Purdue University Northwest (PNWU) vs University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) and University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics. PNW, located in Hammond, Indiana, boasts a higher acceptance rate (88%) compared to UHD's 73%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with PNW excelling in engineering, technology, and nursing, while UHD stands out in business, education, and public affairs. PNW's student body is predominantly White (58%) and female (56%), while UHD's student population is more diverse, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (44%) and male (53%) students. In terms of graduation rates, UHD has a slightly higher four-year graduation rate (23%) compared to PNW's 19%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table
Purdue University Northwest logo

Purdue University Northwest

University of Houston-Downtown logo

University of Houston-Downtown

Overview

Location Hammond, Indiana Houston, Texas
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 60.0% 64.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 76.4% 94.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $35
SAT range 990 - 1190 N/A
ACT range 19 - 26 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 38.0%
Students submitting ACT score 8.0%
Total number of applicants 3,642 6,148
Total number of admissions given out 2,781 5,831
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,067 1,360
Yield rate 38.4% 23.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,356

Out of state: $29,247
In state: $25,782

Out of state: $35,598
Average net price $8,472 $13,460
Tuition
In state: $7,268

Out of state: $14,159
In state: $6,252

Out of state: $16,068
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

61.0%
Average amount $7,048
88.0%
Average amount $7,490
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $4,744
14.0%
Average amount $4,717
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $8,768
1.0%
Average amount $16,077

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 8,044
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
13,612
Men 36.4% Women 63.6%
Graduate students 750
Men 34.5% Women 65.5%
1,465
Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 8.9% 0.6%
International students 3.0% 5.4%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 744 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Indiana Illinois Michigan Ohio Alabama Texas Georgia Iowa Louisiana Michigan

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 19:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 40.3% 30.2%
Dropout rate 54.6% 22.4%
Transferred out N/A 39.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,613
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $95,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,723
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $83,022
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $74,625
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,537
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $73,252
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,599
  • Year 2: $65,123
  • Year 3: $66,736
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,724
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $65,341
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,367
  • Year 2: $36,848
  • Year 3: $51,672
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,277
  • Year 2: $39,214
  • Year 3: $49,646
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,212
  • Year 2: $33,565
  • Year 3: $44,921
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,032
  • Year 2: $30,554
  • Year 3: $41,841
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,980
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $78,852
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,187
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $76,489
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,158
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $73,620
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,110
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $63,411
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,074
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $62,848
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,458
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $61,484
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,605
  • Year 2: $50,022
  • Year 3: $55,488
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,118
  • Year 2: $50,082
  • Year 3: $53,629
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,554
  • Year 2: $41,193
  • Year 3: $52,508
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,661
  • Year 2: $44,064
  • Year 3: $52,377