Which is cheaper, Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus?

Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower published in-state tuition: $9,992 versus $12,144. After grants and scholarships, average net price is $16,264 at Indiana University-Bloomington and $14,600 at Purdue University-Main Campus — net price is the better basis for a cost comparison.

Is Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus harder to get into?

Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower acceptance rate — 50% versus 78%. A lower acceptance rate means more applicants per seat; it is not by itself a measure of academic quality or of your own chances.

Which has the better graduation rate, Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus?

Purdue University-Main Campus reports the higher graduation rate: 83% versus 80%. Graduation rates reflect the students a college enrolls as well as the support it provides, so read them alongside admissions selectivity.

Head to head

Indiana University-Bloomington vs Purdue University-Main Campus

Indiana University-Bloomington (Bloomington, IN) and Purdue University-Main Campus (West Lafayette, IN) compared on cost, admissions, size, and outcomes, using each college’s own federal reporting. Every comparison below is drawn from figures both colleges report — where only one reports a number, no comparison is made.

Side-by-side comparison

Indiana University-Bloomington and Purdue University-Main Campus compared on cost, admissions, enrollment, and outcomes.
Measure	Indiana University-Bloomington	Purdue University-Main Campus
Location	Bloomington, IN	West Lafayette, IN
Institution type	University	University
Public or private	Public	Public
Campus setting	Urban	Urban
Published in-state tuitionSticker price before aid	$12,144	$9,992
Published out-of-state tuition	$41,891	$28,794
Average net priceAverage paid after grants and scholarships	$16,264	$14,600
Acceptance rate	78%	50%
SAT range (middle 50%)	1170–1400	1190–1460
Total enrollment	47,265	52,678
Graduation rate	80%	83%
First-year retention	91%	93%

What the numbers show

Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower published in-state tuition ($9,992 vs $12,144 at Indiana University-Bloomington).
Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower published out-of-state tuition ($28,794 vs $41,891 at Indiana University-Bloomington).
Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower average net price after aid ($14,600 vs $16,264 at Indiana University-Bloomington).
Purdue University-Main Campus has the higher graduation rate (83% vs 80% at Indiana University-Bloomington).
Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower acceptance rate (50% vs 78% at Indiana University-Bloomington).
Purdue University-Main Campus has the larger student body (52,678 students vs 47,265 students at Indiana University-Bloomington).

How to read this comparison

Every statement above is a direct comparison of two reported figures, and appears only when bothcolleges report that measure. Where one reports and the other does not, the row shows “Not reported” and no conclusion is drawn — a data gap is not a finding.

CampusPin does not rank these colleges or declare a winner. A lower acceptance rate is not a quality score, a higher graduation rate partly reflects who a college admits, and published tuition is not what most students pay. Which college is better depends on your program, your finances, and your circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus?: Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower published in-state tuition: $9,992 versus $12,144. After grants and scholarships, average net price is $16,264 at Indiana University-Bloomington and $14,600 at Purdue University-Main Campus — net price is the better basis for a cost comparison.
Is Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus harder to get into?: Purdue University-Main Campus has the lower acceptance rate — 50% versus 78%. A lower acceptance rate means more applicants per seat; it is not by itself a measure of academic quality or of your own chances.
Which has the better graduation rate, Indiana University-Bloomington or Purdue University-Main Campus?: Purdue University-Main Campus reports the higher graduation rate: 83% versus 80%. Graduation rates reflect the students a college enrolls as well as the support it provides, so read them alongside admissions selectivity.

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Data sources & methodology

Figures for Indiana University-Bloomington and Purdue University-Main Campus come from federal datasets and each institution's own reporting.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Methodology Data dictionary Report a correction

Suggested citation

CampusPin. Indiana University-Bloomington vs Purdue University-Main Campus. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/compare/indiana-university-bloomington-vs-purdue-university-main-campus