Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale?

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

11:1
Student to faculty ratio
20
Average class size
40%
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.

SIU Carbondale has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1. 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
418
10-19
465
20-29
357
30-39
109
40-49
35
50-99
53
100+
18

Honors Programs

Southern Illinois University Carbondale 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 SIU Carbondale'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 Southern Illinois University Carbondale:

69%
First-year retention rate
40%
4-year grad rate
54%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $45,135. This is less than the national average of $48,300.

$45,135
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

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

Aviation/Airway Management and Operations
Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician
Trade and Industrial Teacher Education
Accounting
Psychology, General
49.2
64.56
79.92
95.28
110.64
126

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 29
  • Agricultural Economics 17
  • Soil Science and Agronomy, General 12
  • Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services, Other 11
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 9
  • Agriculture, General 9
  • Agriculture, General 9
  • Food Science and Technology, Other 2
  • Plant Sciences, General 0
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architecture 18
Area
  • African-American/Black Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Zoology/Animal Biology 37
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 32
  • Physiology, General 13
  • Microbiology, General 7
  • Botany/Plant Biology 6
  • Biochemistry 2
Business
  • Accounting 71
  • Management Science 30
  • Finance, General 28
  • Business Administration and Management, General 27
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 21
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, Other 17
  • Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 3
  • Business/Managerial Economics 0
Communication
  • Radio and Television 26
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 20
  • Journalism 14
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Information Technology 36
  • Computer Science 22
  • Information Science/Studies 0
Culinary
  • Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General 23
Education
  • Trade and Industrial Teacher Education 80
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 47
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 26
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 14
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 9
  • History Teacher Education 8
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 2
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 1
  • Foreign Language Teacher Education 1
  • Health Teacher Education 1
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 0
  • Social Science Teacher Education 0
  • Biology Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 33
  • Civil Engineering, General 18
  • Computer Engineering, General 15
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 14
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 2
  • Mining and Mineral Engineering 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician 89
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 57
  • Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other 8
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 5
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 0
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 0
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 23
  • Rhetoric and Composition 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 3
  • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other 2
  • Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 12
  • Linguistics 7
  • Russian Language and Literature 0
  • German Language and Literature 0
  • French Language and Literature 0
  • Spanish Language and Literature 0
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
  • Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist 59
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 52
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 39
  • Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 31
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 9
  • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other 2
  • Physician Associate/Assistant 0
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
History
  • History, General 11
Homeland Security
  • Fire Services Administration 36
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 2
Legal Professions And Studies
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 8
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 45
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 8
Mechanic And Repair Technologies/Technicians
  • Avionics Maintenance Technology/Technician 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nutrition Sciences 10
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 8
  • International/Globalization Studies 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Forestry, General 32
  • Environmental Studies 11
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 26
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 13
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 9
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 4
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 7
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 4
  • Physics, General 3
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 62
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 37
Social Sciences
  • Criminology 57
  • Economics, General 24
  • Political Science and Government, General 16
  • Anthropology, General 11
  • Sociology, General 2
  • Social Sciences, General 0
  • Geography 0
Transportation And Materials Moving
  • Aviation/Airway Management and Operations 126
  • Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General 44
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 21
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 20
  • Music, General 13
  • Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other 7
  • Interior Design 4
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
  • Design and Visual Communications, General 0

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