by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending Illinois State University, including attendance costs, projected four- and two-year degree costs, average net price, debt outcomes, and how aid is distributed across income levels.
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Attendance costs at Illinois State University came in between $32,458.00 and up to $44,524.00 across residency tiers.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: about $32,458.00 in-state versus $44,524.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $16,144.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $16,314.00 |
| Total cost | $32,458.00 |
| That is 69% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,458.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$14,911.00 |
| Net price | $17,547.00 |
| That is 9% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $32,458.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$22,741.00 |
| Net price | $9,717.00 |
| That is 50% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $28,210.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $16,314.00 |
| Total cost | $44,524.00 |
| That is 131% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $44,524.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$14,911.00 |
| Net price | $29,613.00 |
| That is 54% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $44,524.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$22,741.00 |
| Net price | $21,783.00 |
| That is 13% above the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on tuition and fees and living costs. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at a recent average of 1.7% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Freshman year | $9,880.00 | $17,842.00 | $33,004.00 |
| Senior year | $10,388.00 | $18,758.00 | $34,698.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $40,531.00 | $73,190.00 | $135,385.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $15,441.00 | $27,883.00 | $51,577.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $466.00 | $842.00 | $1,558.00 |
| Total amount paid | $55,971.00 | $101,073.00 | $186,962.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Freshman year | $9,880.00 | $17,842.00 | $33,004.00 |
| Senior year | $10,047.00 | $18,142.00 | $33,559.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $19,927.00 | $35,985.00 | $66,563.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,592.00 | $13,709.00 | $25,358.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $229.00 | $414.00 | $766.00 |
| Total amount paid | $27,519.00 | $49,693.00 | $91,922.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Freshman year | $22,149.00 | $30,111.00 | $45,273.00 |
| Senior year | $23,286.00 | $31,657.00 | $47,597.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $90,859.00 | $123,519.00 | $185,714.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $34,614.00 | $47,056.00 | $70,750.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,046.00 | $1,421.00 | $2,137.00 |
| Total amount paid | $125,473.00 | $170,575.00 | $256,464.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Freshman year | $22,149.00 | $30,111.00 | $45,273.00 |
| Senior year | $22,522.00 | $30,618.00 | $46,035.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $44,672.00 | $60,729.00 | $91,308.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $17,018.00 | $23,136.00 | $34,785.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $514.00 | $699.00 | $1,051.00 |
| Total amount paid | $61,690.00 | $83,865.00 | $126,093.00 |
Read more in the net-price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $19,398.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $18,996.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. Below, average net price is broken out by family income:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,075.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $11,994.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,424.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,818.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $26,853.00 |
Use Illinois State University Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
The median graduating debt at Illinois State University works out to $15,750.00, landing it in the Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
The full distribution of debt at graduation looks like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,500.00 |
| 25th | $8,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $15,750.00 |
| 75th | $26,000.00 |
| 90th | $30,920.00 |
The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is one signal of how variable debt outcomes are across the student body.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Debt at graduation is far from uniform across income levels. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $16,500.00 |
| Middle income | $15,200.00 |
| High income | $15,845.00 |
On average, low-income graduates leave with $655.00 more debt than high-income graduates.
First-gen students typically face different financial-aid contexts than students whose parents attended college.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $16,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,012.00 |
First-gen borrowers at Illinois State University leave with $1,488.00 more median debt than continuing-generation peers.
The Pell Grant is the main federal need-based award for undergraduates. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of Illinois State University is $2,500.00. This institution is flagged by federal data for Pell-debt inequity.
The default-rate classification at Illinois State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 3.8% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at Illinois State University amount to $1,033,257,199.00 covering 62,780 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the GI Bill and Department of Defense tuition support.
| GI Bill recipients | 168 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $10,008.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the veterans benefits detail.
Beyond the data above, it helps to ask a few questions when weighing Illinois State University, think through the questions below:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.