Carbondale, IL · Public · 8,494 undergraduates · town
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Less selective
SIU Carbondale is broad for a regional public university, with hands-on specialties including aviation, automotive technology, engineering, and natural resources.
Institutional profile
Established Solid in affordability, and solid in mobility.- Admission
- 90.4% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 57.4%
10,401 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$53,390 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Southern Illinois University-Carbondale apart
Academic design
Aviation, automotive technology, engineering, forestry, business, health, and sciences emphasize applied learning.
Campus pattern
Carbondale sits beside extensive forests, lakes, and southern Illinois public lands.
Career & value signal
Technical programs use specialized facilities, internships, flight training, and industry-linked coursework.
Can I get in?
90.4% admitted
Several majors, including aviation, automotive, engineering, nursing, business, and music, use additional program-level screening.
Recent applicant pool
10,401About 90 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 36% submitted an SAT, and 11% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Southern Illinois University-Carbondale weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Aviation, automotive technology, engineering, forestry, business, health, and sciences emphasize applied learning.
Make institutional fit specific
SIU Carbondale is broad for a regional public university, with hands-on specialties including aviation, automotive technology, engineering, and natural resources.
Use the application route carefully
Several majors, including aviation, automotive, engineering, nursing, business, and music, use additional program-level screening.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Several majors, including aviation, automotive, engineering, nursing, business, and music, use additional program-level screening.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Air Transportation
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Admits separately
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
Accounting and Related Services
Admits separately
Psychology, General
What is campus life like?
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale beyond the classroom
Carbondale sits beside extensive forests, lakes, and southern Illinois public lands.
A defining academic feature
Aviation, automotive technology, engineering, forestry, business, health, and sciences emphasize applied learning.
What shapes an ordinary week
Carbondale sits beside extensive forests, lakes, and southern Illinois public lands.
Where the degree can lead
Technical programs use specialized facilities, internships, flight training, and industry-linked coursework.