Illinois State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially Illinois State University · Normal, Illinois · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- 21,573
- Applicants
- 19,017
- Admitted88%
- 4,285
- Enrolled
- 23%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Open access88% admittedRanked #219 (tie) in National Universities; Business Programs #199 (tie), Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #123 (tie), Computer Science #319 (tie), Nursing #288 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by Illinois State University (see the source), read on 2026-06-14.
Is Illinois State a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Illinois State against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Illinois State is a public university in Normal, Illinois that admits about 88% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $19,398 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Marketing and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 65% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. For the most recent reporting cycle, Illinois State admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 88%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1110 and an ACT composite around 24. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,398 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Illinois State?
53% of enrolled students at Illinois State had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.62, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
Compare Illinois State with the other schools on your list
Open Illinois State in College Search to set it beside up to three other colleges on cost, admission odds and outcomes, and save it to a shortlist when you are ready.
What does Illinois State weight in admissions?
Illinois State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
1- Academic GPA
Considered
2- Standardized test scores
- Application essay
Not Considered
15- Rigor of secondary school record
- Class rank
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Illinois State typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–27. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1010 |
| 50th percentile | 1110 |
| 75th percentile | 1210 |
| % submitting SAT | 43.69% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 24 |
| 75th percentile | 27 |
| % submitting ACT | 7.54% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Illinois State does not require SAT/ACT; scores considered if submitted and cannot hurt you.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Illinois State's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
How much does Illinois State actually cost?
Published tuition is $16,144 for in-state students and $28,210 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,754 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,398 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 32% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $12,066 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $24,132 |
| Room and board | $11,410 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $19,398 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 70% |
| Average need-based grant | $14,941 |
| Average merit award, no financial need1,121 first-year students received one | $4,917 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 59% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $26,698 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $55 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Illinois State
| Regular deadline | April 1 |
| Notification date | Rolling, beginning April 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Illinois State?
These predict outcomes at Illinois State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Illinois State
The most popular undergraduate programs at Illinois State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Marketing and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Across all programs, Illinois State confers roughly 1,681 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods program report a median income of about $49,945 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 471 | $49,945 |
| Marketing | 243 | $76,346 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 207 | $83,441 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 161 | $86,558 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 156 | $59,685 |
| Psychology, General | 149 | $56,232 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 147 | $56,275 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 147 | $70,456 |
Is Illinois State safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Illinois State disclosed 24 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 6 violent offenses and 15 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Illinois State?
About 35% of undergraduates at Illinois State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 4% of men join a fraternity and 7% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
Next steps for Illinois State
Common questions parents ask about Illinois State
What GPA do I need for Illinois State?
53% of enrolled students at Illinois State had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.62, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Illinois State typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–27.
How much does Illinois State actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Illinois State after grants and scholarships is $19,398 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $16,144 and $28,210 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is Illinois State realistic for my child?
Illinois State admits 88% of applicants, so 490–590 SAT Math is target range and below 490 is a reach. Then check the $19,398 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Illinois State?
Illinois State accepts about 88% of applicants out of roughly 21,573 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is Illinois State test-optional?
Yes. Illinois State is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Illinois State?
About 65% of students at Illinois State graduate within six years, and 49% finish in four years. 81% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Illinois State look for in applicants?
Illinois State rates GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Illinois State a public or private school, and where is it located?
Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois.
What are the most popular majors at Illinois State?
The largest undergraduate majors at Illinois State by annual graduates are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Marketing and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. The school awards about 1,681 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Illinois State safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Illinois State reported 24 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.3 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Illinois State?
At Illinois State, 35% of undergraduates live on campus, 4% of men are in fraternities, 7% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Illinois State University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers