Purdue Touts ‘Year of Records’

Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now

This audio file is brought to you by

0:00

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

Speed
1.00

• 0.25
• 0.50
• 0.75
• 1.00
• 1.25
• 1.50
• 1.75
• 2.00

Purdue University is reporting its largest freshman class since 2008, and the most in-state first-year students since 2010. The 6,812 first-year students is an increase of more than 300 over last year’s entering class. It includes 3,518 Indiana residents. 

The school partially credits the increase in Indiana residents to doubling the size of its Marquis scholarship, which is available for middle-income Indiana residents, from $2,000 to $4,000.

In addition to the spike in its freshman class, Purdue says says overall enrollment is up, climbing from 38,770 students to 39,409, and graduation rates are at an all-time high.

"Our overarching goal is to provide higher education at the highest proven value, and this is key to Purdue’s enrollment increase," said President Mitch Daniels in a press release.

The four-year graduate rates increased from 49.2 percent to 51.5 percent, and six-year graduate rates increased from 73.8 percent to 75.4 percent. 

This year, Purdue also set records in fundraising, research funding and in commercialization.

Fundraising:

Purdue raised an all-time record of $343.4 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Research funding:

The school raised a record $401 million in research funding.

Commercialization:

The University boasts 178 new patents, 131 licensed technologies and 25 startups based on Purdue licenses