Key differences on Outcomes
- 1
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State grads earn $9.3K more ten years out than Purdue's ($81,698 vs. $72,424)
Median earnings, 10 yrs - 2
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State graduates 9 pts more of its students than Purdue (87% vs. 78%)
Graduation rate
Outcomes
Outcomes
Earnings and finishing
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Purdue$72.4K
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State$81.7KHighest
Graduation rate
Purdue78%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State87%Highest
Retention rate
Purdue92%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State93%Highest
Borrowing
Median debt
Purdue$19.5KLowest
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State$21.5K
Undergrads with a federal loan
Purdue22%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State34%
Median debt, Pell Grant recipients
Purdue$13.8KLowest
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State$19.5K
Eight-year outcomes
Credential within 4 years, all students
Purdue60%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State71%
Credential within 8 years, all students
Purdue79%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State87%
Enrolled at another college, 8 years on
Purdue12%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State9%
Graduation by group
Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients
Purdue73%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State79%
Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan
Purdue86%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State88%
Pell graduation gap
Purdue13 pts lower
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State9 pts lower
Graduated in 6 years, by race and ethnicity
| Group | Purdue | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State |
|---|---|---|
| White | 84% | 88% |
| Asian | 86% | 91% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 77% | 83% |
| Black | 71% | 76% |
| Two or more races | 80% | 84% |
| International | 85% | 75% |
Sources:College Scorecard, most recent release;Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why

