National university
#24 Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in AmericaPurdue University
West Lafayette, IN · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,600 a year
Median debt at graduation: $19,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Purdue University Campus Tour Highlights with Student Ambassador Niyati Sriram · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#24 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#30 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#37 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#28 of 834
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in America#6 of 177
- Best colleges for finance in America#30 of 744
Show 28 more
- Best colleges for business in America#73 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#64 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#69 of 1,318
- Best value colleges in America#38 of 674
- Best colleges in America#124 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#103 of 1,418
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#51 of 682
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#52 of 681
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#106 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#105 of 1,283
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#58 of 690
- Best colleges for history in America#108 of 1,247
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#163 of 1,829
- Best colleges for art and design in America#106 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#109 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#109 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#108 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#104 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#75 of 750
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#66 of 598
- Best colleges for engineering in America#83 of 749
- Best large colleges in America#32 of 256
- Best colleges for economics in America#106 of 788
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#60 of 367
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#130 of 693
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in America#40 of 197
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#149 of 684
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#172 of 704
In Indiana
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Indiana#1 of 39
- Best colleges for nursing in Indiana#1 of 30
- Best colleges for computer science in Indiana#1 of 28
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Indiana#1 of 27
- Best colleges in Indiana#2 of 45
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Indiana#2 of 45
Show 28 more
- Best value colleges in Indiana#1 of 21
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in Indiana#1 of 21
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Indiana#1 of 21
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Indiana#1 of 21
- Best colleges for psychology in Indiana#2 of 42
- Best colleges for business in Indiana#2 of 41
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Indiana#2 of 40
- Best colleges for education in Indiana#2 of 39
- Best colleges for English in Indiana#2 of 37
- Best colleges for art and design in Indiana#2 of 36
- Best colleges for mathematics in Indiana#2 of 36
- Best colleges for history in Indiana#2 of 35
- Best colleges for chemistry in Indiana#2 of 34
- Best colleges for accounting in Indiana#2 of 31
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Indiana#2 of 31
- Best colleges for music in Indiana#2 of 29
- Best colleges for engineering in Indiana#2 of 28
- Best colleges for marketing in Indiana#2 of 26
- Best colleges for economics in Indiana#2 of 25
- Best colleges for finance in Indiana#2 of 22
- Most selective colleges in Indiana#2 of 21
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Indiana#2 of 19
- Best colleges under $20,000 a year in Indiana#1 of 9
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Indiana#3 of 21
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Indiana#3 of 21
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Indiana#3 of 21
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Indiana#2 of 11
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Indiana#6 of 21
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.83%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.93%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,364 · ACT 30.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$20,511
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $24,591 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 39,864 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 59% · Women 41% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 19% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 49% |
| Total students | 52,905 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,600 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $24,591 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 83% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 74% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 75% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 78% |
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $72,424 |
| Admission rate | 50% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $60 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 13% |
| Average SAT | 1364 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 600–720 |
| SAT math | 600–760 |
| ACT composite | 27–34 |
| Test policy | Required |
Value: Exceptional · Top 4% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Materials Engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Statistics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Construction Engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Management science | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Accounting | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Engineering-Related Fields | |
| Other engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering technology | |
| Agricultural Engineering | |
| Air Transportation | |
| Finance | |
| Electrical engineering technology | |
| Marketing | |
| Economics | |
| Other health professions and related clinical sciences | |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | |
| Business administration | |
| Nursing | |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | |
| Food Science and Technology | |
| Agricultural Mechanization | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Agricultural Production Operations | |
| Political science | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | |
| Chemistry | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Physics | |
| Landscape Architecture | |
| Public health | |
| Agricultural business | |
| Communication studies | |
| Other engineering/engineering-related technologies/technicians | |
| Software and media applications | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Design | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Mathematics | |
| Biology | |
| Botany/Plant Biology | |
| Forestry | |
| Anthropology | |
| Special education | |
| Sociology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Animal Sciences | |
| History | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Film and video | |
| English | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Family and human development | |
| Teacher education | |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural Public Services, Agriculture, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Applied mathematics, Area studies, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Biological and physical sciences, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Classical and Ancient Studies, Clinical laboratory science, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Education (general), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Ethnic and gender studies, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Fine arts, Genetics, Geology and earth science, German, Health sciences, Information technology, Interdisciplinary studies, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Music, Neuroscience, Nuclear Engineering, Nutrition Sciences, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Philosophy, Physiology and pathology, Plant Sciences, Psychology, Religious studies, Romance languages, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Soil Sciences, Systems Science and Theory, Theatre, Zoology/Animal Biology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Engineering | |
| Business | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Engineering technologies | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 6% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,820 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big Ten Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 8%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 96%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $77,192IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 41% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Indianapolis International Airport (IND)About 59 miles away |
| Town population | 45,159Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | IndianapolisAbout 61 miles away |
| Typical weather | 26°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Lafayette Purdue University Airport, IN |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.03 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.23 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Purdue University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 8% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Purdue University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,600 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Purdue University?
- Purdue University admitted 50% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Purdue University’s graduates do?
- 83% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $72,424; the median federal debt at graduation is $19,500.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 243780
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Purdue vs North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Purdue vs University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Purdue vs Ohio State · Purdue vs University of Wisconsin-Madison
More in Indiana · Indiana rankings