I was accepted into both schools’ engineering programs coming from a high school in California and im pretty sure i want to study either aerospace engineering or mechanical engineering. If i go to university of arizona i can graduate practically debt free, but at purdue im looking at 15k each year in debt. I’ve already visited purdue’s campus and liked it, and i’m going to look at Arizona later this week.
What i’m wondering about is the difference in programs at arizona vs purdue and if the debt is worth it going to a ‘better’ school.
ASU is very good for engineering. We know several students there, including one who likes the aerospace program so far, and some successful grads. For $15k in debt per year, I’d strongly suggest ASU over Purdue.
Arizona, not ASU, but I still say Arizona is a no brainer. $60k is a big debt to service, even for an engineer. Let’s say though you aren’t intimidated by $850 per month loan payment, but are curious what you’d have at retirement if you chose AZ, but invested $850/month at 6% for 10 years and then just sat on it earning 6% until retirement. You’d have $1,000,000. That’s the real cost of choosing Purdue. You’d have to make $1M MORE just to break even. The chances of that, based on simply choosing Purdue are…zero.