West Lafayette, IN
Common questions prospective students and families ask about Purdue University-Main Campus.
About 92% of first-time, full-time students who start at Purdue University-Main Campus return for their second year, a commonly used early signal of student satisfaction and fit.
Purdue University-Main Campus reports a student-to-faculty ratio of about 14:1.
Purdue University-Main Campus reports that SAT/ACT scores are required as part of undergraduate admission.
Purdue University-Main Campus offers programs including Accounting and Related Services, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Agricultural Business and Management, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Mechanization, Agricultural Production Operations, Agricultural Public Services, Agriculture, General, and 137 more programs.
Purdue's official pages self-report a Top 10 public university standing in the QS World University Ranking 2026, #1 most recognized public university in the U.S. by American Caldwell in 2025, and #1 public university for graduating Fortune 500 CEOs by Strategas in 2024. Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system; it is a member of the Association of American Universities and reported a $4.44 billion endowment in 2024.
The official Purdue pages list Purdue University at 610 Purdue Mall in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the visit page directs visitors to campus maps for West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Purdue's main campus is in West Lafayette, Indiana, and spans about 2,660 acres in a setting Wikipedia characterizes as a small city.
Purdue's official pages lean into Boilermaker identity with phrases such as 'Boiler Up' and 'Built for Boilermakers' while spotlighting student-life spaces such as the Purdue Memorial Union, patios between classes, Mackey Arena, group fitness, and climbing/bouldering. Purdue's student culture centers on Boilermaker identity (colors old gold and black; mascots the Boilermaker Special and Purdue Pete), with roughly 40 fraternities and 30 sororities and more than 1,000 student organizations.
Purdue traces its roots to the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862 and points to traditions including the Big Bass Drum and the Grand Prix, which it calls 'the Greatest Spectacle in College Racing.' Aviator Amelia Earhart joined the Purdue faculty in 1935, and the Purdue Research Foundation funded the Lockheed Electra she flew on her attempted round-the-world flight. During WWII radar research, Purdue physicists discovered properties of germanium that led to the first transistor; Purdue also operated the country's first university-owned airport and joined ARPANET in 1975.
Purdue markets the student journey with 'Every Giant Leap Starts With One Small Step' and 'One small step can lead to your next giant leap,' tying its brand to giant leaps and the Boilermaker identity.
Purdue University-Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, IN, in a city setting.
Purdue University-Main Campus is a public institution.
Purdue University-Main Campus enrolls approximately 44,503 undergraduate students.
Purdue University-Main Campus admits approximately 50% of undergraduate applicants.
Admitted students at Purdue University-Main Campus typically report SAT scores near 640 (Reading) and 670 (Math) and an ACT composite near 30 (midpoint of the reported range).
The total cost of attendance at Purdue University-Main Campus is about $24,591 per year. Published tuition is about $9,992 for in-state students and $28,794 for out-of-state students. The average net price actually paid, after grants and scholarships, is about $14,600.
About 13% of students at Purdue University-Main Campus receive a federal Pell Grant, a commonly used marker of how many lower-income students the institution serves.
About 83% of first-time, full-time students complete a degree within 150% of normal time (e.g. 6 years for a 4-year program) at Purdue University-Main Campus.
Former students of Purdue University-Main Campus report median earnings of about $72,424 ten years after entry.