Illinois State University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want a large campus community. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 18,414 students.
About This School
Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois with approximately 18,414 undergraduate students enrolled. Illinois State University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 89%. The average net price after financial aid is $18,996 per year. The graduation rate is 66%, and the typical graduate earns $51,600 within 10 years of enrollment.
Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. It operates additional facilities in its twin city, Bloomington, and in Springfield.
The numbers tell a reasonably encouraging story here — median debt at graduation is a modest $15,750, and graduates earn around $51,600 a decade out, which is a workable return for a school with an average net price under $19,000/year. Worth considering if you're drawn to a traditional Midwest campus experience with a wide range of programs and a genuine sense of community. The 66% graduation rate is worth watching, though — it signals that roughly one in three students doesn't finish, so come in with a clear plan and take advantage of support resources early.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
What This School Looks For
From the school's most recent Common Data Set (2024-25). What the admissions office actually weighs:
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 14% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Illinois State University graduates earn most above the national rate in Marketing ($77,956 vs $69,303 nationally), and most below it in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($81,264 vs $88,910).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 473 | $49,240 | $47,382 | +$1,858 |
| Marketing | 256 | $77,956 | $69,303 | +$8,653 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 215 | $81,264 | $88,910 | −$7,646 |
| Psychology, General | 200 | $51,941 | $50,706 | +$1,235 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 176 | $62,506 | $55,378 | +$7,128 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 176 | $85,326 | $83,343 | +$1,983 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 169 | $66,660 | $68,257 | −$1,597 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 166 | $84,458 | $76,194 | +$8,264 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 166 | $60,414 | $56,359 | +$4,055 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 163 | $54,452 | $51,389 | +$3,063 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 151 | $52,864 | $50,499 | +$2,365 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 123 | $50,744 | $53,072 | −$2,328 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (18,414 undergraduates).
In the Classroom & On Campus
Class size distribution
Source: Illinois State University Common Data Set (2024-25).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Illinois State University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Illinois State University?
Illinois State University has an acceptance rate of 89%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Illinois State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Illinois State University has an acceptance rate of 89%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Illinois State University cost?
The average net price at Illinois State University is about $18,996 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Illinois State University?
Illinois State University has a graduation rate of 66%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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