Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a public institution with two campuses in Westville and Hammond, Indiana, situated in the Northwest Indiana area close to Chicago. The university is mid-sized with around 7,900 undergraduate students. Admissions are moderately competitive with an acceptance rate of about 70-71%. Nursing, Health Professions, Business, Social Sciences, Engineering Technologies, and Education are well-populated majors. The six-year graduation rate is around 44%, and PNW graduates have median earnings of $64,593 five years post-graduation (not reliably verified for ten years post-graduation).
Purdue University (Purdue) is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it exists in a small college town environment. It is a large university with about 40,000+ undergraduate students. Admissions are competitive, with an acceptance rate more like 50% at recent periods. The most popular majors are Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Social Sciences, and Health Professions. The six-year graduation rate is roughly 80-81% for first-time, full-time freshmen, and Purdue graduates have median incomes of roughly $61,200 ten years after matriculation (for students who took federal aid etc.).
| Purdue University - Northwest | Purdue University | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 1200 Times Higher Education 2022 | # 85 Times Higher Education 2026 # 88 QS World University 2026 # 66 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 1200 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2022 | # 6 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 51 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -40 PG Programs -15 | UG Programs -197 PG Programs -57 Doctorate Programs -7 |
| Acceptance Rate | 70.0 % | 50.0 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-6.5 SAT-970 TOEFL-80 | Duolingo-115 IELTS-6.5 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 16620 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 19350 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 21501 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 31104 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28203 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 13720 Per Year |
| Campuses and B-Schools | NA | Krannert School of Management |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.6/10 Read 4 reviews | 7.9/10 Read 18 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 1200 for Business by Times Higher Education 2022 | # 71 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 96 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 115/160GMAT - 500/800IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 | Duolingo - 140/160IELTS - 8.0/9TOEFL - 105/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -19350 | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -76570 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Oct 1, 2025 (Application Deadline For Spring 2026 Intake) Apr 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Nov 15, 2025 (Priority Admission and Financial Aid Consideration Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 1, 2026 (Late Priority Admission and Financial Aid Consideration Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 1, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
.jpeg?h=100&w=100&mode=stretch)
| General Facts | Purdue University - Northwest | Purdue University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 2016 | 1869 |
| Male:Female | 43% Male, 57% Female | 59% Male, 0% Female |
| Hostel | #Off campus (with family) - $6384 #Off campus (not with family) - $7520 #On campus - $7597 | #Housing and Food - $13720 |
| Weather |
Purdue University Northwest vs Purdue University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Purdue University is a world-renowned university with highly ranked subjects; it ranks highly among the top technical and engineering universities in the world. Purdue Northwest is not listed in most of the leading international rankings, and its subject rankings are regionally oriented. Purdue leads in Engineering, Computer Science, and Agriculture with highly ranked global presence. PNW has strengths more applied and geared towards regional workforce requirements in Nursing, Engineering Technologies, Business, and Health Professions.
General Information
Purdue is much bigger, with overall enrollment well over 50,000 students (graduate students included) on all its campuses compared to PNW's overall enrollment of 8,700-9,000 (undergraduate + graduate students). Purdue's West Lafayette campus offers the full research-oriented experience, with big graduate programs, numerous PhD fields, and full-scale research facilities. PNW is more teaching & applied focused, with smaller graduate programs and scaled-down research.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Purdue admits more selectively than PNW. Purdue has an acceptance rate of ~ 50%, whereas PNW's is ~ 70-71%. PNW's middle 50% range on the SAT is ~ 920-1140; ACT ~ 16-25. (Purdue's SAT/ACT ranges are higher, although exact verified ranges depend on the year and major.) PNW takes scores into account but is trending toward test-optional practices, whereas Purdue's requirements are more strict for competitive majors.
Research Impact & Facilities
Purdue is ranked as an R1 research university with very high research activity. It boasts world-class facilities, engineering laboratories, research parks, extensive graduate student participation, and significant research funding. PNW is not an R1 (more regional in nature), with lesser research activity. Its facilities center on applied learning, simulation, and regional service; it does not possess the same global research presence.
Cost & Financial Aid
PNW's net cost (after aid & grants) is around $9,637/year. Indiana resident tuition is pretty low; out-of-state tuition more expensive. A lot of students get financial assistance; specifically, PNW has a large percentage of its students getting aid. Purdue's net price and tuition are more; out-of-state charges much higher. Purdue provides generous need-based and merit-based aid, and has lots of scholarships, especially for engineering, business, etc.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Achievement
Purdue alumni have far superior long-term career performance regarding graduation rate, median income, and employment. Purdue's six-year graduation rate is roughly 80-81%, significantly higher than PNW's ~ 44%. Purdue alumni survey/outcome data & salary reports indicate median earnings around $61,200 ten years following enrollment. PNW graduates earn less compared to similar longer periods; their five-year earnings (~$64,593) are good but not obviously matched in public records to ten-year figures. Purdue's alumni base is strong worldwide, with numerous prestigious alumni, and better loan repayment and employment rates.
