Illinois State University
About
Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. It operates additional facilities in its twin city, Bloomington, and in Springfield.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 19.2-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.
Of 148 Title IV programs, 70 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 2 fail. 76 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing70 · 47.3%
- No Data76 · 51.4%
- Failing2 · 1.4%
Severity spectrum
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.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Higher Learning Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 16
Action history · 15
- Sep 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary WithdrawalCouncil on Education for Public Health · Public Health Programs (PHPB) — Baccalaureate only level programs offered outside a school of public health
- Jan 2025Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Jul 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
- Jul 2021Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Clinical doctoral program in Audiology
- Jul 2020Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 7,501 students received $45.9M in Pell grants, alongside $89.0M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 4,735 borrowers who entered repayment, 83 (1.7%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Illinois State
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 11
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus24
Includes 16 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Sexual orientation1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Watterson Towers1 fireCookingDamage $1,000-$9,999
- Haynie Hall1 fireCookingDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Illinois State vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Illinois State selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectIllinois State University | 65% | — | 21,546 | $19,398 | R2 Research |
| 62% | 85.5% | 21,089 | $14,940 | R2 Research | |
| 61% | 81.0% | 17,594 | $24,022 | R2 Research | |
| 59% | 89.8% | 14,488 | $17,597 | R2 Research | |
| 80% | 75.4% | 18,838 | $28,384 | R2 Research | |
| 46% | 90.4% | 23,743 | $14,638 | R1 Research | |
| 53% | 90.9% | 19,951 | $9,552 | R2 Research | |
| 69% | 79.6% | 31,091 | $15,435 | R2 Research | |
| 56% | 88.5% | 18,012 | $10,965 | R2 Research | |
| 58% | 84.6% | 16,744 | $15,273 | R2 Research | |
| 51% | 93.9% | 16,689 | $13,194 | R2 Research | |
| Peer group median | 59% | 87.0% | 18,838 | $15,273 |
Institutions like Illinois State
Explore the federal data for institutions in Illinois State's comparison group.
- R2 ResearchIndiana
Ball State University
Grad rate62%Admit rate85.5%Enrollment21,089Net price$14,940View data - R2 ResearchOhio
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Grad rate61%Admit rate81.0%Enrollment17,594Net price$24,022View data - R2 ResearchMichigan
Central Michigan University
Grad rate59%Admit rate89.8%Enrollment14,488Net price$17,597View data - R2 ResearchOhio
Miami University-Oxford
Grad rate80%Admit rate75.4%Enrollment18,838Net price$28,384View data - R1 ResearchVirginia
Old Dominion University
Grad rate46%Admit rate90.4%Enrollment23,743Net price$14,638View data - R2 ResearchOregon
Portland State University
Grad rate53%Admit rate90.9%Enrollment19,951Net price$9,552View data - R2 ResearchNorth Carolina
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Grad rate69%Admit rate79.6%Enrollment31,091Net price$15,435View data - R2 ResearchNorth Carolina
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Grad rate56%Admit rate88.5%Enrollment18,012Net price$10,965View data - R2 ResearchMichigan
Western Michigan University
Grad rate58%Admit rate84.6%Enrollment16,744Net price$15,273View data - R2 ResearchKansas
Wichita State University
Grad rate51%Admit rate93.9%Enrollment16,689Net price$13,194View data
Illinois State Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
Planning, Research, and Policy Analysis (PRPA) provides strategic decision support for Illinois State University through information, analytics, and planning support to advance the mission of the University.
Visit IR office page- Kilee BellAssistant Director for Research and Policy Analysis
- Angela BonifasAssociate Director of Institutional Research
- Angela EngelDirector of Planning, Research, and Policy Analysis
- Holly JohnsonData Communications Coordinator
- Chris RobertsPlanning Coordinator
- Marion SakalukInstitutional Research Analyst
- Alicia WesterResearch and Planning Analyst
- Kelly ZolperSenior Business Intelligence Analyst
Common Data Set
Illinois State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Outcomes & Equity
Graduation & retention
B6-year graduation rate 77%; first-year retention 90%.
Equity: Pell graduation gap
B4Pell-grant recipients graduate 6 pts below the overall rate (71% vs 77%).
Student Body & Diversity
Undergraduate race/ethnicity
B2Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.
Undergrad vs graduate
B11,110 undergraduates and 174 graduate students.
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardprpa.illinoisstate.edu
- Data dictionaryIdentity Data Elements2026This document outlines the official attributes used in the creation and management of a digital identity at Illinois State University. It details various identity data elements categorized under academic, person, affiliation, employment, and more. Each element is described with its sample value, restriction level, owner, and other related database attributes. The dictionary serves as a reference for managing digital identities supporting functions like access management, account creation, and user profiling.help.illinoisstate.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookFact Book 20042004The Fact Book 2004 for Illinois State University was prepared by Planning, Research, and Policy Analysis, providing statistical and analytical information about the university. It serves as a resource for understanding various aspects of the institution for a wide range of stakeholders.ir.library.illinoisstate.edu
- GlossaryGlossary of Terms | Planning, Research and Policy Analysis | Illinois State UniversityThe glossary from Illinois State University's Planning, Research, and Policy Analysis section provides definitions for terms commonly used in their institutional data reporting, focusing on student demographics, enrollment, and outcomes metrics.prpa.illinoisstate.edu
- Strategic planExcellence by Design - The Strategic Plan2026The strategic plan 'Excellence by Design' for Illinois State University (2024-2030) focuses on four key directions: cultivating a culture of success and belonging, fostering responsible stewardship, elevating institutional excellence, and expanding beneficial partnerships. These directions are designed to guide the university towards becoming a national leader in student-focused education while fostering equity, diversity, and civic engagement. Through collaborative efforts and ethical standards, the plan aims to support student growth and community engagement across various sectors.strategicplan.illinoisstate.edu
Notable alumni of Illinois State (30)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Tricia GriffithBusiness
- Patti S. HartBusiness
- J. Michael AdamsEducation
- K. Patricia CrossEducation
- Donald McHenryGovernment
- Kenneth "Buzz" ShawEducation
- Reg WeaverEducation
- Todd HeislerJournalism and letters
- Richard RoeperJournalism and letters
- Randy SalernoJournalism and letters
- Michael P. McCuskeyLaw
- Lil BibbyMusic
Frequently asked questions about Illinois State University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Illinois State.
What is the graduation rate at Illinois State University?
How many students attend Illinois State University?
What is the average net price at Illinois State University?
What is the yield rate at Illinois State University?
Where is Illinois State University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Illinois State University?
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.
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