Home
Colleges
Illinois State University
Academics

Illinois State University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at Illinois State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

19:1
Student to faculty ratio
28
Average class size
51%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Illinois State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
267
10-19
799
20-29
974
30-39
344
40-49
75
50-99
152
100+
119

Honors Programs

Illinois State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Illinois State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Illinois State University:

81%
First-year retention rate
51%
4-year grad rate
66%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Illinois State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Elementary Education and Teaching
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
152.2
179.56
206.92
234.28
261.64
289

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 101
  • Agriculture, General 101
  • Agriculture, General 101
Area
  • European Studies/Civilization 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 111
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 16
  • Biochemistry 5
Business
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 224
  • Business Administration and Management, General 167
  • Finance, General 163
  • Accounting 161
  • Management Science 86
  • Construction Management, General 52
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 38
  • Insurance 21
  • Management Information Systems, General 19
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 99
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 66
  • Public Relations/Image Management 64
  • Journalism 33
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Graphic Communications, General 13
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 68
  • Computer Science 61
  • Computer Software and Media Applications, Other 44
  • Information Technology 18
  • Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications 5
  • Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other 3
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 289
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 149
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 94
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 76
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 45
  • Music Teacher Education 37
  • Health Teacher Education 31
  • Biology Teacher Education 7
  • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 7
  • Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education 5
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 26
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 26
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 26
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 10
  • Energy Systems Technology/Technician 8
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 108
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 32
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 26
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 23
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 33
  • French Language and Literature 4
  • German Language and Literature 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 215
  • Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 90
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 35
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 33
  • Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 17
  • Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene 16
  • Environmental Health 10
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 1
History
  • History, General 107
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 175
Legal Professions And Studies
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 12
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 96
  • General Studies 27
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 83
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 13
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 77
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 75
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 6
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 23
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 19
  • Chemistry, General 16
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 198
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 49
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 66
  • Sociology, General 62
  • Economics, General 24
  • Geography 22
  • Anthropology, General 11
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 74
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 56
  • Interior Design 31
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 18
  • Music Performance, General 15
  • Music, General 7

Mistakes were made

(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2025 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service