Purdue University
Academics
How strong are the academics at Purdue University?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
15:1
Student to faculty ratio
35
Average class size
66%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
Purdue has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
10-19
2-9
1,027
10-19
1,118
20-29
1,037
30-39
680
40-49
447
50-99
692
100+
447
Honors Programs
Purdue University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
Learn more about honors options on Purdue's website.
Outcomes
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Purdue University:
93%
First-year retention rate
66%
4-year grad rate
84%
6-year grad rate
The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $62,452. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.
$62,452
$48,300 (National Average)
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Purdue University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering
Experimental Psychology
Computer Engineering, General
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General
281.2
331.36
381.52
431.68
481.84
532
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
- Animal Sciences, General 146
- Agricultural Business and Management, General 98
- Agricultural Mechanization, General 28
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 27
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 25
- Agricultural Economics 25
- Food Science 23
- Horticultural Science 17
- Agricultural Communication/Journalism 15
- Agriculture, General 14
- Agriculture, General 14
- AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 14
- Farm/Farm and Ranch Management 10
- Turf and Turfgrass Management 3
- Soil Science and Agronomy, General 0
- Agronomy and Crop Science 0
Architecture And Related Services
- Landscape Architecture 17
Area
- Women's Studies 16
- Asian Studies/Civilization 6
- American/United States Studies/Civilization 2
- African-American/Black Studies 1
- Italian Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biomedical Sciences, General 178
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 139
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 98
- Biochemistry 43
- Neurobiology and Anatomy 40
- Genetics, General 33
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 19
- Botany/Plant Biology 16
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 14
- Entomology 13
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 10
- Plant Genetics 10
- Microbiology and Immunology 9
Business
- Finance, General 244
- Accounting 166
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 127
- Business Administration and Management, General 106
- Selling Skills and Sales Operations 93
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 87
- Hotel/Motel Administration/Management 74
- Actuarial Science 71
- Organizational Leadership 61
- Financial Planning and Services 32
- Management Science 1
Communication
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 120
- Communication, General 1
- Communication and Media Studies 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Computer Science 532
- Computer Graphics 149
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 144
- Information Technology 100
- Artificial Intelligence 1
Education
- Elementary Education and Teaching 101
- Social Studies Teacher Education 25
- Agricultural Teacher Education 16
- Education, General 16
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching 15
- Special Education and Teaching, Other 11
- Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 7
- Art Teacher Education 7
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education 0
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering 510
- Computer Engineering, General 370
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 323
- Industrial Engineering 257
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering 211
- Civil Engineering, General 155
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 148
- Chemical Engineering 137
- Agricultural Engineering 78
- Materials Engineering 62
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 59
- Engineering, Other 37
- Construction Engineering 35
- Nuclear Engineering 31
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
- Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians 160
- Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician 148
- Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician 104
- Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 93
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician 61
- Industrial Technology/Technician 44
- Engineering/Industrial Management 41
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 9
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 9
- ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 9
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 53
- Creative Writing 26
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 14
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Human Development and Family Studies, General 72
- Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management 24
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 4
Foreign Languages
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 29
- Linguistics 12
- Japanese Language and Literature 9
- French Language and Literature 7
- Comparative Literature 2
- German Language and Literature 1
- Russian Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 181
- Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 98
- Pharmaceutics and Drug Design 59
- Public Health, General 52
- Dietetics/Dietitian 43
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 15
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 11
- Health and Wellness, General 8
- Health/Medical Physics 4
- Environmental Health 1
- Public Health Education and Promotion 1
History
- History, General 51
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies 7
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematical Statistics and Probability 216
- Mathematics, General 64
- Applied Mathematics, General 16
- Financial Mathematics 4
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Biological and Physical Sciences 20
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 13
- Nutrition Sciences 9
- Mathematics and Computer Science 7
- Ancient Studies/Civilization 6
- Data Analytics, General 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management 52
- Natural Resources/Conservation, General 41
- Forestry, General 11
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management 2
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 21
- Religion/Religious Studies 1
- Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry, General 89
- Physics, General 45
- Geology/Earth Science, General 40
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 9
Psychology
- Experimental Psychology 375
Social Sciences
- Sociology, General 170
- Political Science and Government, General 136
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 135
- Anthropology, General 27
Transportation And Materials Moving
- Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew 93
- Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General 80
Visual And Performing Arts
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies 31
- Design and Visual Communications, General 29
- Interior Design 20
- Industrial and Product Design 15
- Fine/Studio Arts, General 12
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 10
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 8
- Music, General 6
- Acting 4
- Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 4
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