Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

What's special

• Under the Saluki Commitment, SIU pledges to cover whatever tuition and mandatory fees are not covered by a qualifying new or transfer student's financial aid package.

  Source: Saluki | SIU Carbondale

• SIU has eliminated out-of-state tuition rates for undergraduate students regardless of which state they call home.

  Source: Saluki | SIU Carbondale

• The Saluki Commitment guarantees that tuition and mandatory fees are fully covered for eight consecutive semesters for qualifying freshman students and four semesters for transfer students.

  Source: Types of Aid - SIU Financial Aid - Southern Illinois University

Written by us from the linked sources and checked against them on November 5, 2026. Programs and policies change, so confirm details with the school.

Getting in

Admit rate

87%About 9 in 10 applicants get in.Source: College Scorecard

Test policy

Test-optionalScores are considered if you send them, but not required.Source: College Scorecard

SAT (middle 50%)

900–1160Reading + math, enrolled first-years who sent scoresSource: College Scorecard

ACT (middle 50%)

18–25Composite, enrolled first-years who sent scoresSource: College Scorecard

What it really costs

Most families pay less than the sticker price. Net price is what's left after grants and scholarships.

Average net price

$12,554full-time first-years who got grant aidSource: College Scorecard

Total cost of attendance

$28,511sticker price incl. housing, per yearSource: College Scorecard

Tuition, in-state

$13,544Source: College Scorecard

Tuition, out-of-state

$13,544Source: College Scorecard

After you enroll

Graduation rate

61%first-time, full-time students finishing within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard

Came back for year two

67%full-time first-year studentsSource: College Scorecard

Median earnings

$57,38810 years after starting, for students who got federal aidSource: College Scorecard

Median debt at graduation

$19,500federal loans, students who finishedSource: College Scorecard

Students

Undergraduates

8,494Source: College Scorecard

Receive Pell grants

44%a sign of economic diversitySource: College Scorecard

First-generation students

35%parents didn't go beyond high schoolSource: College Scorecard

Similar schools

Also worth a look

• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL — admits 98%
• Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA — admits 86%
• Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park, PA — admits 91%
• University of California-Merced Merced, CA — admits 91%
• Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TX — admits 89%
• University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI — admits 86%