Purdue University Global — ROI, Cost & Payback
Purdue University Global charges a net price of $7,770/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $31,080. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,596, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Purdue University Global does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 of 56 Indiana colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $7,770/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $31,080 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,596 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,764/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,078 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$266,360 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Purdue University Global's own numbers. Net price $7,770 × 4 years = $31,080 total. Median earnings $36,596 fall $11,764 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $31,080 bill in about 3.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Purdue University Global students graduate with?
A median $26,078 in federal loans among completers, or 71% of the $36,596 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Purdue University Global students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $31,080 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $62,160 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Purdue University Global expensive compared with other Indiana colleges?
Its $7,770 net price runs $11,928 below the $19,698 median across the 56 Indiana colleges we profile, and $47,710 less across the full degree.