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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#1 Best Online Colleges in Illinois
Public Edwardsville, IL · Suburban · Great Lakes · 100% data
B+ Earnings B Value C+ Affordability
Graduation Rate
56% C
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$56,346 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$14,889 C+
Close to the national average
Acceptance Rate
98% F
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +38% vs avg
Graduation -2% vs avg
Net Price +-13% vs avg
Mobility Top 59%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 24.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $24.1 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Online Colleges in Illinois.

24.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $24.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,376,818.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 38% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $24.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
0.3%
Top 64%
Patents
20
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
2
Downstream influence

About Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Doctoral / Professional University
Carnegie Class
Doctoral/Professional
Enrollment
8,750
Setting
Suburban
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Psychology, Engineering

Why students choose Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 45% overall
B+
Earnings
$56,346 median
B
Value
3.8× net price
C+
Affordability
$14,889/yr net
C
Graduation
56% graduate
C-
Social Mobility
1.3% climb Q1→Q5
F
Selectivity
98% admit rate
C-
Diversity
0.55 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has an acceptance rate of 98%. This means nearly all applicants can find a place here. For many students, this opens doors to higher education that may have seemed closed elsewhere.

The earnings for graduates ten years after enrollment average $56,346. While the graduation rate is 56%, the university serves a diverse student body, including many Pell Grant recipients, which indicates a commitment to accessibility. However, the lack of specific mobility and success metrics makes it harder to gauge long-term outcomes for those from lower-income backgrounds.

At a net price of $14,889 and a median debt of $20,500, the financial landscape is manageable for many students. Graduates typically find success in fields like Business, Health Professions, and Engineering. The supportive environment can be ideal for students who thrive in community-driven settings and seek practical career pathways.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Southern Illinois University Edwardsville? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Edwardsville, Illinois, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,100. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.

Acceptance Rate
98%
Retention Rate
76%
SAT Average
1100
ACT Midpoint
23
SAT Range
950–1190
ACT Range
20–27
Full-Time Faculty
72%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,158
Student–Faculty Ratio
15:1
Diversity Index
0.55
First-Gen Students
31%
Applicants
9,325
Admitted
9,093

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 Edwardsville? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $12,922, 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 $14,889. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,483 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $20,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$12,922
Out-of-State
$12,922
Avg Net Price
$14,889
Median Debt
$20,500
Pell Grant Rate
33%
Federal Loan Rate
38%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$8,483
Family Income $30K–$48K
$8,587
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,116
Family Income $110K+
$24,684

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 Edwardsville — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $56,346, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$46,384
8 Years
$51,066
10 Years
$56,346
Debt-to-Earnings
0.36x
Earning > $25K
71%

Earnings Trajectory

$46,384 6yr $51,066 8yr $56,346 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (685)
33%
100% (685)
33%
100% (685)
33%
100% (685)
33%

Where Grads Go

Top employers of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

How Southern Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation56%Earnings 10yr$56KNet Price$15KRetention76%Median Debt$21KPell Grant Rate33%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$8K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$25K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%6.8%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%18.9%MOBILITY1.30%

College ROI Calculator

Is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,889/year ($59,556 total). Graduates earn $56,346 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,436,374 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,376,818 (24.1× your investment). The median debt is $20,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 56% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$59,556
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,436,374
Net Return
$1,376,818
ROI Multiple
24.1×
Cost Per Year
$14,889
Median Debt
$20,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
56%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.30%, well above the typical college. About 6.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.30%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
18.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
6.8%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$118,746
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 20 patents tied to its graduates.

Inventor Rate
0.30%
Top 64% nationally
Patents Produced
20
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
2
Downstream influence
Inventors From Low-Income
0.54%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$32,630

Top Programs

The fields Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Southern Illinois University Edwardsville? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Edwardsville, Illinois, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,100. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $12,922, 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 $14,889. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $8,483 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $20,500 in federal student loans.

Is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $56,346, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.30%, well above the typical college. About 6.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,400, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys