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Illinois State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Illinois State University?

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

20:1
Student to faculty ratio
29
Average class size
49%
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 20:1. 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
241
10-19
801
20-29
981
30-39
326
40-49
81
50-99
170
100+
121

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
49%
4-year grad rate
65%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $55,276. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$55,276
$48,300 (National Average)

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
Special Education and Teaching, General
Psychology, General
148.4
182.72
217.04
251.36
285.68
320

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Agriculture, General 99
  • Agriculture, General 99
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 99
  • Agriculture, General 1
  • Agriculture, General 1
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 1
Area
  • European Studies/Civilization 1
  • European Studies/Civilization 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 109
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 20
  • Biochemistry 6
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 2
Business
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 257
  • Business Administration and Management, General 163
  • Finance, General 158
  • Accounting 128
  • Management Science 104
  • Construction Management, General 59
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 44
  • Management Information Systems, General 35
  • Insurance 25
  • Insurance 11
  • Finance, General 8
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 4
  • Management Science 3
  • Accounting 3
  • Management Information Systems, General 2
  • Business Administration and Management, General 1
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 119
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 62
  • Public Relations/Image Management 41
  • Journalism 36
  • Public Relations/Image Management 2
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 1
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Graphic Communications, General 12
  • Graphic Communications, General 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 87
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 74
  • Computer Software and Media Applications, Other 37
  • Information Technology 26
  • Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other 14
  • Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications 9
  • Computer Science 1
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 320
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 194
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 114
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 62
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 43
  • Music Teacher Education 33
  • Health Teacher Education 27
  • Biology Teacher Education 13
  • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 7
  • Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education 5
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 29
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 29
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 29
  • Energy Systems Technology/Technician 15
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 9
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 95
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 31
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 26
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 20
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 16
  • French Language and Literature 4
  • Spanish Language and Literature 3
  • German Language and Literature 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 228
  • Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 86
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 31
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 29
  • Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 17
  • Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene 12
  • Environmental Health 4
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
History
  • History, General 105
  • History, General 4
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 156
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 1
Legal Professions And Studies
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 14
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 9
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 114
  • General Studies 7
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 62
  • Mathematics, General 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 10
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 94
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 54
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 9
  • Philosophy 2
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 19
  • Physics, General 15
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 14
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 177
  • Psychology, General 4
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 50
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 72
  • Sociology, General 66
  • Economics, General 23
  • Geography 22
  • Anthropology, General 16
  • Political Science and Government, General 11
  • Sociology, General 4
  • Economics, General 3
  • Anthropology, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 74
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 62
  • Interior Design 32
  • Music Performance, General 20
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 16
  • Music, General 14
  • Art/Art Studies, General 2
  • Music Performance, General 1
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