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Purdue University, West Lafayette

Middle 50% SAT
1220
to
1480
Acceptance
43.4% (fall 2025, 86,953 applicants)
Typical GPA

Admissions data checked October 9, 2026 by Florida Test Prep.

Purdue University, West Lafayette reports a middle 50% SAT of 1220 to 1480 (admitted middle 50%, fall 2025). We use 1350 as a first planning target, then adjust it to the student's diagnostic and timeline. It is not an admission requirement or a guarantee.

The numbers

Middle 50% SAT1220 to 1480 (admitted middle 50%, fall 2025)
Middle 50% ACT28 to 34
Acceptance rate43.4% (fall 2025, 86,953 applicants)
Testing for 2026-27Test optional (97% of admitted students provided test scores)
TypePublic university

Source: Purdue official admissions data. A middle 50% describes the central half of the reported group, not a cutoff.

Purdue's own class-profile page states these are university-wide figures across its West Lafayette, Indianapolis, and Polytechnic Statewide locations combined, not West Lafayette alone.

Where Purdue sits among Indiana colleges

SchoolMiddle 50% SATAcceptance
University of Notre Dame1460 to 15409%
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology1310 to 149076.9%
Purdue University, West Lafayette1220 to 148043.4%
Indiana University Bloomington1250 to 145078.2%
DePauw University1130 to 135057.2%
Butler University1170 to 1330Not reported
Ball State University1090 to 124086.2%
Indiana State University880 to 110091.7%

Cohorts differ by school (admitted vs enrolled, and year). See every school with its cohort and source on SAT Scores for Indiana Colleges.

Scholarship money tied to the SAT in Indiana

Indiana has no statewide SAT-cutoff scholarship: the state's two big aid programs, 21st Century Scholars and the Frank O'Bannon Grant, are built around household income, GPA (2.5 minimum for 21st Century Scholars), and a Core 40 diploma, with no SAT/ACT component; score-tied money in Indiana instead comes from individual universities' own automatic scholarship grids, and Indiana State University publishes one of the clearest, with an explicit SAT/ACT number as one of three qualifying criteria.

Indiana State University Academic Excellence Scholarship: $3,000 per year, automatic on admission by the December 1 deadline, no separate application.

Indiana State University President's Scholarship: Full in-state tuition plus traditional housing and food; 18 awards per cycle, admission deadline December 1.

The full rules, deadlines and class years are on our Indiana SAT prep page.

Colleges in other states with a similar SAT range

CollegeStateMiddle 50% SAT
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew Jersey1235 to 1460
Creighton UniversityNebraska1280 to 1410
Denison UniversityOhio1270 to 1420
Pennsylvania State University, University ParkPennsylvania1280 to 1410

A score that is competitive at Purdue lands in the same part of the range at these schools. Cohorts differ by school, so read each page's notes before comparing.

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Quick answers

What SAT score do you need for Purdue?

There is no published minimum; the middle half of the reported group scored 1220 to 1480. A score at or above 1480 puts a student in the top quarter of that group. A score near 1220 is within the range, and grades, coursework and the rest of the application still decide the outcome.

Is Purdue test-optional?

Yes. Purdue lists its policy as: Test optional (97% of admitted students provided test scores). A score inside or above the range can still strengthen an application, and some scholarships and programs use scores separately.

What is Purdue's acceptance rate?

43.4% (fall 2025, 86,953 applicants). Rates vary by program and residency, so read the overall figure as context, not a personal prediction.

Does a score above the range guarantee admission?

No. A middle 50% is a description of last year's group, not a cutoff in either direction. It tells you where a score is competitive, which is the useful part for planning test dates.

Want to know what your teen needs for Purdue? Their target, their gap and the weeks to close it are what we map in the free Strategy Session.

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