Purdue University-Main Campus Acceptance Rate
West Lafayette, Indiana · Public · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 73,083
- Admitted
- 36,763
- Yield
- 25.5%
- Test policy
- Test scores required
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · School-reported CDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Purdue University-Main Campus's acceptance rate has fallen from 59.3% in 2014–15 to 50.3% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 39,896 to 73,083 (+83%) over that period.
Its 50.3% rate makes Purdue University-Main Campus more selective than about 84% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 40 tracked Indiana schools, it is more selective than about 95%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (58.7% for women vs 45.1% for men, a 13.6-point gap). Purdue University-Main Campus requires SAT/ACT scores for admission. Of admitted students, 25.5% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Reported by Purdue University-Main Campus in its Common Data Set. Source ↗
- Applicants
- 72,800
- Admitted
- 36,602
- Acceptance
- 50.3%
- Yield
- 25.4%
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 39,896 | 23,654 | 59.3% | 6,500 |
| 2015–16 | 45,264 | 26,692 | 59% | 6,942 |
| 2016–17 | 49,007 | 27,427 | 56% | 7,399 |
| 2017–18 | 49,354 | 28,363 | 57.5% | 7,728 |
| 2018–19 | 53,722 | 31,146 | 58% | 8,491 |
| 2019–20 | 55,311 | 33,093 | 59.8% | 8,195 |
| 2020–21 | 57,510 | 38,619 | 67.2% | 8,982 |
| 2021–22 | 59,436 | 40,898 | 68.8% | 10,278 |
| 2022–23 | 68,582 | 36,146 | 52.7% | 9,447 |
| 2023–24 | 73,083 | 36,763 | 50.3% | 9,381 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 27,885 | 16,361 | 58.7% |
| Men | 45,198 | 20,402 | 45.1% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test scores required.
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 590–710 | 73% |
| SAT Math | 600–750 | |
| ACT Composite | 27–34 | 23% |
How Purdue University compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Purdue University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?
Purdue University-Main Campus's acceptance rate is 50.3% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (36,763 admitted of 73,083 applicants).
Is Purdue University-Main Campus test optional?
Purdue University-Main Campus requires SAT or ACT scores for admission.
How many people apply to Purdue University-Main Campus?
Purdue University-Main Campus received 73,083 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 36,763.
What SAT score do you need for Purdue University-Main Campus?
Admitted students at Purdue University-Main Campus typically scored 590–710 on SAT Reading/Writing and 600–750 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Purdue University-Main Campus getting harder to get into?
Purdue University-Main Campus has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 59.3% in 2014–15 to 50.3% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: https://www.purdue.edu/.