Key differences on Outcomes
- 1
U. Wisconsin-Madison graduates 11 pts more of its students than Purdue (89% vs. 78%)
Graduation rate - 2
U. Wisconsin-Madison grads earn $1.4K more ten years out than Purdue's ($73,792 vs. $72,424)
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Outcomes
Outcomes
Earnings and finishing
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Purdue$72.4K
U. Wisconsin-Madison$73.8KHighest
Graduation rate
Purdue78%
U. Wisconsin-Madison89%Highest
Retention rate
Purdue92%
U. Wisconsin-Madison96%Highest
Borrowing
Median debt
Purdue$19.5KLowest
U. Wisconsin-Madison$20.5K
Undergrads with a federal loan
Purdue22%
U. Wisconsin-Madison20%
Median debt, Pell Grant recipients
Purdue$13.8KLowest
U. Wisconsin-Madison$16.8K
Eight-year outcomes
Credential within 4 years, all students
Purdue60%
U. Wisconsin-Madison73%
Credential within 8 years, all students
Purdue79%
U. Wisconsin-Madison89%
Enrolled at another college, 8 years on
Purdue12%
U. Wisconsin-Madison7%
Graduation by group
Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients
Purdue73%
U. Wisconsin-Madison86%
Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan
Purdue86%
U. Wisconsin-Madison91%
Pell graduation gap
Purdue13 pts lower
U. Wisconsin-Madison4 pts lower
Graduated in 6 years, by race and ethnicity
| Group | Purdue | U. Wisconsin-Madison |
|---|---|---|
| White | 84% | 90% |
| Asian | 86% | 90% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 77% | 87% |
| Black | 71% | 86% |
| Two or more races | 80% | 85% |
| International | 85% | 87% |
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