West Lafayette, IN · Clery Act 2023 · Public

Purdue University-Main Campus

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 52,905-student campus.

2.10
Incidents / 1k students
#2,035
Rank of 3,050
#28
IN rank
52,905
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

Purdue University-Main Campus reports 2.10 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,035 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 65% of ranked campuses its size.

2.10
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,035
of 3,050 ranked nationally
65%
report fewer incidents than this campus
100
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

+8 reported incidents

Purdue University-Main Campus increased from 92 to 100 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

Purdue University-Main Campus is a Public institution located in West Lafayette, IN, enrolling approximately 52,905 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 270 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within IN, it ranks #28 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 52,905 enrolled students, this campus sits in the large research university bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at Purdue University-Main Campus is "Motor Vehicle Theft" with 144 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in IN averaging 2.08 incidents per 1,000 students, Purdue University-Main Campus reports 1% more incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 8 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 90 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

2.10 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2035

See peer comparison

State Rank (IN)

#28

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

100

across 11 crime categories

Where Purdue University-Main Campus sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

2 safer than 35% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). This entry sits in this band. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Above this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). Above this entry. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Above this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

Purdue University-Main Campus percentile rank 33.3%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2035 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

Purdue University-Main Campus reports 1% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$9,992
Out-of-State Tuition
$28,794
Avg Net Price
$14,600
Median Debt
$19,500
Pell Grant Recipients
13%
How does this cost rank in IN? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
50%
SAT Average
1364
SAT Math Range
600–760
ACT Average
30
ACT Range
27–34

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
83%
Retention Rate
93%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$60,838
Median Earnings (10yr)
$72,424
Loan Repayment (3yr)
86%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Enrollment scale

How campus size shapes the safety figures

With 52,905 enrolled students, Purdue University-Main Campus is in the largest 1% of the 5,673 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment. The safety score above already normalizes reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe. Use the annual crime table to see what was reported, then use the peer comparison to judge the rate against schools of a similar scale. A lower reported rate is not a guarantee of individual safety or a measure of reporting quality.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

Purdue University-Main Campus: on-campus incidents by year

Rising 28% (78 → 100 incidents)

708090100110 202120222023 78 100 ▲ +28.2%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 052
Arson 230
Burglary 889
Fondling 559
Incest 001
Motor Vehicle Theft 724824
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 010
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Rape 121932
Robbery 121
Statutory Rape 010

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 8 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

90 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
90 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 8 5
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 67 41
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 3 7
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 158 670

Purdue University-Main Campus vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

IN

Purdue University-Main Campus

2.10 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,035
Enrollment
52,905
Data year
2023

AZ

University of Arizona

2.02 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,003
Enrollment
53,001
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ · 53,001 enrolled
Safety Score 2.02
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · 53,082 enrolled
Safety Score 3.07
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · 52,065 enrolled
Safety Score 3.86
Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA · 53,810 enrolled
Safety Score 0.41
Florida International University
Miami, FL · 53,953 enrolled
Safety Score 1.06

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest Purdue University-Main Campus nationally (rank #2035), regardless of size or state.

Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX
National Rank #2034
Garden City Community College
Garden City, KS
National Rank #2036
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley
Center Valley, PA
National Rank #2033
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI
National Rank #2037
Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer, NC
National Rank #2032

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Purdue University-Main Campus safe?
Purdue University-Main Campus has a safety score of 2.10 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,035 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Purdue University-Main Campus?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Purdue University-Main Campus compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in IN.
Does Purdue University-Main Campus have fire safety data?
Yes. Purdue University-Main Campus reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 8 fires were reported in the most recent year.

Understanding Purdue University-Main Campus's Safety Profile

Purdue University-Main Campus in West Lafayette, IN enrolls 52,905 students and has a safety score of 2.10 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2035 nationally.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 92 in 2022 to 100 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 8 fires were reported in the most recent year.

What this means for you

Purdue University-Main Campus's 2.10 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.