Admissions
Getting in, fall 2025
Purdue admits about 1 in 2 applicants (43%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 87% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$60 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 47%, women at 55%.
Where applicants live
Indiana applicants were admitted at 71%, applicants from other states at 44%, and international applicants at 22%.
All applicants in the same class: 43%
Of those admitted, 50% from Indiana enrolled, against 19% from other states and 14% from abroad.
Counted by where applicants lived when they applied, which can differ from who qualifies for in-state tuition. A group's rate reflects who applies from there as well as how the college chooses.
Yield
25% of admitted students enroll, in the typical range nationally.
Wait list: 8,981 offered a place, 4,047 accepted, 3,916 admitted (97% of those who accepted)
Applying early
Early action (not binding)
No early decision plan.
Where you stand
How Purdue reads a record
and GPA are both very important; tests are important; class rank is considered. 71% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores are required. 79% of first-years sent an SAT and 25% an ACT. Applicants are . Requires 4 years of English, 4 of math, 3 of science, and 3 of social studies. See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Important | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Important | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Important | ||||
| Talent or ability | Considered | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Important | ||||
| First generation | Important | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Considered | ||||
| State residency | Considered | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Considered | ||||
| Work experience | Considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program considered; demonstration of competencies considered; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
43% of transfer applicants were admittedvs. 43% of first-year applicants
4,422 applied · 1,882 admitted
Transfers may start in the fall, spring, and summer.
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Recommended for some
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Math | 4 |
| Science (lab: 3) | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 |
| Social studies | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
↑ SAT midpoint (higher = higher scores)
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.81
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.043%
- 3.75–3.9928%
- 3.50–3.7416%
- 3.25–3.498%
- 3.00–3.243%
- below 3.02%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.50–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | All |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 42.7% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 28.0% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 15.9% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 8.2% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 3.3% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 1.7% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.2% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
Source:Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
The typical enrolled first-year who sent scores is around 1340 on the SAT, 170 points above the median for colleges that report scores.
Required
Send SAT or ACT scores: they're required to be considered. For students entering in fall 2027.
Where would you land?
Middle 50% of enrolled first-years who sent scores This college's median National median midpoint
Who submitted scores?
submitted SAT
submitted ACT
At least half of students submitted a score, so the ranges are reasonably representative.
Sources:Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set, 2024-25;Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Purdue University, most recent release;Purdue University-Main Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)