Purdue University – West Lafayette is one of the top public research universities in the United States in West Lafayette, Indiana in the area of the Lafayette metropolitan region. It is a large university with 37,949 undergraduate students. Admissions are competitive, and Purdue University – West Lafayette acceptance rate is around 50.3%. Majors involve Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Agriculture, and Health Professions. The graduation rate after six years is 83%, and the median starting salary of Purdue University – West Lafayette graduates is around INR 70,09,000 (after ten years of graduation, converted from $84,600 median earnings).
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a highly ranked public research university located in Champaign and Urbana, Illinois in the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area. It is a large university with an undergraduate student body of 34,120 students. The admissions are competitive, with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign acceptance rate of approximately 43.7%. The common majors include Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, Computer Science, and Biology. The six-year graduation rate is 85%, and graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign still receive a median starting salary of about INR 72,63,000 (from $87,600 median earnings ten years after graduation).
| Purdue University | University of Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 5.8 Out of 10 | 6 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 85 Times Higher Education 2026 # 88 QS World University 2026 # 66 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 41 Times Higher Education 2026 # 70 QS World University 2026 # 22 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 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 | # 8 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 21 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 201 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -197 PG Programs -57 Doctorate Programs -7 | UG Programs -162 PG Programs -104 Doctorate Programs -4 |
| Acceptance Rate | 50.0 % | 43.7 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-115 IELTS-6.5 TOEFL-80 | IELTS-6.5 SAT-1340 TOEFL-79 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 31104 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28203 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 13720 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 43996 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 27323.63 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 14522 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Top recruiters are Cummins Inc, Boeing Company, Eli Lily and Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, etc.
| 89% of graduates were employed or were working within 6 months of graduation. 5,700+ companies visited for campus recruitment. Average Salaries of The Degree :
|
| application requirements | Avg GPA required- 3.6 (grade B). Include essay and answers to Purdue questions along with applicant profile. | 4 years of English and 3 to 3.5 years of Maths at high school level is required for UG admission; 300 to 400 words answer to Essay questions given by university; minimum 55% in bachelors for graduate admission |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.9/10 Read 18 reviews | 7.9/10 Read 19 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 19 for Computer Science by US News 2025 # 47 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2025 # 73 for Computer Science by QS World University 2025 | # 5 for Computer Science by US News 2025 # 21 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2025 # 34 for Computer Science by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.0/9TOEFL - 71/120 | Duolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 79/120 |
| application dates | Jan 15, 2026 (Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Nov 1, 2025 (Early Action Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) | Jan 5, 2026 (Regular Decision Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) Nov 1, 2025 (Early Action Application Deadline For 2025 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Purdue University | University of Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1869 | 1867 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 15:1:1 | 21:1 |
| Male:Female | 59% Male, 0% Female | 55% Male, 45% Female |
| Location Facts | West Lafayette campus located in Indiana is the flagship campus of Purdue University System | UIUC is located a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis in east-central Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. |
| Library | 9 libraries: 6 subject-oriented, Hicks Undergraduate Library, VIrginia Kelly Karnes Archives, Special Collection Research Center, Includes 3,317,331 printed volumes and electronic books; 227,814 electronic and print journals; 400,000 microforms and government documents. | UIUC Library is one of the largest public university collections with over 24 million resources. Consists of 14 million volumes in 37 unit libraries. 53,000,000 people visit the online catalog every year. |
| Campus Life | Over 1000 sports clubs and organizations such as A Cause for Paws, Make and Go Maker Space Initiative, 3D Printing Club, Accounting Association, Center for Democratic Citizenship | Campus facilities include multipurpose State Farm Center (16,500 seats); Memorial Stadium (70,000 seats), site of Big Ten Conference football games; the Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Krannert Art Museum & Kinkead Pavilion, Spurlock Museum, 4 theatres, 24 residence halls, etc. |
| Hostel | #Housing and Food - $13720 | #Food & Housing - $14522 |
| Famous Alumni | 23 astronauts including Neil Armstrong (first man to walk on moon), Edward Mills Purcell (Nobel laureate, physicist), Yitang Zhang (mathematician), Jeffrey Lacker (Federal Reserve Bank president), James Thompson (CEO of Rand Corporation) | One of the largest alumni networks in the USA with 470,000+ alumni. 30 Nobel laureates, 2 Turing Award winners, 1 Fields medalist, 29 Pulitzer Prizes. John Bardeen (Nobel laureate); Jawed Karim and Steve Chen (Co-founders of YouTube); Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric); Sushanth (Indian actor) |
| City Life | Lafayette – West Lafayette is situated between Chicago, Illinois and Indianapolis; Has over 40 parks and extensive trail systems, many nationally and international known high-tech corporations and institutions; population is approximately 190,000 | Illinois is located at the industrial belt and fertile agriculture land of USA; its economy is supported by manufacturing, agriculture, mining, transportation, and tourism sector; unemployment rate was 4.2% in March 2020; major attractions are Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, and Field Museum of National History |
| Weather |
Purdue University – West Lafayette vs University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) ranks #70 in QS and 46th in Times Higher Education with globally prestigious programs in Engineering, Computer Science (in the world's top 5), Business, and Information Sciences. Purdue University – West Lafayette is ranked #88 in QS and 79th in Times Higher Education with specific excellence in Engineering (U.S. top 10), Agriculture, Aviation & Aerospace, and Computer Science. They both are STEM giants, but UIUC is marginally better in Computer Science and Information Technology, whereas Purdue is exceptionally strong in Engineering and Aviation.
General Information
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, established in 1867, is a public land-grant research university located in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, with over 56,000 students. Purdue, established in 1869, is a public land-grant research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana, with over 50,000 students. Both are part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance, with UIUC well known for its multinational, global student population and Purdue for its engineering-oriented campus identity.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Purdue is about 50.3% in overall acceptance rate, although Computer Science, Engineering, and Business (Krannett) are much more competitive programs. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the same in terms of acceptance rate, at approximately 43.7%, but its Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business are intensely selective with acceptance usually below 20–25%. Both are seeking solid academics, particularly in preparation in math and science.
Research Impact & Facilities
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is an R1: Very High Research Activity institution with yearly research expenditures of more than $750 million. It is a pioneer in supercomputing, AI, data science, materials engineering, and agricultural research with facilities such as the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). Purdue is also an R1 university, with research expenditure at approximately $600 million a year, and has its reputation for the Birck Nanotechnology Center, aerospace and aviation collaborations (including that with NASA), and agricultural technologies. UIUC generally ranks at the top in computing and information sciences, whereas Purdue leads in engineering and applied sciences.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both being public schools, they charge competitive tuition. Purdue in-state tuition is roughly $10,500–$11,000, and out-of-state roughly $28,000–$30,000. UIUC's in-state is a bit higher at roughly $17,000–$21,000, and out-of-state roughly $35,000–$38,000. International students at both pay $40,000–$45,000+, depending on the program. Both schools offer merit scholarships and need-based aid, although Purdue overall is more cost-efficient.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Purdue graduates are well known in business leadership, technology, engineering, and aviation, with more than 600,000 alumni globally and robust industry pipelines to corporations such as Microsoft, Google, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign boasts more than 500,000 global alumni that lead in tech entrepreneurship, consulting, finance, and academia. UIUC Computer Science alumni have among the highest beginning salaries in the United States, and Purdue is similarly famous for engineers and space program graduates (totaling 27 astronauts).
