Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois · Public · 19,057 undergraduates · illinoisstate.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
86%
of 23,826 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1000 to 1210
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$37,020Est.Estimate
$50,180 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Illinois State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
86% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$50,180
a year in 2027-28, from a $50,180 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1110
Send your score
About 49% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 990, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
Source: Freshman Admission Requirements | Illinois State · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Priority deadline · November 1, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Apr1Regular Decision · April 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
86%
of applicants were admitted: 20,382 of 23,826 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 45% of them sent SAT scores and 7% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1000 to 1210
Reading and Writing 510 to 620
Math 470 to 600
ACT composite 21 to 27
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16003.1%
- 1200 to 139926%
- 1000 to 119948%
- 800 to 99921%
- 600 to 7992%
- 400 to 5990.1%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.63
- 4.025%
- 3.75 to 3.9917%
- 3.50 to 3.7417%
- 3.25 to 3.4916%
- 3.00 to 3.2416%
- 2.50 to 2.999.7%
- Below 2.500.1%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$37,020
a year, in state
$50,180
a year, out of state (tuition $26,200)
- Tuition (in state)$13,040
- Fees$4,270
- Food and housing$12,820
- Books and supplies$850
- Transportation and other$6,040
Illinois State University published $35,979 in state for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$12,040
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,006
- $48,001 to $75,000$12,488
- $75,001 to $110,000$21,505
- Over $110,000$27,183
Financial aid
70%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$16,073
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
29%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $4,860 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 11/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
40 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
40 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,300Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 103 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 109 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | HIS 111 |
| Art History | 3 | 6 | Art 155,156 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | BSC 101 |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BSC 196,197 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MAT 145 |
| Calculus BC | 2 | 4 | MAT 145 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MAT 145, 146 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHE 110 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHE 140 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHE 140, 141 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | Chinese 112 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | Chinese 112, 115 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POL 140 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | IT 168 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | IT 140 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 104 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 125 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | HSC 156 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | Humanities general education elective OR IAI H2 901 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIS 101 and 102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | French 112 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | French 112, 115 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | French 115, 116 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | German 112 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | German 112, 115 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | German 115, 116 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | Elective Credit |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | GEO 142 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | ITA 112 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | ITA 112, 115 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | ITA 115, 116 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | JPN 112 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | JPN 112, 115 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | JPN 115, 116 |
| Latin | 3 | 4 | LAT 112 |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | LAT 112, 115 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 102 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECO 101 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 1 | MUS Elective Credit |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | MUS 101, 107 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 5 | PHY 108 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 5 | PHY 109 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHY111 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHY110 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 4 | MAT 144 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | Social Science general education elective or IAI S6 900 |
| Psychology | 4 | 3 | PSY 110 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPA 112 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPA 112, 115 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 8 | SPA 115, 116 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPA 233 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MGT 100 or POL 138 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POL 106 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | U.S. Traditions general education elective credit or IAI H2 904 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIS 135, 136 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | Humanities general education elective or IAI H2 906 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HIS 105 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
67%
Come back for a second year
81%
Typical earnings
$67,557
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Illinois State University$52,348
- All colleges$48,512
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 60 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Illinois State University. The Illinois State University logo is a trademark of the college.