Purdue University
Cost-conscious engineering, aviation, agriculture and technology students who want strong outcomes without needing single-digit-admit credentials.
Biggest caution
84% six-year graduation rate trails the elite tier.
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Purdue vs. WPI
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Purdue University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | PurdueWest Lafayette, IN | WPIWorcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 49.9% | 60.2% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1200–1480 | Not reportedWorcester Polytechnic Institute reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. |
| Average net price | $14,60013.0% on Pell grants | $43,07111.9% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $9,992 in-state · $28,794 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $60,965Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 83.1% | 89.7% |
| First-year retention | 92.7% | 93.7% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 13.0% | 11.9% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $72,424 | $103,470 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 | $27,000 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 44,503 | 5,447 |
| Consensus percentile | 11Lower is better | 19Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 18 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 26 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
Rankings across all sources
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Purdue | WPI |
|---|---|---|
| US News | #46 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #84 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | #62 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #160 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #44 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | Not ranked by this source |
| WSJ | #102 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #90 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #70 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #147 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
What each school is for
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Engineering and computing students who learn by building with a team rather than by lecture and exam, and who want international project work embedded in the degree.
Biggest caution
Average net price of $43,071 is high relative to comparable public engineering programs.
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