More students than ever choose Purdue for quality, affordable education

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s enrollment at its flagship campus is the highest ever, and the academic credentials of its incoming students as well as graduation rates continue to rise to record levels. Across the system, Purdue this year will serve more than 45,000 Hoosiers.

This year’s total enrollment at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus reached 44,551 and includes 33,646 undergraduates, over 17,000 of which are Indiana residents and over 7,000 of which are considered domestic minorities. The incoming class of 8,056 students includes 4,057 Indiana residents.

This year’s class, the second largest in Purdue history, was purposefully kept slightly smaller than last year’s record as the campus continues to prepare for and support growth with new campus residence halls, a new science teaching lab building, new facilities for Agricultural and Biological Engineering, additional dining retail food options, and additional faculty and staff hiring in several key areas.

Four- and six-year graduation rates for students who entered in 2015 and 2013, respectively, increased to record highs of 60.5% and 82.2%; an increase over last year’s 60.3% and 81.2%. A record 7.8% of 2019 graduates finished in less than four years. The one-year retention rate stands at 91.6% of the class that entered last year.

This first-year class is the most well-prepared class in the university’s history. The mean ACT score is 28.7 on a 36 scale, and SAT scores are 1307 on a 1600 scale. The average GPA is 3.69 on a 4.0 scale. Purdue also enrolled 102 new National Merit Scholars (1.3% of the incoming class).

Purdue’s minority enrollment continues to grow with 3,461 domestic undergraduate students who are considered underrepresented minorities (12% of domestic enrollment). More than 7,000, or 25%, of domestic undergraduates are considered U.S. minorities.

Other West Lafayette campus enrollment highlights are:

*Graduate enrollment: 9,963.

*Professional enrollment: 942.

* Undergraduate residency: Indiana students, 17,042; U.S. non-Indiana students, 11,628; and international students, 4,616.

* Total enrollment by gender: women, 19,381; men, 25,169; not reported, 1.

* Total enrollment by ethnicity: black or African-American, 1,261; Asian, 3,735; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 25; Hispanic/Latino, 2,334; American Indian/Alaska Native, 55; and two or more races, 1,445.

Statewide campus enrollment totals are: 

* West Lafayette, 44,551.

* Purdue University Northwest, 10,006.

* Purdue University Fort Wayne, 10,208.

* Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 6,025.

* Polytechnic Statewide, 953 Purdue Polytechnic Institute degrees are offered in Anderson, Columbus, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond, South Bend and Vincennes.

STATEMENTS FROM PURDUE ADMINSTRATORS REGARDING ENROLLMENT NUMBERS:

University President Mitch Daniels:

“Purdue aims at providing the highest possible value to its students — rigorous, excellent quality at a cost as affordable as we can make it. This is a place for serious students, and again this year we are attracting them at record rates.” Last week, in fact, Purdue was again ranked among the nation’s best value institutions at No. 7 overall in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranking.

Kristina Wong Davis, vice provost for enrollment management:

“We continue to be very pleased with the continued interest from prospective students in attending Purdue University. Our new incoming students each year reflect tremendous academic prowess, interests and diversity. It is always exciting to welcome these talented students to the Boilermaker family.”

Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity:

“Interest in a Purdue education is at an all-time high, and we could not be more excited to welcome our newest Boilermakers. With the implementation of our new road map for Teaching Excellence and our ongoing commitment to affordability, we look forward to providing an extraordinary residential learning experience for a record number of Boilermakers.

Writer: Abbey Nickel, 765-496-1325, nickela@purdue.edu 

Sources: Kristina Wong Davis, 765-494-9116, kwongdav@purdue.edu

Jay Akridge, akridge@purdue.edu