10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$97,532at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Illinois State University
Normal, IL · 73 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 72 · Federal debt reported for 54
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$97,532 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
16.1 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−38%Estimated return after 10 years
$61,006Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $12,194 housing and food allowance plus $7,338 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$19,940
$8,000Annual price−$51,940
$16,000Annual price−$83,940
$19,000Current college-wide context−$95,940
$24,000Annual price−$115,940
$32,000Annual price−$147,940
$40,000Annual price−$179,940
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Suburban
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
9 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Illinois run 0% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$19,398Average net price / year
$34,309Cost of attendance
$20,482Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$217/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$61,006Median earnings · year 5 after completion
64.5%Completion rate
88.1%Admission rate
1,113Average SAT score
24ACT midpoint
19,057Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Illinois State University
What does Illinois State University cost?
Illinois State University reports an average annual net price of $19,398 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Illinois State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $61,006 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Illinois State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $20,482. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Illinois State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 73 field-and-degree records for Illinois State University; 72 report year-4 earnings and 54 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
23,377Students enrolled at any point
20,414Undergraduate students
2,963Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
63% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
2,055 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
71% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$57,177Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$61,298Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$64,463Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income58%
Middle income71%
Higher income81%
Undergraduate student composition
White64%
Black14%
Hispanic14%
Asian3%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$72,351Year 1
$100,270Year 5
$135,481Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$75,672Year 1
$112,807Year 5
$127,711Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$69,703Year 1
$93,908Year 5
$113,706Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$61,917Year 1
$90,071Year 5
$113,229Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$55,355Year 1
$82,179Year 5
$107,491Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$92,424Year 1
$114,647Year 5
$106,578Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$54,319Year 1
$79,937Year 5
$104,538Year 10
Applied Mathematics.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 27
$71,060Year 1
$83,086Year 5
$96,791Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$46,159Year 1
$62,507Year 4
$61,006Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$117,7572Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$111,0993Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$110,9714Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$98,3825Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$96,9456Management Information Systems and Services · Bachelor's Degree$95,1207Insurance · Bachelor's Degree$94,1248Construction Management · Bachelor's Degree$91,017Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Public HealthBachelor's Degree · $84,790 reported+44%vs same-degree national median$22,250federal debt2Graphic CommunicationsBachelor's Degree · $55,723 reported+29%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3MusicBachelor's Degree · $54,767 reported+28%vs same-degree national median$20,500federal debt4Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree · $51,386 reported+24%vs same-degree national median$20,125federal debt5Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsBachelor's Degree · $90,953 reported+24%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's Degree · $71,707 reported+22%vs same-degree national median$21,500federal debt
Comparable colleges in IL
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Edwardsville, IL
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Annual net price
- $14,889
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $61,499
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -31%
Northern Illinois University
- Annual net price
- $13,391
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $61,432
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -30%
Northeastern Illinois University
- Annual net price
- $14,109
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,675
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -51%
University of Illinois Springfield
- Annual net price
- $9,833
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,698
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -19%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 73 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $117,757 | Not available | 9 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $111,099 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $110,971 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $98,382 | $22,250 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $96,945 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $95,120 | $16,250 | Not reported |
| Insurance | Bachelor's Degree | $94,124 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Construction Management | Bachelor's Degree | $91,017 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Bachelor's Degree | $90,953 | Not available | 0 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $85,326 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $84,790 | $22,250 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $84,458 | $22,482 | Not reported |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $81,949 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $81,264 | $23,075 | 69 |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Bachelor's Degree | $80,530 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $77,956 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $76,731 | $17,750 | Not reported |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $76,121 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $75,318 | $20,309 | Not reported |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Master's Degree | $75,054 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $73,220 | $25,470 | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $71,707 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $71,058 | $19,059 | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $70,671 | $23,250 | 12 |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $69,383 | $15,500 | Not reported |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $67,752 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $66,660 | $17,500 | 13 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $65,669 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $63,725 | $24,672 | Not reported |
| Agriculture, General | Bachelor's Degree | $63,600 | $18,750 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $62,510 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $62,506 | $22,531 | Not reported |
| Apparel and Textiles | Bachelor's Degree | $62,339 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $62,220 | $24,875 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $62,112 | $21,250 | 6 |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $62,105 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $62,006 | Not available | Not reported |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's Degree | $61,775 | Not available | Not reported |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $61,628 | $24,986 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $61,532 | Not available | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Illinois State University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.