PNW students outdoors the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building

About PNW

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a premier metropolitan university located in Northwest Indiana that is dedicated to empowering transformational change in our students and in our community.

A PNW student stands outdoors

Why PNW?

With PNW’s 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you will get to know and connect with professors and mentors. Our 80+ student organizations, 17 NCAA Division II athletic teams and 40+ intramural activities provide you with a large selection of ways to get involved or have fun on campus!

From academics to extracurriculars, PNW helps you build skills to launch your career and make friends that will last a lifetime.

Find Your Right Fit

A map of the Midwestern United States, with the Chicago region and northwestern Indiana highlighted. PNW's campuses in Hammond and Westville, Indiana are prominent along Interstates 90/94. The top left corner reads "Regional Strength, Global Reach".

Our two campuses serve approximately 8,900 undergraduate and graduate students. At PNW, we value academic excellence, support growth and celebrate diversity.

Our Hammond campus is only 30 miles from Chicago and our Westville branch campus is only 15 miles from the Indiana Dunes National Park. Our two campuses foster a community full of contrasts: urban and rural, industrial and natural, well-established history and forward-thinking innovation. Our determined students — many of whom are the first in their families to attend college — make the most of this rich range of resources.

Our impact also extends well beyond the region. Students from 30 states and 38 countries currently attend PNW, taking what they learn here and applying it all around the world.

Read About Our Diverse Metropolitan University

PNW's Undergraduates

– 96% Full-Time Freshman

– Over 56% First Gen

– 25.8% Hispanic or Latino

– Nearly 11% Black or African American

– Nearly 4% Multiracial

– Nearly 3% Asian

Purdue Northwest faculty and students are dedicated to Northwest Indiana and want to provide support to enrich the lives of those in our community. Universities are not islands, but rather great contributors to the overall well-being of their communities.

Thomas L. Keon, PNW Chancellor

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Student sits in a chair and leans to the left to work on electrical wiring. There is a table with a computer in front of him.

High-Quality Education for the Real World

PNW’s colleges offer more than 70 areas of study for undergraduate and graduate students. We’re consistently recognized among the best regional universities in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

Our emphasis on research and applied learning opportunities means our students graduate ready for the next phase of their lives.

Accreditation

Purdue University Northwest is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Power Onward at PNW

Purdue University Northwest is continually changing lives with its focus on students, research and community. 

Four students walk together outside

PNW recognized among best Midwest universities by U.S. News and World Report

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is recognized for its campus diversity and several undergraduate programs in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 annual Best Colleges rankings.

Read The Story

A group of students walks together across campus

Our Mission

Purdue University Northwest transforms students’ lives and our metropolitan region through a diverse campus committed to innovative education, applied research, and community engagement.

See the Full Strategic Plan

Learn More About Us

A lion sculpture on PNW's Westville campus

Getting to Purdue Northwest

VISIT US

Scenic settings just minutes from the highway, PNW’s two campuses in Hammond and Westville are easily accessible.

The first students walk into the Education Building (now Schwarz Hall), 1967

History

70+ YEARS OF PRIDE

We’ve only been the PNW Pride since 2016, but our students have been making us proud since both campuses opened in the 1940s.

PNW Chancellor Thomas L. Keon

Leadership

GUARDING PNW’S FUTURE

Meet Chancellor Thomas L. Keon and the university’s senior leadership team, and learn about PNW’s strategic plan.

PNW Lion Statue

PNW Economic Impact

Purdue University Northwest helps power our region. Our impact includes $745.9 million of total income: 2 percent of gross regional product.

PNW News Highlights

Magesh Chandramouli

PNW professor awarded fellowship by the Software Sustainability Institute

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) faculty member Magesh Chandramouli has been awarded a fellowship by the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI).

An illuminated computer with a PNW esports logo.

PNW Esports to host UNIFIED Gaming Fanfest

Purdue University Northwest’s Esports program is set to host the UNIFIED Gaming Fanfest March 4 to 5 at the Westville campus’ Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex (DSAC).

Thomas Stobbe

Student Spotlight: Thomas Stobbe

The School of Engineering is #PNWEngineeringProud of Thomas Stobbe. He will graduate in December 2023 with his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.

PNW Event Highlights

Mar 21

Women’s History Month

From academic events to art showcases, join PNW in celebrating the accomplishments and achievements of women all month long!

Mar 22

Tornado Drill

Campus members, we will be conducting a Tornado Drill (move to a storm safe area) at both campuses on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

Mar 28

“Chinese Art in American Museums” with the Art Institute of Chicago’s Tao Wang

Take a visual journey of Chinese art guided by visiting scholar Dr. Tao Wang from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Apr 04

Days of Discovery – Westville Campus

The 2023 Days of Discovery will be held on April 4 at the Westville Campus and on April 5 at the Hammond Campus. This two-day event features distinguished internal and external keynote speakers as well as faculty and student oral and poster presentations.