College comparison

Purdue vs UC Davis

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	Purdue West Lafayette, IN	UC Davis Davis, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Davis is more selective	50%	42%
SAT (25–75)	1200–1480	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	44,503	32,253
Avg net price	$14,600	$14,741
Median earnings (10 yr)UC Davis reports higher median earnings	$72,424	$80,838
Graduation rate	83%	86%
Median debt	$19,500	$13,000
Economic mobility	—	4.4%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is Purdue University-Main Campus or University of California-Davis harder to get into?

University of California-Davis is more selective: Purdue University-Main Campus's acceptance rate is approximately 50% and University of California-Davis's is approximately 42% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for Purdue University-Main Campus vs University of California-Davis?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1200–1480 at Purdue University-Main Campus and — at University of California-Davis. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.