DEEPCOLLEGES · OPS · v3.2 SCHOOLS·INDEXED 50 SOURCES IPEDS · CDS · SCORECARD LAST·SYNC 2026.04.28
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Purdue University vs University of Illinois

Side-by-side comparison with data from federal sources. Every metric traceable to IPEDS or College Scorecard.

SCHOOL A · PUBLIC

Purdue University

Iowa City, IA
50
DECISION SCORE
vs
METRICS
SCHOOL B · PUBLIC

University of Illinois

Champaign, IL
50
DECISION SCORE
01

Metric-by-metric

winner highlighted
MetricPurdue UniversityUniversity of IllinoisEdge
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 43.7% Purdue University (easier)
Average SAT 1225 1390 University of Illinois
Enrollment 32,773 62,417 University of Illinois larger
Tuition (Out-of-State) $28,794 $38,548 Purdue University cheaper
Median Earnings (10yr) $72,800 $80,500 University of Illinois
Pell Grant Rate 18.0% 24.0% Higher = more low-income students
02

Decision scores

Purdue University

50 Overall Fit 50 ROI 100 Transfer

University of Illinois

50 Overall Fit 50 ROI 85 Transfer
03

Top majors

Purdue University

Business/Marketing 24.1%
Parks/Recreation 10.2%
Multidisciplinary 9.1%
Social Sciences 7.8%
Engineering 7.5%

University of Illinois

Engineering 19.8%
Business/Marketing 13.4%
Social Sciences 7.7%
Computer Science 6.3%
Psychology 6.2%

Which Should You Choose?

Both Purdue University and University of Illinois are outstanding institutions. The right choice depends on your priorities:

  • If location matters: Purdue University is in Iowa City, IA while University of Illinois is in Champaign, IL
  • If cost is a factor: Compare net prices for your family income bracket above
  • If career outcomes are the priority: Look at the salary data by major for each school
  • If getting in is the concern: Check which school's acceptance rate and profile better match yours
04

Explore each school

Data source: College Scorecard, IPEDS.