TuitionScope
Public4-year

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, SAT/ACT scores, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Carbondale, Illinois

Net price / year

$13,297

after grants & scholarships

lower than 52% of public 4-year colleges

Acceptance rate

87%

Graduation rate

59%

within 150% of normal time

higher than 74% of public 4-year colleges

Median earnings

$61,484

4 years after graduating

higher than 60% of public 4-year colleges

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale at a glance

What is the tuition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
Undergraduate tuition and fees are $13,334 for the 2024-25 academic year, the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
What is the cost of attendance at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
The average cost of attendance is $28,329 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
What is the net price at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
The average net price for in-state students is $13,297 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
About 87% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
What SAT and ACT scores are typical at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
The middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores had an SAT total of about 900–1160 and an ACT composite of 18–25 (fall 2024). Test policy reported: Considered if submitted, but not required.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
59% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
How much do graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn?
The median graduate earns $61,484 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).

Key takeaways

  • The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.1 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
  • Families earning under $30,000 pay about $9,415 a year on average, versus $23,254 for families earning over $110,000.
  • Pell Grant recipients completed within 150% of normal time at a rate of 45%, compared with 59% for all students, a gap of 14 points.
  • The school admits 87% of applicants, so most who apply are accepted.
  • One year into repayment, 18% of federal-loan borrowers had paid in full or were making progress on their balance (5,838 borrowers).

Tuition and cost of attendance at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Average net price (in-state)

$13,297 per year

Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.

Estimate your own price with the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale net price calculator ↗

Estimated total net cost

$53,188

Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.

Net price by family income

Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.

  1. $0–30k $9,415
  2. $30–48k $8,497
  3. $48–75k $10,308
  4. $75–110k $17,724
  5. $110k+ $23,254

Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $28,329

  • Tuition & fees$13,334
  • Books & supplies$1,100
  • Room & board$12,341
  • Other expenses$2,951
Tuition & fees (in-state)
$13,334
Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
$13,334

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale acceptance rate and SAT/ACT scores

Acceptance rate

Share of applicants admitted.

Test policy: Considered if submitted, but not required

SAT range (middle 50%)900–1160
4001600
ACT composite range (middle 50%)18–25
136

Graduation rate and salary after graduating from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Graduation rate

59%

First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.

Retention rate

68%

Full-time first-years who return the next fall.

Typical monthly payment

$228

On a standard 10-year federal plan.

Years of earnings premium to cover cost

2.1 years

Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.

Earnings vs debt

Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.

Debt-to-earnings
0.4×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
Share of pay going to loans
4.5%
3-year loan default rate
0%

Outcomes by student group

The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.

Completion within 150% of normal time, by group

Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).

Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).

Earnings ten years after entry

All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.

Typical range: middle half of students

25th percentile $34,030 · median $53,390 · 75th percentile $77,347

This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.

Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).

Median federal student debt, by group

Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.

Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).

How borrowers are doing

One year after leaving school and entering repayment, here is where the 5,838 federal-loan borrowers from this college stood. It covers borrowers only, not students who did not take federal loans.

Repayment status one year after entering repayment

  • Paid in full 7%
  • Making progress 11%
  • Not making progress 13%
  • Delinquent 3%
  • Default 0%
  • Forbearance 54%
  • Deferment 11%
  • Discharged 1%
What the terms mean
Paid in full:
The borrower has paid off the loans completely.
Making progress:
Payments are reducing the loan balance, not just covering interest.
Not making progress:
The borrower is paying, but not enough to shrink the balance.
Delinquent:
Payments are late but the loan is not yet in default.
Default:
The borrower has missed payments for so long that the loan is officially in default.
Forbearance:
Payments are temporarily paused or reduced, and interest may keep adding up.
Deferment:
Payments are on hold for an approved reason, such as returning to school.
Discharged:
The loan was cancelled, for example because of a disability or a school closure.

5,838 borrowers · Data period: Borrowers who entered repayment in the AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 cohorts (pooled, NSLDS).

Programs and majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranked by earnings

ProgramEarnings, 4 yrs afterEarnings over timeCompared with the U.S. median for this fieldMedian debt

Fire Protection

Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample

$108,135 1 yr$104,0174 yrs$108,135

U.S. median $86,436

U.S. middle half $62.7K–$114.2K · Above the U.S. median

$15,000

Air Transportation

Associate · Graduates: 50

$103,606 1 yr$39,9564 yrs$103,6065 yrs$82,555

U.S. median $75,495

U.S. middle half $52.9K–$111.1K · Above the U.S. median

$20,500

Computer Science

Bachelor's · Graduates: 58

$91,299 1 yr$70,0534 yrs$91,2995 yrs$106,322

U.S. median $107,009

U.S. middle half $74.8K–$152K · Below the U.S. median

$27,000

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

Bachelor's · Graduates: 123

$87,442 1 yr$73,2834 yrs$87,4425 yrs$71,582

U.S. median $80,890

U.S. middle half $61.2K–$99.3K · Above the U.S. median

$21,000

Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 96

$86,238 1 yr$69,4544 yrs$86,2385 yrs$88,465

U.S. median $92,135

U.S. middle half $77.7K–$109.1K · Below the U.S. median

$19,500

Computer Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$85,056 —

U.S. median $109,015

U.S. middle half $86.3K–$145.2K · Below the U.S. median

$23,935

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 41

$83,853 1 yr$68,6704 yrs$83,8535 yrs$92,494

U.S. median $100,647

U.S. middle half $84.6K–$122.4K · Below the U.S. median

$20,000

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$82,901 1 yr$72,4954 yrs$82,901

U.S. median $84,599

U.S. middle half $63.6K–$107.4K · Below the U.S. median

—

Civil Engineering

Bachelor's · Graduates: 43

$81,888 1 yr$65,2694 yrs$81,8885 yrs$78,165

U.S. median $86,517

U.S. middle half $73.9K–$101.2K · Below the U.S. median

$19,313

Air Transportation

Bachelor's · Graduates: 150

$81,394 1 yr$44,0634 yrs$81,3945 yrs$66,893

U.S. median $85,825

U.S. middle half $61.7K–$118.2K · Below the U.S. median

$18,750
Show all 62 programs

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

Bachelor's · Graduates: 98

$80,220 1 yr$69,0214 yrs$80,2205 yrs$70,006

U.S. median $70,786

U.S. middle half $50.9K–$95.9K · Above the U.S. median

$21,476

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

Associate · Graduates: 44

$79,580 4 yrs$79,5805 yrs$75,713

U.S. median $65,389

U.S. middle half $46.4K–$85K · Above the U.S. median

$17,063

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

Bachelor's · Graduates: 150

$79,299 1 yr$62,5034 yrs$79,2995 yrs$74,324

U.S. median $82,073

U.S. middle half $66.8K–$98.6K · Below the U.S. median

$15,193

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

Bachelor's · Graduates: 30

$78,712 4 yrs$78,7125 yrs$79,862

U.S. median $80,809

U.S. middle half $62.8K–$103.9K · Below the U.S. median

—

Business Administration, Management and Operations

Bachelor's · Graduates: 49

$78,040 1 yr$55,6334 yrs$78,0405 yrs$66,066

U.S. median $68,257

U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Above the U.S. median

$25,712

Soil Sciences

Bachelor's · Graduates: 20 Small sample

$74,026 1 yr$55,0764 yrs$74,0265 yrs$63,144

U.S. median $62,122

U.S. middle half $49.3K–$87.4K · Above the U.S. median

—

Agricultural Business and Management

Bachelor's · Graduates: 47

$71,910 1 yr$40,1944 yrs$71,9105 yrs$61,223

U.S. median $66,647

U.S. middle half $48.6K–$90.4K · Above the U.S. median

$15,000

Accounting and Related Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 146

$70,478 1 yr$54,6944 yrs$70,4785 yrs$70,417

U.S. median $76,194

U.S. middle half $56.2K–$97.2K · Below the U.S. median

$21,500

Computer and Information Sciences, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 84

$69,552 1 yr$46,2544 yrs$69,552

U.S. median $92,374

U.S. middle half $64.2K–$128.2K · Below the U.S. median

$27,000

Communication and Media Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample

$69,034 1 yr$32,4654 yrs$69,034

U.S. median $56,359

U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Above the U.S. median

$26,000

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

Bachelor's · Graduates: 58

$68,609 1 yr$53,5594 yrs$68,6095 yrs$57,061

U.S. median $68,061

U.S. middle half $51.2K–$83.4K · Above the U.S. median

$21,500

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

Bachelor's · Graduates: 180

$67,961 1 yr$54,2154 yrs$67,9615 yrs$63,679

U.S. median $51,389

U.S. middle half $40.5K–$63.1K · Above the U.S. median

$17,680

Finance and Financial Management Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 52

$67,349 1 yr$48,7084 yrs$67,3495 yrs$63,649

U.S. median $83,343

U.S. middle half $60.8K–$111.5K · Below the U.S. median

$19,000

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

Bachelor's · Graduates: 20 Small sample

$66,130 4 yrs$66,1305 yrs$61,512

U.S. median $55,693

U.S. middle half $40.3K–$72.2K · Above the U.S. median

—

Architecture

Bachelor's · Graduates: 47

$63,104 1 yr$43,2484 yrs$63,1045 yrs$56,459

U.S. median $66,914

U.S. middle half $54.2K–$78.6K · Below the U.S. median

$25,000

Health and Medical Administrative Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 123

$61,807 1 yr$42,1864 yrs$61,8075 yrs$51,063

U.S. median $58,716

U.S. middle half $41.9K–$80.4K · Above the U.S. median

$22,500

Design and Applied Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 18 Small sample

$61,493 —

U.S. median $51,490

U.S. middle half $33K–$70.6K · Above the U.S. median

—

Economics

Bachelor's · Graduates: 19 Small sample

$60,612 1 yr$37,7984 yrs$60,6125 yrs$54,554

U.S. median $82,686

U.S. middle half $58.2K–$116.3K · Below the U.S. median

$21,201

Funeral Service and Mortuary Science

Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample

$60,203 1 yr$33,6884 yrs$60,2035 yrs$57,664

U.S. median $60,056

U.S. middle half $44.6K–$75.6K · Above the U.S. median

$28,000

Marketing

Bachelor's · Graduates: 73

$58,934 1 yr$40,2444 yrs$58,9345 yrs$63,690

U.S. median $69,303

U.S. middle half $49.7K–$93.2K · Below the U.S. median

$23,625

Agriculture, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 47

$57,596 1 yr$39,7004 yrs$57,5965 yrs$63,031

U.S. median $53,676

U.S. middle half $39K–$70.6K · Above the U.S. median

$15,000

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

Bachelor's · Graduates: 75

$56,680 1 yr$42,7114 yrs$56,6805 yrs$62,561

U.S. median $86,176

U.S. middle half $61.8K–$114.7K · Below the U.S. median

$27,000

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$56,632 4 yrs$56,6325 yrs$60,920

U.S. median $48,471

U.S. middle half $32.2K–$67.3K · Above the U.S. median

—

Political Science and Government

Bachelor's · Graduates: 36

$55,544 1 yr$26,6354 yrs$55,5445 yrs$50,172

U.S. median $63,293

U.S. middle half $44.8K–$85.4K · Below the U.S. median

$23,594

Nutrition Sciences

Bachelor's · Graduates: 36

$55,329 4 yrs$55,3295 yrs$60,715

U.S. median $60,053

U.S. middle half $43.2K–$76.8K · Below the U.S. median

$20,500

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample

$55,217 4 yrs$55,2175 yrs$46,391

U.S. median $58,928

U.S. middle half $45K–$73K · Below the U.S. median

$21,500

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

Bachelor's · Graduates: 105

$55,039 1 yr$29,2584 yrs$55,0395 yrs$42,513

U.S. median $54,562

U.S. middle half $39K–$73K · Above the U.S. median

$21,345

Hospitality Administration/Management

Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample

$53,392 4 yrs$53,3925 yrs$46,602

U.S. median $56,726

U.S. middle half $41K–$73.8K · Below the U.S. median

$25,000

Criminology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 159

$52,916 1 yr$37,6454 yrs$52,9165 yrs$55,612

U.S. median $55,556

U.S. middle half $41K–$73.1K · Below the U.S. median

$20,500

History

Bachelor's · Graduates: 34

$52,900 1 yr$30,1014 yrs$52,9005 yrs$43,377

U.S. median $50,680

U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.7K · Above the U.S. median

$21,687

Biology, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 65

$51,947 1 yr$28,2064 yrs$51,9475 yrs$58,410

U.S. median $57,214

U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Below the U.S. median

$26,922

Forestry

Bachelor's · Graduates: 80

$50,394 1 yr$35,3984 yrs$50,3945 yrs$54,092

U.S. median $58,784

U.S. middle half $44.9K–$73.1K · Below the U.S. median

$20,500

Social Work

Bachelor's · Graduates: 128

$49,952 1 yr$34,6644 yrs$49,9525 yrs$46,380

U.S. median $51,790

U.S. middle half $39.2K–$64.2K · Below the U.S. median

$27,000

Journalism

Bachelor's · Graduates: 38

$49,880 1 yr$40,5754 yrs$49,8805 yrs$46,940

U.S. median $56,278

U.S. middle half $40.6K–$73.9K · Below the U.S. median

$21,269

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

Associate · Graduates: 29 Small sample

$49,469 1 yr$40,0344 yrs$49,469

U.S. median $42,269

U.S. middle half $28.6K–$56K · Above the U.S. median

$12,000

Psychology, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 134

$48,728 1 yr$32,2874 yrs$48,7285 yrs$46,393

U.S. median $50,706

U.S. middle half $35.7K–$67.2K · Below the U.S. median

$23,000

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

Bachelor's · Graduates: 76

$48,127 1 yr$39,4964 yrs$48,1275 yrs$46,084

U.S. median $47,382

U.S. middle half $38.4K–$56.1K · Above the U.S. median

$20,115

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

Bachelor's · Graduates: 45

$45,623 1 yr$32,3574 yrs$45,6235 yrs$46,108

U.S. median $50,983

U.S. middle half $37.1K–$67.2K · Below the U.S. median

$20,000

Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 19 Small sample

$45,177 4 yrs$45,1775 yrs$38,736

U.S. median $58,494

U.S. middle half $43.2K–$76.2K · Below the U.S. median

—

Fine and Studio Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 53

$44,902 1 yr$33,2854 yrs$44,9025 yrs$36,135

U.S. median $41,367

U.S. middle half $26.2K–$56.7K · Above the U.S. median

$25,000

Apparel and Textiles

Bachelor's · Graduates: 33

$43,823 1 yr$25,2474 yrs$43,8235 yrs$28,119

U.S. median $57,640

U.S. middle half $40.6K–$75.9K · Below the U.S. median

$30,916

Legal Support Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 28 Small sample

$43,654 1 yr$36,1594 yrs$43,6545 yrs$48,083

U.S. median $53,266

U.S. middle half $38.8K–$69.7K · Below the U.S. median

$24,871

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

Bachelor's · Graduates: 70

$43,236 1 yr$37,5454 yrs$43,2365 yrs$48,439

U.S. median $53,072

U.S. middle half $35.8K–$73.3K · Below the U.S. median

$27,900

Zoology/Animal Biology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 61

$43,207 1 yr$23,3664 yrs$43,2075 yrs$38,317

U.S. median $44,055

U.S. middle half $32.9K–$58.8K · Below the U.S. median

$19,750

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

Bachelor's · Graduates: 38

$42,905 1 yr$25,9214 yrs$42,905

U.S. median $49,984

U.S. middle half $32.9K–$69.9K · Below the U.S. median

$23,625

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Bachelor's · Graduates: 80

$42,113 1 yr$25,0574 yrs$42,1135 yrs$38,390

U.S. median $50,497

U.S. middle half $33.7K–$70.1K · Below the U.S. median

$23,747

Animal Sciences

Bachelor's · Graduates: 51

$41,932 1 yr$30,7064 yrs$41,9325 yrs$44,349

U.S. median $49,634

U.S. middle half $36.3K–$66.9K · Below the U.S. median

$21,936

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

Bachelor's · Graduates: 29 Small sample

$41,835 4 yrs$41,8355 yrs$43,950

U.S. median $55,792

U.S. middle half $40K–$73.8K · Below the U.S. median

$26,000

Anthropology

Bachelor's · Graduates: 24 Small sample

$41,242 4 yrs$41,2425 yrs$45,475

U.S. median $46,676

U.S. middle half $32.1K–$63.9K · Below the U.S. median

$25,000

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

Bachelor's · Graduates: 55

$40,592 1 yr$21,3224 yrs$40,5925 yrs$34,839

U.S. median $43,765

U.S. middle half $26K–$63.4K · Below the U.S. median

$18,525

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

Bachelor's · Graduates: 25 Small sample

$39,926 1 yr$27,0044 yrs$39,9265 yrs$35,096

U.S. median $39,775

U.S. middle half $25.5K–$55.4K · Above the U.S. median

$23,500

English Language and Literature, General

Bachelor's · Graduates: 33

$37,786 1 yr$24,1454 yrs$37,7865 yrs$36,811

U.S. median $48,590

U.S. middle half $33.7K–$63.8K · Below the U.S. median

$26,250

Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.

The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.

The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.

Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.

What students study

The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.

Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field

A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).

Who attends

A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.

Race and ethnicity

  • White 64.7%
  • Black or African American 17.3%
  • Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
  • Asian 1.7%
  • American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
  • Two or more races 3.9%
  • U.S. nonresident 1.7%
  • Race and ethnicity unknown 0.1%

Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).

Gender

  • Men 47.9%
  • Women 52.1%

Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).

Students aged 25 or older

19%

of undergraduates

Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).

Students and campus

Undergraduate enrollment
8,494
Part-time students
14%
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Receive federal loans
45%
Students per faculty member
11 : 1
Setting
Town

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Frequently asked questions

How much is tuition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

For the 2024-25 academic year, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $13,334, the same for in-state and out-of-state students. This is the published price before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.

What is the cost of attendance and net price at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

The average cost of attendance at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $28,329 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $13,297 a year. That is around the middle of public 4-year colleges.

How much financial aid do students at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale get?

39% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 45% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $9,415 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $23,254 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).

What is the acceptance rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale admitted about 87% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.

What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% had an SAT total of about 900–1160 and an ACT composite of 18–25 (fall 2024). That is a guide, not a cutoff. Reported test policy: Considered if submitted, but not required.

What are the graduation rate and retention rate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?

59% of first-time, full-time students at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale finish within 150% of normal time. 68% of full-time first-years return the next fall.

How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale graduates earn after graduation?

The median graduate earns $61,484 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $42,911.

Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale worth it?

There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 2.1 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $21,543, about 0.4 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 59% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.

Sources and data periods

All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:

  • Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
  • Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
  • Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
  • Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
  • Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts

Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things