CostByCollegeAdmissions
Purdue acceptance rate
The acceptance rate at Purdue University is 50.3% for fall 2023. Out of 73,083 applicants, 36,763 were admitted and 9,381 enrolled.
The application numbers
| Figure | Fall 2023 |
|---|---|
| Applicants, fall 2023 | 73,083 |
| Admitted, fall 2023 | 36,763 |
| Acceptance rate, fall 2023 | 50.3% |
| Admitted students who enrolled, fall 2023 | 9,381 |
How this rate compares
Against the Indiana pilot school average of 59.2%, the rate at Purdue University is 8.9 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at Purdue University is 2.7 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.
Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 5 schools in Indiana and 235 schools nationwide on this site.
What the acceptance rate does and does not mean
The acceptance rate is the share of applicants who were offered a place. It is worked out by dividing the number of students admitted by the number who applied, for fall 2023.
A low rate means many more people applied than the school could admit. It does not by itself prove that a school is better, that teaching is stronger, or that graduates earn more. Some schools draw very large applicant pools because applying is free or simple, and some excellent schools admit a large share of a smaller, well matched pool.
A high rate does not mean admission is automatic. Schools still set entry requirements, and popular programs inside a school can be far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests. The rate also says nothing about cost. Read it beside the total cost, the average net price, and the outcomes on the cost page for Purdue University.
Similar schools to compare
- Indiana University-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana. Total cost $26,685 for one year.
- Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. Total cost $26,734 for one year.
- Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana. Total cost $28,900 for one year.
- University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana. Total cost $83,271 for one year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Purdue?
The acceptance rate at Purdue University is 50.3% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 36,763, divided by the number who applied, 73,083.
How many students apply to Purdue each year?
In fall 2023, 73,083 students applied to Purdue University, 36,763 were admitted, and 9,381 admitted students enrolled.
How selective is Purdue compared with other schools in Indiana?
The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in Indiana that publish a rate is 59.2%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at Purdue University is 50.3%.
Does a low acceptance rate mean a school is better?
No. A low rate means far more people applied than the school could admit. It says nothing on its own about teaching quality, cost, or graduate earnings, which is why this site prints the rate beside cost and outcomes figures.
How much does Purdue cost?
The total cost for one year at Purdue University is $24,882 for in state students. The cost page on this site breaks that total into tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses.
What is the graduation rate at Purdue?
The graduation rate at Purdue University is 83%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.
Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, United States Department of Education. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. See the methodology page for full detail.