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Compare University of Illinois Chicago vs Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Chicago, IL · Carbondale, IL

University of Illinois ChicagoSouthern Illinois University-Carbondale
Cost
Price after aid (average)$10,974/yr$13,297/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$7,529/yr$9,415/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$16,704$21,543
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$8,119/yr$8,497/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$10,921/yr$10,308/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$16,185/yr$17,724/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$25,047/yr$23,254/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$177/mo$228/mo
Room & board (on campus)$16,500/yr$12,341/yr
Room & board (off campus)$14,400/yr$12,812/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,400/yr$1,100/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$6,026/yr$2,951/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$27,521/yr$28,329/yr
Tuition (in-state)$14,338/yr$13,334/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$29,884/yr$13,334/yr
Students with Pell Grants49%39%
Students taking federal loans22%45%
Getting in
Students who get accepted77%87%
SAT range (middle 50%)1130–1350900–1160
SAT average12501055
ACT range (middle 50%)25–3118–25
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 24–32 · Math 24–30English 16–25 · Math 17–25
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received25,42010,401
Students accepted19,9559,407
Students who enrolled4,6471,621
Accepted students who enroll23%17%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores29%36%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores4%11%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Recommendation lettersNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
Class rankRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
College-prep programRequiredRequired
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceNot consideredNot considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate62%62%
Freshmen who come back80%67%
Typical earnings 10 years in$68,740/yr$53,390/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$44,790–$95,794$34,030–$77,347
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)70%59%
White students graduating66%68%
Black students graduating48%57%
Hispanic students graduating54%47%
Asian students graduating77%38%
Typical earnings 6 years in$53,218/yr$43,087/yr
Earn more than a HS grad81%74%
Graduate on time42%40%
Pell students who graduate59%45%
First-gen students who finish66%48%
Low-income students who finish65%45%
Typical earnings 8 years in$61,779/yr$48,158/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 18% · Health Professions 15% · Computer & Information Sciences 12%Health Professions 15% · Transportation & Materials Moving 10% · Education 9%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 18% of degreesHealth Professions — 15% of degrees
2nd most popular programHealth Professions — 15% of degreesTransportation & Materials Moving — 10% of degrees
3rd most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 12% of degreesEducation — 9% of degrees
4th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 8% of degrees
5th most popular programEngineering — 10% of degreesEngineering Technologies — 7% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Dentistry — $131,656/yrAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $108,648/yr
Degrees in STEM34%21%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment22,1708,494
Students per professor17 : 111 : 1
Graduate students11,4113,237
Average professor pay$14,621/mo$8,501/mo
Full-time professors71%79%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byHigher Learning CommissionHigher Learning Commission
Median family income$33,726$37,454
SettingCity (large)Town (distant)
LocationChicago, ILCarbondale, IL
RegionGreat LakesGreat Lakes
Founded19831869
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students7.5%1.7%
Men47%48%
Women53%52%
White students22%65%
Black students8.2%17%
Hispanic or Latino students36%10%
Asian students21%1.7%
Two or more races3%3.9%
Other / not reported1.6%0.4%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students44%35%
Part-time students8.9%14%
Students age 25+8.6%19%
Spent on teaching per student$28,590/yr$18,042/yr
Endowment$681.0M$213.0M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing3,4894,492
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$9,078/yr$6,292/yr
Meal plan charge$5,129/yr$4,330/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per week19 meals/weekNo data reported
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesNo
ROTCYes — Army, Navy, Air ForceYes — Army, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesYesNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionYesYes
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I without footballNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamNoYes
Varsity teams1413
Student athletes321408
Athletic scholarships$6.2M$6.1M
Athletics budget$24.1M$27.4M
Athletics revenue$25.2M$27.4M
Recruiting spend$332,491$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.