Illinois State University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Normal, Illinois · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. For the most recent reporting cycle, Illinois State University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 89%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1127 and an ACT composite around 24. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,996 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Illinois State University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Illinois State University?
Illinois State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Illinois State University weight in admissions?
Illinois State University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • 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 University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 500–610, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–27. 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.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
How much does Illinois State University actually cost?
Published tuition is $16,021 for in-state students and $28,086 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,584 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,996 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 30% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $12,066 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $24,132 |
| Room and board | $11,410 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $18,996 |
| Application fee | $55 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Illinois State University
| Regular deadline | April 1 |
| Notification date | Rolling, beginning April 1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Illinois State University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
- University of Chicago7% acceptance
- Northwestern University5% acceptance
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign44% acceptance
- University of Illinois Chicago70% acceptance
- DePaul University55% acceptance
- Loyola University Chicago93% acceptance
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale90% acceptance
- Lake Forest College54% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Illinois State University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Illinois State University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Illinois State University
What GPA do I need for Illinois State University?
Illinois State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Illinois State University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 500–610, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–27.
How much does Illinois State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Illinois State University after grants and scholarships is $18,996 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Illinois State University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Illinois State University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Illinois State University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.