Southern Illinois University-Carbondale: the complete school report for parents

What does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale actually weigh in admissions?

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA, class rank. It does not consider 13 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

57% of enrolled students had a 3.25 GPA or above. The average was 3.291 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.5% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admitted 95.7% of 1,976 transfer applicants, against 94.4% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale requires 15 academic units. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Southern Illinois University-Carbondale actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $13,297 a year at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $9,833. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 63.2% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 342 merit awards averaging $5,169 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

57% of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $29,123 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $228 a month in repayment. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale pay off?

Graduates earn a median $53,390 ten years after entering, and $43,087 at six years. 74% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 51% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$106,322 to $28,119, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

67% of first-years return for a second year. 45% graduate within four years and 59% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 50.2% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 66.1% of everyone else, a gap of 15.9 points.

How big are the classes?

61% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 1% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 79% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.

What is life at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale like?

8,421 undergraduates, 14.75% of first-years from out of state. 96.6% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 42.43% across all undergraduates. 35% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $59,313.

What this means for your student

• 57% of enrolled students are at a 3.25 GPA or above, averaging 3.291. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Its highest-earning major returns $106,322 five years out against $28,119 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

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