Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Graduation Rate
- 59% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $53,390 B
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $13,297 C+
- 22% less than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 87% D+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 26.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $26.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $26.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,348,914.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 31% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $26.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Matters
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is a public research university in Carbondale, IL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 8,494
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Transportation, Education, Business & Marketing
Why students choose Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 87% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 900–1160. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $13,297 a year after grants and scholarships — 22% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $53,390 ten years after enrolling — 31% above the typical college, against $21,543 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.50 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale serves nearly 8,500 students with an acceptance rate of 87%. This high acceptance rate means that most applicants can find a place here, making it an accessible option for many.
The earnings data shows that graduates can expect to make around $53,390 ten years after finishing their degree. While the graduation rate sits at 59%, the university is a solid choice for students seeking practical career paths in health professions, transportation, education, business, and biology.
Attending Southern Illinois University-Carbondale comes with an average net price of $13,297. Graduates leave with a median debt of $21,543, which is manageable given their earning potential. Students who thrive here are often those looking for a supportive environment and clear pathways to employment in growing fields.
Rankings
- #11 Best Engineering Colleges in Illinois
- #15 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Illinois
- #16 Best Online Education Programs in Illinois
- #19 Best Online Nursing Programs in Illinois
- #21 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Illinois
- #23 Best Online Business Programs in Illinois
- #26 Best MBA Programs in Illinois
- #36 Best Education Colleges in Illinois
Can I Get In?
How selective Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Carbondale, Illinois, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 87%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,055. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Retention Rate
- 67%
- SAT Average
- 1055
- ACT Midpoint
- 24
- SAT Range
- 900–1160
- ACT Range
- 18–25
- Full-Time Faculty
- 79%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $8,501
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.54
- First-Gen Students
- 35%
- Applicants
- 9,771
- Admitted
- 8,940
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $13,334, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,297. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,415 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,543 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $13,334
- Out-of-State
- $13,334
- Avg Net Price
- $13,297
- Median Debt
- $21,543
- Pell Grant Rate
- 39%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 45%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,415
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $8,497
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,308
- Family Income $110K+
- $23,254
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median of $53,390, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $43,087
- 8 Years
- $48,158
- 10 Years
- $53,390
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.4x
- Earning > $25K
- 65%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (857)
- 32%
- 100% (857)
- 32%
- 100% (857)
- 32%
- 100% (857)
- 32%
How Southern Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $13,297/year ($53,188 total). Graduates earn $53,390 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,402,102 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,348,914 (26.4× your investment). The median debt is $21,543, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 59% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $53,188
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,402,102
- Net Return
- $1,348,914
- ROI Multiple
- 26.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $13,297
- Median Debt
- $21,543
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 59%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-7,801,577
Top Programs
The fields Southern Illinois University-Carbondale awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 15% $66,642 early-career
- Transportation 10% $47,468 early-career
- Education 9% $58,144 early-career
- Business & Marketing 8% $56,850 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6% $28,100 early-career
- Social Sciences 5% $38,577 early-career
- Engineering 4% $78,308 early-career
- Psychology 4% $33,369 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Optometrist$131,860 · 9% growthResilient 96
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Carbondale, Illinois, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 87%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,055. The graduation rate is roughly 59%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $13,334, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,297. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,415 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,543 in federal student loans.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median of $53,390, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
- Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LA · Close peer61% grad $52,279 earn 86% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater, WI · Close peer62% grad $55,356 earn 86% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of IdahoMoscow, ID · Close peer59% grad $54,670 earn 76% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL · Close peer56% grad $56,346 earn 98% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE · Close peer47% grad $53,909 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar net price
- Cleveland State UniversityCleveland, OH · Close peer50% grad $52,131 earn 91% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note