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Normal, IL · Carbondale, IL
| Illinois State University | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $19,398/yr | $13,297/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $11,568/yr | $9,415/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $20,482 | $21,543 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $12,301/yr | $8,497/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $16,348/yr | $10,308/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $23,865/yr | $17,724/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $28,224/yr | $23,254/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $217/mo | $228/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $11,754/yr | $12,341/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,194/yr | $12,812/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $830/yr | $1,100/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $5,874/yr | $2,951/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $34,309/yr | $28,329/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $16,144/yr | $13,334/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $28,210/yr | $13,334/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 32% | 39% |
| Students taking federal loans | 43% | 45% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 88% | 87% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 990–1210 | 900–1160 |
| SAT average | 1113 | 1055 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 21–27 | 18–25 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 21–27 · Math 19–26 | English 16–25 · Math 17–25 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 20,884 | 10,401 |
| Students accepted | 18,589 | 9,407 |
| Students who enrolled | 4,147 | 1,621 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 22% | 17% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 35% | 36% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 10% | 11% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Not considered | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 65% | 62% |
| Freshmen who come back | 81% | 67% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $62,117/yr | $53,390/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $44,007–$86,157 | $34,030–$77,347 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 72% | 59% |
| White students graduating | 72% | 68% |
| Black students graduating | 41% | 57% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 51% | 47% |
| Asian students graduating | 66% | 38% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $50,599/yr | $43,087/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 82% | 74% |
| Graduate on time | 49% | 40% |
| Pell students who graduate | 52% | 45% |
| First-gen students who finish | 67% | 48% |
| Low-income students who finish | 62% | 45% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $57,276/yr | $48,158/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 21% · Education 18% · Health Professions 9% | Health Professions 15% · Transportation & Materials Moving 10% · Education 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 21% of degrees | Health Professions — 15% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Education — 18% of degrees | Transportation & Materials Moving — 10% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 9% of degrees | Education — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Visual & Performing Arts — 5% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Psychology — 5% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $108,154/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $108,648/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 11% | 21% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 19,057 | 8,494 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 2,439 | 3,237 |
| Average professor pay | $9,453/mo | $8,501/mo |
| Full-time professors | 74% | 79% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $67,100 | $37,454 |
| Setting | Suburb (midsize) | Town (distant) |
| Location | Normal, IL | Carbondale, IL |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1857 | 1869 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Men | 43% | 48% |
| Women | 57% | 52% |
| White students | 64% | 65% |
| Black students | 14% | 17% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 14% | 10% |
| Asian students | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| Two or more races | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Other / not reported | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 30% | 35% |
| Part-time students | 5.3% | 14% |
| Students age 25+ | 4.2% | 19% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $9,152/yr | $18,042/yr |
| Endowment | $224.3M | $213.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 6,578 | 4,492 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $5,970/yr | $6,292/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,056/yr | $4,330/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | Yes | Yes |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I-FCS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 15 | 13 |
| Student athletes | 471 | 408 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.1M | $6.1M |
| Athletics budget | $30.2M | $27.4M |
| Athletics revenue | $30.2M | $27.4M |
| Recruiting spend | $242,378 | $490,389 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.