Illinois State University
Top Public University
Illinois State made U.S. News & World Report‘s 2021 rankings of America’s best public national universities, at No. 105, based on academic quality and excellence. In addition, Washington Monthly ranked the University No. 62 out of all national universities for the institution’s contribution to the public good through social mobility, research, and public services.
Let us provide you our best faculty and advisors to get you on the right track.
Graduation is not easy but we ensure you that we can provide you good stability.
High Retention and Graduation Rates
Illinois State students complete their degrees on time. ISU’s retention rate remains among the highest in the nation at over 84.2 percent, and our high graduation rate (68.1 percent) is well above the national average.
First-Choice Institution
Illinois State has welcomed another large and high-achieving freshman class. We enroll more than 20,700 students, while maintaining academic quality and small class sizes.
It’s your campus while we provide to you a quality environment.
Students from various backgrounds come to ISU.
Diverse Campus
Illinois State provides accessible opportunity and increasingly reflects the nation’s changing demographics. Twenty-seven percent of our student population and 31 percent of this year’s freshman class come from underrepresented groups.
Bang for the Buck
Illinois State is ranked among the top 10 percent of College Factual’s Best Colleges for the Money. In addition, Washington Monthly named the University among the Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the Midwest.
College is not cheap but ISU ensures that all of your budgets are aligned.
Other Points of Pride
Record Fundraising
Illinois State University raised more than $25.1 million in private support last fiscal year, marking the third highest private support total in university history. Through these donations, 3,028 scholarships were awarded and 75 new scholarships were created.
High Student Loan Repayment Rate
Illinois State alumni go on to successful careers, shown in the very low student loan default rate of our graduates (4.4 percent) compared with the national average (9.7 percent).
Military Friendly School
Illinois State supports veterans and those in the military. We have been designated a Military Friendly School by VIQTORY, and we are ranked among the country’s best universities for veterans by College Factual.
Top College Town
Bloomington-Normal ranks as one of the top 5 college towns in America based on its quality of life and among the nation’s best small cities for affordability, arts and entertainment opportunities, and safety. The University’s hometown has also ranked as a top 5 destination among smaller communities in the U.S. for recent college grads.
Civically Engaged Campus
Illinois State has been recognized with the Elective Classification for Community Engagement, as a School of National Service, and as a Voter Friendly Campus. These honors demonstrate our campuswide commitment to civic engagement, a core value of the University.