Purdue University Northwest — College Profile

About

Purdue University Northwest is a vibrant regional institution best known for offering accessible, high-value Purdue system degrees with close ties to the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Academically, PNW excels in ABET-accredited engineering and technology disciplines, highly regarded nursing programs, and applied business tracks that prioritize experiential learning and undergraduate research. Campus culture centers on a diverse, close-knit community of residential and commuter students, energized by NCAA Division II Pride athletics and dozens of active student organizations. A defining feature of the university is its cutting-edge applied research centers, such as the Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS), which connect students directly to regional industry partners for real-world problem-solving.

Wikipedia:Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a public university with two campuses in Northwest Indiana; its main campus is in Hammond with a branch campus in Westville. It is part of the Purdue University system and offers more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to approximately 6,200 students with more than 64,000 alumni.

Location

Hammond, IN, 46323 · Suburb campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

MDW · Chicago Midway

20 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$8,675$16,094

Housing & food (on campus)$8,907$8,907

Books & supplies$598$598

Cost of attendance$15,571$28,272

Average net price$6,079Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$16,094

In-state: $8,675

Housing & food (on campus)$8,907

Books & supplies$598

Cost of attendance$28,272

In-state: $15,571

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $6,079

Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.pnw.edu

How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27

Purdue University Northwest’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.

Tuition$13,376

Housing$10,076

Books & supplies$608

Personal expenses$2,000

Transportation$2,212

Total of the above$28,272

Source: www.pnw.edu · checked Sep 13, 2026

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$1,432

$30–48k

$2,428

$48–75k

$7,026

$75–110k

$12,452

$110k+

$13,645

Your family's actual price → Purdue University Northwest net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

43%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

26%

Back for yr 2

66%

Transferred

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

44% graduated · 20% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 35% left or unknown

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$48,439

10 yrs after entry$48,318

Debt

Median at graduation$21,229

Monthly payment$225

Middle 50% owe$5.9k–$25k

90th percentile$37,716

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

72%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1024

R 450–570 · M 440–570

ACT midpoint

Comp 16–24 · E 16–23 · M 17–26

SAT middle 50%: 890–1140

40080012001600

Wondering if Purdue University Northwest is the right fit for you?

SchoolScout builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list

Financial aid & net cost estimates

Deep dives on any school

Scholarship search

Get your college list →See a sample college plan first

Essay prompts

If Purdue University Northwest asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 47%Women 53%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

17 : 1

Pell grant

28%

First-gen

43%

Family income

$39,335

Independent

40%

Veterans

Age at entry

25.0

Part-time

19%

Race & ethnicity

White

48%

Hispanic

27%

Black

12%

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division II without football · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Cross Country
Men's · Women's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field (Indoor)
Men's · Women's
Track and Field (Outdoor)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$48,439

After 10 yrs

$48,318

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing482

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods58

Biology, General57

Psychology, General54

Accounting and Related Services52

Business Administration, Management and Operations43

Communication and Media Studies42

Marketing37

Computer and Information Sciences, General34

Mechanical Engineering32

Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General32

Finance and Financial Management Services32

Computer Science30

Civil Engineering29

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities28

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering26

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$56M

Full-time faculty

98%

Faculty salary

$9,864/mo

Teaching spend

$10,005

per student

Federal loans

25%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (larger programs)

Research activity

Research college or university

$10M research spending

Undergraduate profile