Because Purdue basketball prefers to build its roster from within, it doesn’t spend as much to attract players.
In a new report from CBS Sports, the Boilermakers are ranked sixth (seven) in college basketball giving, between $7.1 million and $9.9 million for the 2026-27 season. That’s the same ranking as Butler and far below Indiana, which ranks second under $20 million.
Advertisement
CBS wonders how Purdue is getting so much bang for its buck.
“Get the weight of this: Purdue has won 12 NCAA Tournament games in five years. The other 13 teams in this ranking have a combined eight Big Dance wins in the same five-year window, with three coming from Iowa last March.
“Purdue will take one graduate transfer to fill a specific void, but it is not my door for several starters each year. Finding hidden gems is the secret sauce. Painter saw more than meets the eye in Zach Edey and Braden Smith and them in All-American and / or National Player of the Year talents. Purdue can replicate the way. Rush in 2025-26. Purdue has not yet accepted a single transfer, which in two decades of Painter’s career development it was
CBS used more than 100 sources over several weeks of research to estimate college basketball spending numbers for the conference’s 79 teams and powerhouse Gonzaga. The average bill is $13.5 million this season, up from $7 million last season. All of these are based on the current roster and the potential players’ highest earnings.
Advertisement
The average Big Ten school spends $12.7 million on its roster, less than the SEC and Big East, but more than the Big 12 and ACC.
CBS notes that fifth-year players who are now allowed to count toward the team’s total may fluctuate. Also, player incentives can change the team’s total spending at the end of the season.
Purdue basketball roster 2026-27
(Number, name, height, year/previous school or race)
Purdue basketball arc 2026-27
(ET times, with TV)
Sun., Oct. 18 Purdue 87, State Bowl 55 (exhibition)
Thurs., Oct. 22 at Purdue Fort Wayne (exhibition), 7 p.m., B1G+
Mon., Oct. 27 at Connecticut (exhibition) 7 pm, TV TBD
Mon., Nov. 2 Gonzaga at Las Vegas, 7:30 p.m., TNT/TruTV/HBO Max
Mon., Nov. 6 Valparaiso, 6:30 pm, BTN
Mon., Nov. 9 V. Illinois State, 8:30 p.m., FS1.
Mon., Nov. 13 vs. Ohio, 7 p.m., B1G+
Tues., Nov. 17 Lipscomb, 6:30 p.m., BTN.
Mon., Nov. 20 Oakland, 7 p.m., BTN.
Tues., Nov. 24 DePaul at Fort Myers Tip-Off, 6 p.m., FS1
Thurs., Nov. 26 Vs. Oklahoma at Fort Myers Tip-Off, noon, Fox
Mon., Dec. 1 Iowa, 7 p.m., Peacock
Sat., Dec. 5 at Iowa State, time/TV TBD
Mon., Dec. 8 Wisconsin, 9 p.m., Peacock
Mon., Dec. 11 Tennessee, 8 p.m., Fox
Sat., Dec. 19 Colorado at the Indy Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 5:30 p.m., FS1
Mon., Dec. 21 Baptista, 6 pm, BTN. vs
Mon., Dec. 30 USC, 6 p.m., BTN.
Sat., Jan. 2 noon Rutgers vs
Mon., Jan. 5 at Illinois, 9 p.m., Peacock
Mon., Jan. 8 at Michigan, 8 p.m., Fox
Tues., 12 Jan. vs. Ohio State, 8 p.m., Peacock
Sun., Jan. 17 at Minnesota, 2 p.m., BTN.
Wed., Jan. 20 at Penn State, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Sat., Jan. 23 noon, FS1. vs
Mon., Jan. 26 Nebraska, 6 p.m., Peacock vs
Sat., Jan. 30 at Michigan State, 3 p.m./8 p.m., Fox
Mon., Dec. 3 at Rutgers, 6:30 p.m., BTN.
Sat., Feb. 6 North, South, FS1.
Mon., Dec. 12 IL, 8 p.m., Fox
Mon., Feb. 16 at Indiana, 7 p.m., Peacock
Sun., Feb. 21 UCLA, 1 p.m., CBS
Mon., Dec. 24 Oregon, 10:30 p.m., BTN
Sat., Dec. 27 London, 8:30 pm, BTN.
Mon., March 5 Indiana, 8 p.m., Fox.
Nathan Baird and Sam King The best live coverage and sign IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.
Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) celebrates 3 points on Saturday, Dec. 20. 2025, during the 2025 Indy Classic game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Auburn Tigers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Boilermakers Tigers, 88-60.
This article first appeared in the Indianapolis Star: How “Purdue Way” compares to college basketball by giving it a number