7,770 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Purdue University Global worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $36,596 a year against a net price of $7,770, about 4.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Purdue University Global known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Purdue University Global graduates earn?
About $36,596 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Purdue University Global accredited?
Yes. Purdue University Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Purdue University Global?
30,828 students. Large, so expect big lectures and more independence in finding your own footing. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Purdue University Global?
22% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Purdue University Global a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Purdue University Global located?
Purdue University Global is located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
What programs does Purdue University Global offer?
87 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Purdue University Global?
25 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Indiana
Other colleges in Indiana share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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