by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you want to know more about Governors State University Graduate School, such as what degree programs it offers, how diverse it is, how well it ranks, and more, this is your one-stop resource. You can jump to any section of this page using the following list.
The goal of College Factual’s yearly Best Quality Schools rankings is to help students find graduate schools that provide excellent learning environments that are a great fit for them.Our methodology places a high weight on things such as post-graduation wages, time to graduate, and student-per-faculty ratio. Post-graduation debt, faculty and staff diversity, and other factors are also taken into account.
In College Factual’s 2026 ranking of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the U.S., Governors State University landed the #881 spot out of the 4,630 schools analyzed for this list.GSU also ranked #41 for Best Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois.
There were 4,630 college and universities analyzed in the 2026 Best Doctorate Schools in the United States ranking, and GSU took the #881 spot on the list.GSU also ranked #41 for Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Illinois.
### Best Graduate Schools RankingGSU ranked #881 in College Factual’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools in the United States ranking, out of 4,630 schools. GSU also ranked #41 for Best Graduate Schools in Illinois.
Governors State University was the school of choice for 1,825 graduate students in the last year for which we have data.Since diversity is such an important part of the grad school experience, College Factual looked deeper at the demographics of these students.Here is what we found.
The total graduate student population at GSU is made up of 66.4% women and 33.6% men. Note that these percentages may differ for certain degree programs.
Racial-ethnic minorities* make up 44.4% of the graduate student population at GSU.Americans aren’t the only ones who appreciate the graduate programs at GSU. Around 31.3% of graduate students are international.The following chart shows the distribution of racial-ethnic groups at the school. If you click on it, you’ll find more detailed information.
Data on the average tuition and fees for full-time graduate students at the school is not available.
The typical graduate student at GSU who borrowed carries a median debt of $24,990.
The average early-career salary for master’s degree recipients from GSU is $70,664.
After earning their doctoral degree from GSU, graduates go on to jobs with an average early-career salary of $91,005.
The graduate programs at GSU lead to a range of early-career salaries. The table below lists the graduate fields of study at the school whose recent graduates report the highest early-career earnings.
| Graduate Field of Study | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|
| Nursing | $109,637 |
| Business Administration & Management | $97,774 |
| Rehabilitation Professions | $85,452 |
| Accounting | $83,903 |
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | $68,831 |
| Educational Administration | $68,781 |
| Special Education | $64,122 |
| Communication Sciences | $60,544 |
| Social Work | $58,209 |
| Communication & Media Studies | $54,105 |
Located in University Park, Illinois, Governors State University is a public institution.The suburban atmosphere of University Park makes it a great place for students who want the amenities of city life without actually living in the middle of a constant hustle and bustle. Get more details about the location of Governors State University.
Contact details for GSU are given below.
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 1 University Pky, University Park, IL 60484 |
| Phone: | 708-534-5000 |
| Website: | www.govst.edu/ |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/govstate |
| Twitter: | twitter.com/Governors_State |
Around 65.9% of GSU graduate students took at least one course online.Roughly 29.9% of all grad students took courses exclusively online.
Listed here are the degree programs in which the school awarded master’s degrees.
| Masters Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | 11 | $83,903 |
| Business Administration & Management | 25 | $97,774 |
| Chemistry | 6 | — |
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | 43 | $68,831 |
| Communication & Media Studies | 2 | $54,105 |
| Communication Sciences | 24 | $60,544 |
| Computer Science | 156 | — |
| Criminal Justice & Corrections | 12 | $45,334 |
| Ecology & Systematics Biology | 1 | — |
| Educational Administration | 17 | — |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 3 | — |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 2 | — |
| General Biology | 1 | — |
| General English Literature | 4 | — |
| General Psychology | 6 | — |
| Health/Medical Admin Services | 8 | — |
| Human Resource Management | 11 | — |
| Information Technology | 42 | — |
| Management Sciences & Methods | 51 | — |
| Mathematics | 7 | — |
| Medical Illustration & Informatics | 53 | — |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 11 | $49,666 |
| Nursing | 22 | $109,637 |
| Public Administration | 12 | — |
| Rehabilitation Professions | 27 | $74,981 |
| Social Work | 30 | $58,209 |
| Special Education | 4 | $64,122 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 7 | — |
Just like the master’s degree programs, only programs that had doctorate degrees awarded are shown here.
| Doctorate Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | 8 | — |
| Nursing | 2 | — |
| Student Counseling | 6 | — |
Only the programs in which a graduate certificate was awarded are shown here.
| Graduate Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 2 | — |
Only the programs in which a professional degree was awarded are shown here.
| Professional Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Professions | 29 | — |
The programs below are those in which the school awarded a post-masters certificate.
| Post-Masters Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Instructional Media Design | 1 | — |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 1 | — |
| Nursing | 1 | — |
| Teaching English or French | 1 | — |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
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