Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Elon University, Purdue University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | ElonElon, NC | PurdueWest Lafayette, IN |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 66.3% | 49.9% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1130–1280 | 1200–1480 |
| Average net price | $41,5559.9% on Pell grants | $14,60013.0% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $46,958Most recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $9,992 in-state · $28,794 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 84.0% | 83.1% |
| First-year retention | 89.8% | 92.7% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 9.9% | 13.0% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $74,545 | $72,424 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $20,500 | $19,500 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 11:1 | 14:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,452 | 44,503 |
| Consensus percentile | 26Lower is better | 11Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 13 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 18 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Elon | Purdue |
|---|---|---|
| US News | #117 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #46 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | #147 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #62 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | Not ranked by this source | #44 of 442National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| WSJ | #155 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #102 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #471 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #70 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Listed | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students who learn through relationships and experience — study abroad, internships, mentored research — and who will actively use that infrastructure rather than assume the degree does the work.
Median earnings of $74,545 are modest relative to a $41,555 average net price.
Full profileCost-conscious engineering, aviation, agriculture and technology students who want strong outcomes without needing single-digit-admit credentials.
84% six-year graduation rate trails the elite tier.
Full profile