What Is the Purdue Acceptance Rate for Fall 2026?
The Purdue acceptance rate for fall 2026 was 53.3 percent, according to the Purdue Class Profile. Purdue received 82,160 first-year applications for the Class of 2030: 61,585 through Early Action and 20,575 through Regular Decision. The freshman class that enrolled reached 10,818 students, 10,173 in West Lafayette and 645 in Indianapolis, a 13 percent increase over fall 2025, per the Purdue Newsroom.
That 53.3 percent figure is the rate Purdue now publishes for both main campus locations. It replaces the 43.4 percent rate for fall 2025. The two years side by side show how much moved in a single cycle.
| Measure | Fall 2026 (Class of 2030) | Fall 2025 (Class of 2029) |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | 82,160 | 86,953 |
| Early Action applications | 61,585 | 63,883 |
| Regular Decision applications | 20,575 | 23,070 |
| Acceptance rate | 53.3% | 43.4% |
| Admitted students who submitted a test score | 98% | 97% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1230-1480 | 1220-1480 |
| ACT middle 50% | 29-34 | 28-34 |
| High school GPA middle 50% (unweighted) | 3.66-4.00 | 3.70-4.00 |
Why Did the Purdue Acceptance Rate Rise to 53.3 Percent?
Two things moved at once. First, the pool shrank. Applications fell 5.5 percent, from 86,953 to 82,160, after fourteen consecutive years of record applications. Regular Decision volume fell faster than Early Action: 10.8 percent against 3.6 percent.
Second, Purdue chose a bigger class. Freshman enrollment rose 13 percent, and the university added 1,900 beds in West Lafayette through South Hall, which opened in August 2026, and the 3rd and West apartments, which opened in August 2025. With fewer applicants and more seats to fill, Purdue had to admit a larger share of the pool.
Fall 2025 was the mirror image. The Purdue Common Data Set shows the university enrolled 11,467 first-year students in fall 2024, then cut its offers to 37,881 for fall 2025 and enrolled 9,656. Purdue said it chose to admit a slightly smaller class in 2025 given a surprising jump in its yield rate in summer 2024, and that smaller class produced the record low 43.4 percent. Purdue also leaned on its waitlist that year: it offered 8,981 students a place, 4,047 accepted one, and 3,916 were admitted. Oriel Admissions reads the two-year swing as enrollment management: the Purdue acceptance rate tracks the class size and housing Purdue plans for, more than any change in how strong an applicant needs to be.
The academic bar did not drop. Purdue reports that the average SAT of admitted students reached 1342 for fall 2026, the highest on record and up from 1337, that 98 percent of admitted students provided a test score, and that admitted students averaged a 3.8 high school GPA.
How Has the Purdue Acceptance Rate Changed Since 2022?
Before this year, the Purdue acceptance rate had fallen three years in a row as applications climbed. The fall 2026 rate is the highest in at least five cycles, which is a reminder that a single year is not a trend at Purdue.
| Entering class | Applications | Admitted | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2022 (Class of 2026) | 68,309 | 35,995 | 52.7% |
| Fall 2023 (Class of 2027) | 72,800 | 36,602 | 50.3% |
| Fall 2024 (Class of 2028) | 78,745 | 39,272 | 49.9% |
| Fall 2025 (Class of 2029) | 87,220 | 37,881 | 43.4% |
| Fall 2026 (Class of 2030) | 82,160 | About 43,800 | 53.3% |
The pattern matters for planning. Applicants for fall 2027 should not assume another 53.3 percent year, because the rate follows the seats Purdue decides to fill. The more stable signal is the gradient between colleges and majors.
What Is the Purdue Acceptance Rate by College?
Purdue admits students into a specific college and publishes an admit rate for each one. Every college admitted a larger share for fall 2026 than for fall 2025, but the increases were far from even.
| College or school | Fall 2026 admit rate | Fall 2025 admit rate | Fall 2026 SAT middle 50% | Share of enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Agriculture | 73.7% | 55.8% | 1130-1330 | 6.1% |
| Daniels School of Business | 64.0% | 45.9% | 1230-1410 | 9.8% |
| College of Education | 71.5% | 70.5% | 1040-1208 | 1.9% |
| College of Engineering | 37.9% | 34.7% | 1390-1520 | 33.9% |
| Exploratory Studies | 80.8% | 68.4% | 1100-1320 | 1.6% |
| College of Health and Human Sciences | 64.6% | 48.7% | 1130-1320 | 9.7% |
| College of Liberal Arts | 72.7% | 53.9% | 1110-1348 | 4.5% |
| College of Pharmacy | 81.3% | 73.9% | 1203-1410 | 2.4% |
| Polytechnic Institute | 52.5% | 47.1% | 1180-1390 | 11.3% |
| College of Science | 65.0% | 46.0% | 1340-1500 | 14.3% |
| College of Veterinary Medicine | 31.1% | 30.2% | 955-1103 | 2.8% |
Engineering moved the least of the large colleges, up 3.2 points to 37.9 percent, and it still enrolls a third of the class. Purdue reports a middle 50 percent SAT of 1390 to 1520, an ACT of 33 to 35, and a high school GPA of 3.87 to 4.00 for the college. Our guide to getting into Purdue for engineering covers First-Year Engineering and the transition to a major.
The largest jumps came in Science (up 19.0 points), Liberal Arts (up 18.8), the Daniels School of Business (up 18.1), Agriculture (up 17.9), and Health and Human Sciences (up 15.9). Education and Veterinary Medicine barely changed.
Which Purdue Majors Are Hardest to Get Into?
Purdue also reports admit rates for three competitive majors, and they tell a different story from the colleges that house them.
| Major | Fall 2026 admit rate | Fall 2025 admit rate | Fall 2026 SAT middle 50% | Fall 2026 GPA middle 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Flight Technology | 7.5% | 7.7% | 1310-1480 | 3.87-4.00 |
| Nursing | 37.7% | 28.9% | 1200-1320 | 3.81-4.00 |
| Computer Science | 63.4% | 42.9% | 1420-1530 | 3.77-4.00 |
Professional Flight is the most selective program on Purdue’s list, and it was the only one to tighten. Nursing rose to 37.7 percent from 28.9 percent but remains below the Purdue acceptance rate as a whole; families comparing programs can see our list of direct admit nursing programs.
Computer Science is the headline change: its admit rate rose more than 20 points, to 63.4 percent from 42.9 percent, while the middle 50 percent SAT range Purdue reports for the major stayed at 1420 to 1530, the highest of any program on its list. For a computer science applicant, that score range, not the admit rate, is the real benchmark. Our ranking of the best colleges for computer science puts Purdue in context.
What Is the Purdue Acceptance Rate for Out-of-State Students?
Residency still drives the biggest gap at Purdue. For fall 2026, Purdue admitted 75 percent of Indiana applicants, its highest share in five years, and fewer than 50 percent of non-residents. Beginning with spring 2026 high school graduates, Indiana students who earn the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal are eligible for Indiana Pre-Admissions to Purdue in West Lafayette or Indianapolis when they apply with a complete application, including an SAT, ACT, or CLT score, by November 1 of senior year. Purdue has not yet published the full residency split for fall 2026, so the fall 2025 Common Data Set remains the most detailed view.
| Applicant group | Fall 2026 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana residents | 75% | 71.1% |
| Out-of-state and international combined | Under 50% | 39.0% |
| Out-of-state only | Not yet published | 43.6% |
| International only | Not yet published | 22.5% |
The 39 percent out-of-state rate Purdue announced for fall 2025 combined domestic and international applicants; domestic out-of-state applicants alone were admitted at 43.6 percent. Out-of-state students now make up 52 percent of the freshman class, with Indiana residents at 41.1 percent and international students at 6.9 percent. Our Purdue out-of-state acceptance rate guide breaks the residency numbers down further, and families weighing several flagships can compare Indiana University, Ohio State, and Michigan, or read whether an out-of-state flagship is worth it.
What SAT, ACT, and GPA Do You Need to Get Into Purdue?
Purdue is test expected rather than test optional: 98 percent of admitted students for fall 2026 provided a score, and the average admitted SAT was 1342. The Class Profile middle 50 percent ranges are 1230 to 1480 on the SAT, 29 to 34 on the ACT, and 3.66 to 4.00 in unweighted high school GPA. Purdue accepts the SAT, ACT, and CLT with no preference among them, uses the highest section scores across test dates, and considers only scores from within the past five years. Our list of colleges that require the SAT or ACT shows where Purdue sits among peers.
The fall 2025 Common Data Set adds detail on the students who enrolled. Their SAT scores ran 1220 at the 25th percentile, 1360 at the median, and 1470 at the 75th, with ACT scores of 28, 32, and 34. Of enrolled students who reported a rank, 52.0 percent were in the top tenth of their class, the average GPA was 3.81, and 42.7 percent had a 4.0.
Purdue states that it converts grades to an unweighted 4.00 scale for reporting only, and that GPA is not itself a factor in review; the courses taken, the grades earned, and test scores carry the most weight. Gender is also a quiet gradient: in fall 2025, Purdue admitted 49.0 percent of women and 40.0 percent of men, and men make up 61.4 percent of the fall 2026 class.
When Should You Apply to Purdue?
Purdue accepts the Common App, which opens August 1, and the nonrefundable application fee is $60. The first-year deadlines are November 1 for Early Action, with decisions on January 15, and January 15 for Regular Decision, with decisions by March 31.
November 1 is also the priority deadline for competitive majors: First-Year Engineering in West Lafayette, the engineering majors offered in Indianapolis, Computer Science, Professional Flight, Nursing, and Veterinary Technology. Applications to those programs after November 1 are considered only if space allows, and the same date is the deadline for merit scholarships and the John Martinson Honors College. Purdue itself warns that admission is much more competitive for later applicants, and 75 percent of fall 2026 applications arrived through Early Action.
Oriel Admissions treats November 1 as the real deadline for every Purdue applicant, not only those in competitive majors. Our comparison of Early Action and Early Decision and our table of Early Action acceptance rates explain how a nonbinding early deadline fits into a full list.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Purdue Acceptance Rate
Purdue admitted 53.3 percent of applicants for fall 2026, so it is selective but not extremely selective overall. Difficulty depends on the program: Engineering admitted 37.9 percent, Nursing 37.7 percent, and Professional Flight 7.5 percent, and Purdue reports a middle 50 percent SAT of 1390 to 1520 for Engineering.
Yes. The Purdue acceptance rate rose to 53.3 percent for fall 2026 from 43.4 percent for fall 2025. Applications fell to 82,160 from 86,953 while Purdue enlarged its freshman class by 13 percent, so it admitted a larger share of a smaller pool.
The College of Engineering admitted 37.9 percent of applicants for fall 2026, up from 34.7 percent for fall 2025. Purdue reports a middle 50 percent SAT of 1390 to 1520, an ACT of 33 to 35, and a GPA of 3.87 to 4.00 for the college, and engineering students make up 33.9 percent of the class.
Computer Science admitted 63.4 percent of applicants for fall 2026, up from 42.9 percent for fall 2025. The middle 50 percent SAT range Purdue reports for the major stayed at 1420 to 1530, the highest of any program on its list.
Yes. Purdue admitted 75 percent of Indiana applicants for fall 2026 and fewer than 50 percent of non-residents. In fall 2025, the Common Data Set shows rates of 71.1 percent for Indiana residents, 43.6 percent for out-of-state applicants, and 22.5 percent for international applicants.
Purdue is test expected. For fall 2026, 98 percent of admitted students provided a test score, and the average SAT of admitted students was 1342, the highest Purdue has recorded.
The middle 50 percent unweighted high school GPA for fall 2026 was 3.66 to 4.00, and admitted students averaged 3.8. Purdue says GPA is a reporting figure and that its review weighs the courses taken, the grades earned, and test scores.
Yes. Purdue says admission is much more competitive for later applicants, and November 1 is the priority deadline for Engineering, Computer Science, Nursing, Professional Flight, and Veterinary Technology. Oriel Admissions advises every Purdue applicant to apply by November 1, since 75 percent of fall 2026 applications arrived by that date.
Sources: Purdue Class Profile, fall 2026, Purdue Class Profile, fall 2025 edition (archived June 2026), Purdue Common Data Set 2022-2023 to 2025-2026, Purdue Newsroom, September 14, 2026, Purdue Newsroom, fall 2025 class announcement, Purdue First-Year Application Deadlines, Purdue First-Year Admission Criteria
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