Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana · Public · 83.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 35/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Purdue University Fort Wayne scores 35 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale, driven by a 36.3% completion rate combined with a 17.7-year payback period and $33,100 average 6-year earnings. In-state tuition is $9,532 and net price is $13,171, so cost is not the primary problem. Median debt of $21,500 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.650 reflects graduates who borrow a moderate amount relative to modest earnings. The core issue is that fewer than 4 in 10 enrolled students complete a degree, which transforms a low-cost institution into a high-risk one for the majority of attendees. Electrical Engineering ($67,236), Mechanical Engineering ($64,534), and Nursing ($70,046) produce strong outcomes; most other programs are mediocre to poor.
How Purdue University Fort Wayne scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score35/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate36.3% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period17.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,532/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $22,887/yr |
| Average net price | $13,171/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $52,684 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,872 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 36.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,484 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,532/year ($22,887/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,171/year, or roughly $52,684 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $8,306/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,224/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,500, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,100) and comes to 0.65, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $8,306 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,703 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,444 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,430 |
| $110,001+ | $20,224 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $8,306 net per year at PFW - a very low absolute price. The problem is the 36.3% completion rate: students who do not graduate accumulate even this modest debt without a credential. Low-income students at PFW need a declared major in engineering, nursing, or CS and a clear 4-year plan to produce a good financial outcome. Undecided enrollment at this price still carries dropout risk that makes it financially damaging.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $12,444 per year, and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $18,430. These are competitive prices for a Purdue-affiliated credential. At $12,444-$18,430 per year, engineering and CS students face a straightforward financial case for PFW. Business and social science students face a slower payback but still a manageable total exposure given the low net price. The main risk remains non-completion.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,000+) pay $20,224 per year - about $81,000 over four years. This is affordable for a Purdue credential.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Purdue University Fort Wayne with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $63,627 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $45,525 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $44,299 | C |
| Biology | $50,366 | C+ |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $44,533 | C |
| Computer Science | $101,396 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $46,619 | C |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $37,718 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,075 | - |
| Music | $38,682 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Purdue Fort Wayne's highest-volume tracked program with $70,046 first-year earnings, $74,918 at four years, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.385 (ROI grade B). Graduate count is not published in the Scorecard for this cohort, but nursing is a central program at the campus. Fort Wayne's healthcare system - including Parkview and Lutheran hospitals - provides direct clinical placement. Against $13,171 net price and $27,000 median debt, nursing at PFW is a financially sound choice for students who complete the program.
Computer Science
Computer Science (42 graduates) earns $61,354 first-year and $101,396 at four years, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.397 (ROI grade B) and $24,375 median debt. The four-year jump to $101k is consistent with CS career progression in Fort Wayne's growing technology sector and Indiana's broader manufacturing-tech corridor. CS is the second-best financial choice at PFW after engineering.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (33 graduates) earns $64,534 first-year and $85,075 at four years - the highest four-year earnings on campus after CS. No debt data is available for this cohort. Against $9,532 in-state tuition, Mechanical Engineering at a Purdue campus is a strong value proposition: the Purdue brand, manufacturing-focused curriculum, and Fort Wayne's proximity to automotive and industrial manufacturing employers (including companies like BorgWarner and Lincoln Financial) produce relevant employer connections.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration and Management is PFW's largest non-healthcare program at 175 graduates, with $46,950 first-year earnings, $63,627 at four years, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.485 (ROI grade C+). Against $22,764 median debt and a $13,171 net price, the payback is slow but manageable. Fort Wayne's mid-size employer market (Sweetwater Sound, Parkview Health, Lincoln Financial) provides some regional business employment, but PFW's generic business credential has limited reach outside northeast Indiana without networking effort.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (34 graduates) earns $27,775 first-year and $37,718 at four years, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.968 (ROI grade D) and $26,873 median debt. This is the weakest-ROI program with meaningful volume at PFW. Year-one earnings are $27,775, and the four-year figure shows minimal improvement.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Purdue University Fort Wayne’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 83.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 490-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-29 |
| Enrollment | 5,484 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,912 |
The ACT 22-29 range is wide.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University Fort Wayne (this school) | 35 | $13,171 | $45,872 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | 67 | $11,668 | $55,198 |
| Ball State University | 54 | $14,940 | $51,833 |
| Northern Michigan University | 40 | $14,085 | $47,107 |
| University of North Alabama | 38 | $12,170 | $45,415 |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin | 37 | $10,701 | $44,213 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Purdue University Fort Wayne side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Purdue Fort Wayne admits 83.9% of applicants (SAT mid-range 480-610 Math, 490-610 Reading; ACT 22-29) at 5,484 students. The 24.8% Pell grant rate reflects a moderate-income regional student body. Fort Wayne is Indiana's second-largest city, providing some local employer access. This school fits students entering engineering, nursing, or CS with a clear program plan and realistic expectations about the campus's commuter-heavy, non-residential character. It is a poor fit for undirected students: the completion rate is a stark warning that most students who arrive without a clear major and strong persistence will not graduate.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Purdue University Fort Wayne scores 35/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,171 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,872 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.7 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 36.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 71.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Purdue University Fort Wayne: Common Questions
Is Purdue University Fort Wayne worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Purdue University Fort Wayne scores 35/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,171 a year after aid against $45,872 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Purdue University Fort Wayne cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,171 a year, or roughly $52,684 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Purdue University Fort Wayne graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,872 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,072 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Purdue University Fort Wayne?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 17.7 years for Purdue University Fort Wayne. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Purdue University Fort Wayne graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,500, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Purdue University Fort Wayne?
The six-year graduation rate is 36.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.