Blackburn College vs. GSU

Should I go to Blackburn College or Governors State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or GSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Blackburn College vs. Governors State University comparison
Blackburn College Governors State University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College
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Overview

Blackburn College GSU
Location Carlinville, IL University Park, IL
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 382 4,427
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu govst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College GSU
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $7,512
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $15,024
Room & Board $9,020 $11,000
Avg Net Price $21,575 $9,833
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $11,987
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Blackburn College GSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 1,865
Admitted 504 1,072
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 57.5%
Enrolled % 21% 29.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 4.0
Typical High School Grades B A/A+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/24
SAT Range 888/1125 830/1060
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Blackburn College GSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College GSU
Graduation Rate 48% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $178

Diversity

Blackburn College GSU
% Men 44% 36%
% Women 56% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 36%
% Black 13% 38%
% Hispanic 2% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

Blackburn College GSU
% In-State 70% 95%
% Out-of-State 30% 3%

Campus

Blackburn College GSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Governors State University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (4,427 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. GSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or GSU?

  • Blackburn College is 246.8% more expensive to attend than GSU for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $7,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.4% higher at Blackburn College than Governors State University ($26,055.00 vs. $15,024.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Governors State University than Blackburn College ($9,833 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 22% lower than costs at Governors State University ($9,020 vs. $11,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College as Governors State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 17.7% larger than aid received Governors State University ($14,112 vs. $11,987)

Blackburn College vs. GSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or GSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between GSU or Blackburn College .

  • The average SAT score at Blackburn College (1005) is 94 points higher than at GSU (911)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at GSU (19)
  • Accepted freshman GSU students have a 0.77 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • Blackburn College has a higher acceptance rate (64.4%) than GSU (57.5%)

Blackburn College vs. GSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or GSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between GSU and Blackburn College.

  • Graduates from Governors State University earn on average $2,200 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $40,400)
  • Governors State University students graduate with a $8,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($17,250 vs. $26,000)
  • GSU graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($178 vs. $268)
  • More Blackburn College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 48%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/