Education
Ranked #9 of 521 for valueTeacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas · 95 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $67,961
- Ranked-college median: $48,822
- Median debt
- $14,674
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale acceptance rate
Acceptance rate: 86.9% (fall admissions, CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). 6,648 of 6,987 applicants were admitted. Middle 50% test scores: SAT Reading & Writing 470–590, SAT Math 430–570, ACT 18–25. Admissions details
What we know
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025- Students
- 8,494
Larger than 87% of colleges
National median 1,603
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleMiddle half of collegesNational median
Check at the source
Is this campus your type?
Five questions match you to a college identity, then show where Southern Illinois University-Carbondale sits for you.
Take the fit quizAdmissions
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admitted 86.9% of 6,987 applicants.
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Applicants6,987
86.9% of applicants were admitted
- Admitted6,648
20.9% of admitted students enrolled (yield)
- Enrolled (first-year)1,387
Middle 50% test scores
- SAT Reading & Writing
- 470–590
- 200800
- SAT Math
- 430–570
- 200800
- ACT Composite
- 18–25
- 136
Your chances
Check your chancesYour SAT or ACT against Southern Illinois University-Carbondale- SAT, middle 50%
- 900–1160
- ACT, middle 50%
- 18–25
Cost & financial aid
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Average net price
$12,554
What students paid per year on average after grants and scholarships. Your price depends on family income.
Published price vs. what students paid
- Tuition & fees
- $13,544
- Average net price
- $12,554
Students receiving Pell Grants
- Pell Grant recipients
- 44%
Free tools
Plan your costs for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Can I afford it?Loan payment against what its graduates earn
- How much can I borrow?Federal loan limits and what is left to cover
- Will I get a Pell Grant?Estimate this year's award from your SAI
- What would I repay?Monthly payments on $27,000 of loans
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Plan the aid and loans
Aid & Loan Plan$14 once
A PDF that applies the 2026–27 federal aid rules to you and up to three colleges: Pell Grant, loan limits, the gap left and repayment.
Start with the Pell Grant estimator See a sample reportOutcomes
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
59.3%
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
66.8%
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$57,388
Former students who received federal aid
Where Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks
- #9Best colleges for educationof 521 ranked
- #97Best colleges for kinesiology and exercise scienceof 459 ranked
- #190Best colleges for businessof 986 ranked
Programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Bachelor's majors where Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is ranked in CollegesRef's value rankings. Earnings are medians 4 years after graduating, for graduates who received federal aid; the tick on each bar marks the median of all ranked colleges in that field.
Kinesiology and exercise science
Ranked #97 of 459 for valueSports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · 59 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $55,039
- Ranked-college median: $53,707
- Median debt
- $18,000
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Business
Ranked #190 of 986 for valueBusiness Administration, Management and Operations · 20 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $78,040
- Ranked-college median: $64,860
- Median debt
- $31,867
- Ranked-college median: $21,375
Mechanical engineering
Ranked #215 of 276 for valueMechanical Engineering · 25 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $86,238
- Ranked-college median: $91,366
- Median debt
- $24,000
- Ranked-college median: $20,713
Engineering
Ranked #249 of 327 for valueMechanical Engineering · 25 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $86,238
- Ranked-college median: $91,742
- Median debt
- $24,000
- Ranked-college median: $21,000
Finance
Ranked #254 of 330 for valueFinance and Financial Management Services · 25 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $67,349
- Ranked-college median: $77,916
- Median debt
- $22,000
- Ranked-college median: $19,500
Accounting
Ranked #256 of 408 for valueAccounting and Related Services · 48 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $70,478
- Ranked-college median: $76,108
- Median debt
- $23,500
- Ranked-college median: $20,500
Political science
Ranked #272 of 388 for valuePolitical Science and Government · 21 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $55,544
- Ranked-college median: $63,181
- Median debt
- $19,500
- Ranked-college median: $19,500
Computer science
Ranked #375 of 466 for valueComputer and Information Sciences, General · 42 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $69,552
- Ranked-college median: $97,375
- Median debt
- $18,500
- Ranked-college median: $19,500
Biology
Ranked #434 of 680 for valueBiology, General · 38 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $51,947
- Ranked-college median: $58,001
- Median debt
- $21,250
- Ranked-college median: $20,717
Psychology
Ranked #465 of 814 for valuePsychology, General · 75 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $48,728
- Ranked-college median: $51,007
- Median debt
- $24,749
- Ranked-college median: $21,000
Academics
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Total students
8,494
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
R2 research university
A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with high research activity.
Colleges like Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL
Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
Location & details
Where the campus is, how far it sits from a major city, and other colleges within reach.
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL, United States
Distances are straight-line miles, not driving distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.
Campus
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL, United States
- Public
- R2 research university
Small city
Inside an urbanized area and a principal city.
- City (this campus)
- Suburb
- Town
- Rural
Nearest major citySt. Louis, MO · about 83 mi
In the city250 mi
- Calendar
- Semester
- Website
- siu.edu
Colleges nearby
John A Logan College7 mi from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Shawnee Community College32 mi from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Rend Lake College33 mi from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Southeastern Illinois College43 mi from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Still have a question?
Ask about admissions, cost or campus life at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Answers come from CollegesRef data.
Ask CollegesRefSpecial features
What sets this college apart, grouped by theme, each with what it means and the data or editorial tag behind it.
CollegesRef editorial
Cost & aid
Affordable
Lower cost than many comparable colleges for a typical family.
Average net price $12,554 a year after aid
Athletics
NCAA Division I · The largest programs and athletic scholarships; big-time game days.
- D-INCAA Division I (this college)
- D-IINCAA Division II
- D-IIINCAA Division III
- NAIANAIA
- NJCAANJCAA
Tagged by CollegesRef editors as a big-time athletics school.
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Admit rate, net price and outcomes for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, side by side.
Compare with Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleFrequently asked questions
What is the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale acceptance rate for 2026?
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admitted 86.9% of 6,987 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, the most recent release. That is the figure colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
How much is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale tuition?
Tuition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $13,544 a year before financial aid in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. The average net price after grants is $12,554 a year.
What is the average net price at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
The average net price at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, what first-time, full-time students paid after grants and scholarships, was $12,554 a year in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. Your own price depends on family income; the college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
59.3% of first-time, full-time students at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduate within six years (150% of normal time), according to the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
What colleges are similar to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
The closest matches are Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Northern Illinois University, and Illinois State University, based on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile.
Sources
Last checked Nov 3, 2026
- Admissions
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Cost
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Outcomes
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Enrollment
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Figures come from federal reporting. Text marked “CollegesRef editorial” is our own summary, and similar-college lists come from CollegesRef matching. How we source data
