Purdue University and the associated university system have had 13 official and 5 officially acting presidents since the university was founded in 1869.[1]
| Image | Name | Dates in office | Duration of Service | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 August 1872 – 1 March 1874 | 1 year, 6 months, 16 days | [2] | |||
| 2 | 12 June 1874 – 6 November 1875 | 1 year, 4 months, 25 days | [3] | |||
| – | John S. Hougham (acting) | 6 November 1875 – 30 April 1876 | 5 months, 24 days | [4] | ||
| 3 | 1 May 1876 – 23 August 1883 | 7 years, 3 months, 22 days | [5] | |||
| 4 | 23 August 1883 – 21 February 1900† | 16 years, 5 months, 29 days | [6] | |||
| 5 | 21 February 1900 – 17 July 1921† | 21 years, 5 months, 5 days | [7] | |||
| – | Henry W. Marshall (acting) | 17 July 1921 – 1 September 1922 | 1 year, 1 month, 15 days | [8] | ||
| 6 | 1 September 1922 – 21 December 1945 | 23 years, 3 months, 20 days | [9] | |||
| – | Andrey A. Potter (acting) | 21 December 1945 – 1 January 1946 | 11 days | [10] | ||
| 7 | 1 January 1946 – 24 June 1971 | 25 years, 5 months, 23 days | [11] | |||
| 8 | 25 June 1971 – 1 July 1982 | 11 years, 6 days | [12] | |||
| – | John W. Hicks (acting) | 2 July 1982 – 30 June 1983 | 11 months, 28 days | [13] | ||
| 9 | 1 July 1983 – 13 August 2000 | 17 years, 1 month, 12 days | [14] | |||
| 10 | 14 August 2000 – 15 July 2007 | 6 years, 11 months, 1 day | [15] | |||
| 11 | 16 July 2007 – 30 June 2012 | 4 years, 11 months, 14 days | [16] | |||
| – | Timothy Sands (acting) | 1 July 2012 – 14 January 2013 | 6 months, 13 days | [17] | ||
| 12 | 14 January 2013 – 31 December 2022 | 9 years, 11 months, 17 days | [18] | |||
| 13 | 1 January 2023 – present | [19] |