Chicago State University

Chicago, IL · Public · Large city · CSU

Public institution in Chicago, IL · 1,414 undergraduates · 41% acceptance rate · $42,778 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 11%Acceptance rate
Top 13%Pell Grant share
Top 17%Average net price
Top 20%Student-faculty ratio

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $10,133332nd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $12,754820th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $12,754433rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $30,454960th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $30,6251,829th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $42,7781,480th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $33,8051,599th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 17.0%1,955th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 46.8%1,774th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 40.5%178th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: —
Median ACT: —

Campus

Undergraduates: 1,4141,151st largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 10.0:1436th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 55.0%287th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 9 mi (MDW)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Most Selective Colleges in Illinois#3

Applying

EADec 1
RDJun 1

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: $25
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 29 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$63,600	$61,814
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$35,060	$37,856
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions	bachelors	$34,908	$32,925
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$34,704	$36,437
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesHealth Professions	bachelors	$33,993	—
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement	bachelors	$31,495	$29,443
SociologySocial Sciences	bachelors	$30,119	$25,967
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesLiberal Arts	bachelors	$29,685	$32,391
Psychology, GeneralPsychology	bachelors	$29,685	$27,358
Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences	bachelors	$27,048	—
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationCommunications	bachelors	$25,967	$15,817
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural EducationEducation	bachelors	—	—

Campus facts

A Predominantly Black Institutionsource
Founded in 1867source
Athletic nickname: "Cougars"source
Competes in NCAA Division Isource
School colors: Bluesource
Mascot: Southside T. Cougarsource
Motto: "Responsibility"source
Campus size: about 161 acressource
Formerly known as "Cook County Normal School" (1867–1897)source
Formerly known as "Chicago Normal School" (1897–1938)source
Formerly known as "Chicago Teachers College" (1938–1967)source
Formerly known as "Chicago State College" (1967–1971)source
Athletic conference: FCSsource
A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
Notable alum: Bola Ahmed Tinubusource
Notable alum: Mary Alicesource
Notable alum: Jack Dongarrasource

Athletics — 7 sports

NCAA Division I without football · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $2,459,252 (M $1,026,261 · W $1,432,991)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.