Quad

Chicago State University

Chicago, ILQuad's selectivityAccessible
Known forAdmits women at a higher rateEconomic diversityGenerous aidLow average cost
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 2 applicants admitted

Chicago State admits about 1 in 2 applicants (43%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 87% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

43%

43%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

10,638

Admitted

4,602

Yield

4%

of admits enroll

Applications +93% since fall 2014 · admit rate 30% → 43%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,384 undergrads, where 58% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

1.4K

undergrads · larger than 46% of colleges

Diversity index

0.39

Pell Grant

58%

above the median

First generation

42%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-I · Division I IndependentsROTCStudy abroad
Less diverse · index 0.43 → 0.39 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (15% of graduates). 9 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 84% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $28,026 a year on instruction per student.

9 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 84% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

15% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

$92K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

100%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$28K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $13,636 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $10.6K less than the national median. The 99% who received grants paid $10,441 on average; the other 1% paid the full sticker price of $31,704.

57%

$13.6K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $10.6K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$31,704 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 57% of full price

Federal loans

78%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −29% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $42,778 ten years after enrolling, more than at 19% of colleges; 36% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.3 years of that salary.

36%

36%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$42.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$30.6K

≈ $325/month for 10 years

Retention

57%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 19% → 15% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 3% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 29%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 93% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 30% to 43%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −29% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +93%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 30% → 43%

  • Diversity

    Less diverse

    index 0.43 → 0.39

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

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Harris-Stowe State University

960 undergrads

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Lincoln University

66% admit · SAT 890 · 1.5K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

IPEDS unit ID 144005 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything