Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois · Public · 88.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 74/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Illinois State University (ISU) posts an ROI score of 74 and is firmly in the Fair Value tier. ISU is a large public institution in Normal, IL, enrolling 19,057 students. In-state tuition is $16,144 with out-of-state at $28,210; net price is $19,398 producing a $77,592 four-year all-in. Six-year average earnings are $41,600, climbing strongly to a median $62,117 by year ten. The 8-year payback period is excellent. All sub-scores are balanced and strong: earnings premium 76, payback 75, debt-to-earnings 75, completion 68 (64.5% rate - solid for a public of this size), repayment 74 (81.2% three-year repayment, the strongest input). Median debt of $20,482 produces a healthy 0.492 debt-to-earnings ratio. ISU's signature programs are deep and broad: Computer Science (B+ with $81,363 first-year earnings), Nursing (B+ with $72,709), Construction Management, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Business Administration - all strong. The teacher education program is the largest in Illinois (473 graduates) with C+ outcomes typical of teacher salaries. ISU represents a strong in-state public value for prepared students.
Illinois State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,144/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,210/yr |
| Average net price | $19,398/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,117 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,482 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 19,057 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $16,144/year ($28,210/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $19,398/year, or roughly $77,592 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $11,568/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,224/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,482, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,600) and comes to 0.49, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $11,568 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,301 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,348 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,865 |
| $110,001+ | $28,224 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $11,568 - well below in-state tuition, indicating strong Pell-plus-MAP-Grant aid stacking for Illinois residents. The four-year cost of about $46,000 against $41,600 six-year earnings produces excellent math, especially for completers in nursing, CS, or business.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $12,301 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $16,348. These brackets see meaningful aid leverage.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $23,865 and $110,001-plus pays $28,224. Higher-income families lose much of the aid leverage.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Illinois State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $49,240 | C+ |
| Marketing | $77,956 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $81,264 | B+ |
| Psychology | $51,941 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $85,326 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $62,506 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,660 | B+ |
| Accounting | $84,458 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $60,414 | C+ |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $54,452 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is ISU's largest program with 473 graduates, reflecting its history as Illinois State Normal University. First-year earnings of $44,898 climb modestly to $49,240 by year four, consistent with Illinois teacher pay scales. Median debt of $22,500 produces a 0.501 ratio and C+ grade. For prospective Illinois teachers, ISU's program is widely respected; the C+ outcome reflects teacher pay constraints, not program quality.
Marketing
Marketing graduates 256 students with first-year earnings of $51,687 climbing to $77,956 by year four. Median debt of $20,500 produces a 0.397 ratio and B grade. The strong four-year ramp suggests graduates advance steadily into mid-career marketing and brand-management roles. Bloomington-Normal's State Farm employer base contributes meaningfully to ISU marketing outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing graduates 215 students per year with first-year earnings of $72,709 climbing to $81,264 by year four. Median debt of $23,075 produces a 0.317 ratio and B+ grade. ISU's Mennonite College of Nursing has strong placement into central Illinois and Chicago-metro hospital systems. This is one of ISU's clearest value-delivery programs.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 200 students with first-year earnings of $32,104 climbing to $51,941 by year four. Median debt of $22,000 produces a 0.685 ratio and C grade. As at most universities, bachelor's-only psychology outcomes are constrained without graduate study. ISU psychology serves as feeder to graduate programs in counseling, school psychology, and IO psychology.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 176 students with first-year earnings of $54,958 climbing to $85,326 by year four. Median debt of $20,500 produces a 0.373 ratio and B grade. ISU finance graduates feed into State Farm, Country Financial, and Chicago-metro banking and asset management firms. Strong four-year earnings ramp reflects steady advancement in corporate finance careers.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Illinois State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 88.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-27 |
| Enrollment | 19,057 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,453 |
ISU's admission rate is 88.2% - broadly accessible. The accessible profile combined with a 64.5% completion rate signals that ISU does effective work retaining and graduating the students it admits. The combination of broad admission and strong outcomes makes ISU a strong in-state value play.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State University (this school) | 74 | $19,398 | $62,117 |
| Montclair State University | 71 | $15,566 | $61,415 |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 68 | $17,747 | $56,887 |
| University of Oregon | 68 | $22,182 | $61,324 |
| Eastern Illinois University | 54 | $12,786 | $51,989 |
| Chicago State University | 16 | $12,335 | $42,778 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Illinois State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
ISU enrolls 19,057 students with a Pell Grant rate of 32.1% - a moderate-need student body. The fit case here is an Illinois resident accessing in-state tuition, particularly a student aimed at one of ISU's strong professional programs (CS, nursing, accounting, finance, business, education, construction management). The Bloomington-Normal location offers a college-town environment with strong State Farm and Country Financial corporate employer pipelines. Out-of-state students paying $28,210 sticker should be aiming at the strongest programs to justify the price differential.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Illinois State University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $19,398 a year after aid ($77,592 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $62,117 a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $20,482 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Illinois State University: Common Questions
Is Illinois State University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Illinois State University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 74/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,398 a year after aid ($77,592 over four years) against $62,117 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Illinois State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $19,398 a year, or roughly $77,592 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Illinois State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $62,117 ten years after enrolling, roughly $20,317 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Illinois State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 8 years for Illinois State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Illinois State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,482, against average earnings of $41,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Illinois State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 64.5%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.