Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublic

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois·Public, 4-year or above·Great Lakes·eiu.edu
6-yr Graduation
47%
-1.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
8,505
peer median 7,713
Avg net price
$12,786
-$810 vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Use this data
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data SetDocumentsAlumni

About

Eastern Illinois University is a comprehensive public university in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895, EIU offers a broad range of curricula leading to bachelor's and master's degrees within its four Colleges.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
12,539
12,539 candidates competed
Admitted
8,194
65.3% acceptance rate
Enrolled
804
9.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
47%-1.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
27%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
47%
Full-time retention
72%

Pell equity

16.7pp gap
Pell recipients
40%182 of 452
Non-Pell (all)
57%195 of 344
Subsidized loan, no Pell
58%64 of 111
No Federal Aid
56%131 of 233

Non-Pell students graduate at a 16.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 82 Title IV programs, 37 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 2 fail. 43 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
82
Passing
37
45.1% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
2
2.4% of portfolio
Fail rate
2.4%
+1.8pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

82programs
  • Passing37 · 45.1%
  • No Data43 · 52.4%
  • Failing2 · 2.4%

Severity spectrum

Critical
1
Severe
0
Recoverable
1
At Risk
2
Watch
7
Safe
28
No data
43

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

39
History
Master's Degree · History
-15.8%
$45,346 vs $53,884
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-4.8%
$58,856 vs $61,854
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+0.2%
$61,989 vs $61,854
Political Science and Government
Master's Degree · Social Sciences
+0.2%
$63,359 vs $63,250
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
+11.1%
$51,527 vs $46,391
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Master's Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+13.6%
$58,533 vs $51,545
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+14.7%
$39,923 vs $34,808
History
Bachelor Degree · History
+16.6%
$40,597 vs $34,808

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

3
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-4.8%
−$2,998
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+0.2%
+$135
Political Science and Government
Master's Degree · Social Sciences
+0.2%
+$109

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

35
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
64%
$39,730 debt · $61,989 earn
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
59%
$23,443 debt · $39,923 earn
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
58%
$28,432 debt · $49,236 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
53%
$26,000 debt · $49,556 earn
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
52%
$25,611 debt · $48,925 earn
Parks Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
52%
$25,640 debt · $49,424 earn
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences General
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
50%
$24,583 debt · $49,209 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
50%
$21,500 debt · $43,190 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1915Next review Aug 2035

Programmatic accreditations · 9

Action history · 15

  1. May 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary Withdrawal
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  2. Feb 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  3. Jan 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  4. Oct 2024Voluntary Withdrawal Received
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  5. Jun 2024Voluntary Withdrawal Received
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$9,828
$30–48k$8,619
$48–75k$11,412
$75–110k$15,665
$110k+$21,027

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$12,786
-$810vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $13,596
Federal loans
31.4%
In-state tuition
$13,679
Out-of-state
$16,217

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 2,270 students received $13.3M in Pell grants, alongside $21.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
2,270
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$13.3M
$13,270,593 total
Direct Loans
$21.4M
4,080 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
’20
2k
’21
2k
’22
2k
’23
2k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$6.3M
1,640 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$6.6M
1,750 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$5.4M
421 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.0M
253 loan awards
Grad PLUS$162K
16 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 1,783 borrowers who entered repayment, 43 (2.4%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
2.4%
+0.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,783
Defaulted
43
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
7.2%
2017
8.3%
2018
6.1%
2019
2.4%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Eastern Illinois

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs80
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,610 total completions
01Engineering Tech
33620.9%
02Education
29118.1%
03Business
20012.4%
04Health Professions
16810.4%
05Visual/Performing Arts
1157.1%
06Psychology
1066.6%
07Communication
1046.5%
08Biological Sciences
1016.3%
09Parks/Recreation
976.0%
10Liberal Arts
925.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
8,505
12-mo unduplicated
10,347
Undergraduate
8,194
Graduate
2,153

Gender split

Men
42%4,381
Women
58%5,966

Race / ethnicity composition

White
57.5%
Black
18.4%
Hispanic
10.2%
Unknown
6.6%
Two or more
3.0%
Non-resident
2.5%
Asian
1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
473
305 M · 168 W
Women athletes
35.5%
Athletic aid
$4.6M
Total student aid
Budget
$19.7M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$3.1M
$1.5M
Recruiting expense
$123K
$84K
Head-coach salaries
$82K
$51K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
139 M · 81 W
$960K
Football
117 M · —
$5.0M
Soccer
32 M · 25 W
$887K
Baseball
44 M · —
$926K
Basketball
16 M · 25 W
$2.8M
Swimming
18 M · 16 W
$276K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
2.39
21 offenses · 8,804 students

3-year trend

1.742 yrs ago3.501 yr ago2.39Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
67
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
50
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
18

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
12
Rape
4
Fondling
4
Aggravated assault
1

By location

21total
  • On campus21

Includes 18 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

4
Domestic violence
8
Dating violence
5
Stalking
17 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons31
Drugs146
Liquor331

Residence-hall fires

  • University Court3 fires
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • University Court3 fires
    Cooking1 injured · 0 deathsDamage $50,000-$99,999
  • University Court3 fires
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Stevenson Tower1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Taylor Hall1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
14.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
387

Eastern Illinois vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Eastern Illinois selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectEastern Illinois University
47%—8,505$12,786Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
California State University-Monterey Bay
59%97.4%7,713$13,663Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Colorado State University Global
—98.4%10,257$16,510Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Columbus State University
43%99.1%7,913$13,115Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Empire State University
36%81.1%10,469$11,676Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Georgia College & State University
64%78.2%7,097$20,686Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
54%90.8%7,467$21,331Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
38%50.5%10,749$7,022Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
58%86.2%6,975$20,787Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Morehead State University
52%77.2%8,791$9,793Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
North Carolina Central University
42%87.0%8,579$15,359Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
45%92.5%8,523$13,606Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Purdue University Northwest
43%72.4%9,051$6,079Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Saginaw Valley State University
48%72.1%6,822$10,775Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Saint Cloud State University
39%94.8%10,732$13,529Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Salisbury University
68%87.5%7,025$17,743Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Sonoma State University
58%93.4%5,891$12,885Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
State University of New York at New Paltz
72%61.6%7,898$18,809Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
State University of New York at Oswego
60%80.5%6,715$16,236Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
SUNY Brockport
55%70.7%7,482$16,353Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
SUNY Buffalo State University
33%72.9%6,188$11,346Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Alaska Anchorage
28%66.5%10,493$15,301Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Michigan-Dearborn
58%55.6%8,104$9,492Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
44%93.3%7,674$10,260Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Southern Indiana
48%95.8%9,488$12,923Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Southern Maine
40%79.2%7,604$13,596Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
61%89.4%6,389$16,032Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
University of Wisconsin-Stout
55%87.7%6,926$17,490Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Western Illinois University
45%71.2%6,332$12,937Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median48%83.7%7,713$13,596

Institutions like Eastern Illinois

Explore the federal data for institutions in Eastern Illinois's comparison group.

IPEDS

Eastern Illinois Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Business Affairs

Institutional Research strives to provide accurate, timely and accessible information concerning the student body, programs, and employees. The office provides information, support and guidance to the various constituent groups to assist them in their planning efforts.

Visit IR office page
Team
4 members
  • Lakshmikara "Raju" Padmaraju
    Director of Institutional Research and Business Operations
  • Beth Reeder
    Business Operations Support Specialist
  • Mary A. Mattingly
    Institutional Research Data Coordinator
  • Igor Bespalov

Common Data Set

Eastern Illinois's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
70.7%
Accessible
Yield
9.2%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
8,107
6,731 UG · 1,376 grad
6-yr graduation rate
50%
First-year retention
69%
Student–faculty ratio
13.887123745819396 to 1
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
12,479
Admitted
8,826
Enrolled
814

12,479 applied → 8,826 admitted (70.7%) → 814 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
70.7%

Accessible — 70.7% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
male66.4%
female74.1%
unknown50.0%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
890
Median
1030
75th
1130

Middle 50% SAT 890–1130 (median 1030).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
16
Median
20
75th
23

Middle 50% ACT 16–23 (median 20).

High-school class rank

C10
Top tenth0.10961968680089486%
Top quarter0.3131991051454139%
Top half0.639821029082774%
Bottom half0.36017897091722595%
Bottom quarter0.0738255033557047%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important1
Academic GPA
Important1
Rigor of secondary school record
Considered13
Class rankStandardized test scoresExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered1
Interview

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
State all states, not only the state in which your institution is located35.7%
Federal35.1%
Institutional: Endowed scholarships, annual gifts and tuition funded grants, awarded by the college, excluding athletic aid and tuition waivers (which are reported below).16.5%
Scholarships/grants from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) not awarded by the college12.7%

0% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
65%
Avg debt
$25,612

65% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $25,612 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
50%
Retention
69%

6-year graduation rate 50%; first-year retention 69%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students50%
Pell recipients40%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 9 pts below the overall rate (40% vs 50%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students165
10-19 students279
20-29 students196
30-39 students74
40-49 students12
50-99 students6
100+ students3

60% of classes have under 20 students; 1% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
13.887123745819396 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
66%
Women faculty
52%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing13.07%
Education11.48%
Health professions and related programs10.25%
Psychology8.57%
Liberal arts/general studies8.13%
Communication/journalism7.51%
Parks and recreation6.71%
Biological/life sciences5.21%

STEM-dominant: ~12% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic55.5%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic19.3%
Hispanic/Latino11.4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown6.4%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic2.9%
Nonresidents2.7%
Asian, non-Hispanic1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.2%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
111
Share
2%

2% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
6,73183%
Graduate
1,37617%

6,731 undergraduates and 1,376 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,658
Admitted
875
Enrolled
470

1,658 transfer applicants → 875 admitted (52.8%) → 470 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Reports & documents (4)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of Eastern Illinois (24)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Jimmy John Liautaud
    Business
  • Joan Allen
    Entertainment
  • Gary Forrester
    Entertainment
  • Rob Kleiner
    Entertainment
  • John Malkovich
    Entertainment
  • LisaRaye McCoy
    Entertainment
  • Craig Titley
    Entertainment
  • William Edward Phipps
    Entertainment
  • Tim Butler
    Politics
  • Jim Edgar
    Politics
  • Joe Knollenberg
    Politics
  • Ronald W. Davis
    Science and Medicine
Showing 1–12 of 24
1 / 2

Frequently asked questions about Eastern Illinois University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Eastern Illinois.

What is the graduation rate at Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 47% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University reports a total enrollment of 8,505 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Eastern Illinois University?

The average net price at Eastern Illinois University is $12,786 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University's yield rate is 9.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Eastern Illinois University located?

Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois 61920.

Who runs Institutional Research at Eastern Illinois University?

Eastern Illinois University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Business Affairs.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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