10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$70,130at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Purdue University-Main Campus
⌖ West Lafayette, IN · 102 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$70,130 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
7.7 yrsModeled economic break-even
+29%Modeled 10-year ROI
$75,853Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$14,600Average net price / year
$24,591Cost of attendance
$75,853Median earnings · year 5 after completion
83.1%Completion rate
49.9%Admission rate
44,503Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$61,124Year 1
$81,751Year 4
$75,853Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Agricultural Business and Management · Master's Degree$155,2172Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$146,6853Engineering, Other · Master's Degree$140,4044Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$140,2055Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$137,5236Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$135,0337Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$133,0218Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$132,747Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in IN
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Bloomington, IN
Indiana University-Bloomington
- Annual net price
- $16,264
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $66,705
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -11%
Indiana University-Indianapolis
- Annual net price
- $11,668
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,346
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -37%
Purdue University Northwest
- Annual net price
- $6,079
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,593
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -4%
Ball State University
- Annual net price
- $14,940
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,001
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -62%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | Master's Degree | $155,217 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $146,685 | $19,375 |
| Engineering, Other | Master's Degree | $140,404 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $140,205 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $137,523 | Not available |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $135,033 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $133,021 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $132,747 | Not available |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Master's Degree | $131,275 | Not available |
| Veterinary Medicine | First Professional Degree | $123,596 | Not available |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Master's Degree | $122,295 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $121,462 | $23,000 |
| Air Transportation | Master's Degree | $120,421 | Not available |
| Education, General | Doctoral Degree | $118,149 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $115,831 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $113,241 | Not available |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Master's Degree | $110,606 | Not available |
| Biology, General | Doctoral Degree | $109,910 | Not available |
| Materials Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $107,557 | $21,335 |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $107,031 | $19,427 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $105,733 | $17,917 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,396 | $19,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $104,514 | $21,500 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $104,047 | $19,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,572 | $19,937 |
| Construction Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $101,108 | $24,250 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $99,896 | $19,985 |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $97,594 | $19,270 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $97,332 | $21,500 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $93,976 | $18,284 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,434 | $19,500 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,873 | $19,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $90,119 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $89,788 | $19,500 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $88,474 | $21,345 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Bachelor's Degree | $87,914 | $16,625 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $87,908 | Not available |
| Engineering, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $87,331 | $20,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $86,891 | $20,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,306 | $20,000 |
| Air Transportation | Bachelor's Degree | $86,161 | $21,250 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $85,924 | $22,335 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $85,278 | Not available |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $85,224 | $23,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $84,920 | Not available |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $84,725 | $19,264 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $83,195 | $24,700 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $82,581 | $23,538 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $82,441 | $19,402 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $81,040 | $19,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $80,403 | $20,455 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $78,770 | $16,316 |
| Food Science and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $75,060 | Not available |
| Agricultural Mechanization | Bachelor's Degree | $73,393 | $20,270 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $73,079 | Not available |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $72,724 | $20,500 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $71,868 | $15,211 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $71,601 | $20,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $69,768 | $19,500 |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $69,729 | Not available |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | Bachelor's Degree | $69,246 | $19,500 |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $67,901 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $67,680 | $19,500 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $67,639 | $18,540 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $67,505 | $21,948 |
| Education, General | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $67,460 | $20,500 |
| Landscape Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $67,113 | Not available |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $66,892 | $21,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Doctoral Degree | $66,586 | Not available |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $65,900 | $17,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $65,517 | $18,500 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $63,954 | $21,500 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Bachelor's Degree | $59,766 | $21,250 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Bachelor's Degree | $59,649 | $20,254 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $59,050 | $19,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $58,917 | $20,250 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $58,861 | $19,432 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $58,453 | $18,820 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $58,225 | $20,380 |
| Botany/Plant Biology | Bachelor's Degree | $57,530 | Not available |
| Forestry | Bachelor's Degree | $56,754 | Not available |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $55,624 | $18,972 |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $55,308 | $26,276 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $55,072 | $20,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $54,559 | $19,500 |
| Animal Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $54,089 | $20,500 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $53,708 | $22,980 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | Bachelor's Degree | $52,170 | $19,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $52,105 | $17,034 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,053 | $19,500 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $49,918 | $20,038 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $49,649 | $15,304 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $48,502 | $18,646 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $45,935 | $17,098 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $40,053 | $20,500 |
| Nuclear Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $20,500 |
| Genetics | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $15,000 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $21,177 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Not available | $14,000 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $16,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $21,128 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,046 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.