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Southern Illinois University Sacramento State San Francisco State Humboldt State University San Jose State UC Merced Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno Cal State East Bay UC Davis Cal Poly| California State University Chico | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | SIUE | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Edwardsville, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 14,523 | 12,045 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #660 | #554 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | siue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | SIUE | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $9,576 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $9,576 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,020 | $10,562 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,187 | $15,182 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,331 | $9,934 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 90% |
Admission |
CSU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,263 | 8,937 | ||
| Admitted | 20,864 | 8,688 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 93.7% | 97.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.4% | 18.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.54 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1170 | 900/1160 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2025 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
CSU | SIUE | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | SIUE | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 52% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,400 | $47,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $21,430 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $221 |
Diversity |
CSU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 15% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 15% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 2% | ||
Campus |
CSU | SIUE | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Chico is larger than than SIUE based on total student enrollment (14,523 students vs. 12,045 students)
CSU vs. SIUE Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or SIUE?
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is 66.8% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,576.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 84% higher at CSU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($17,622.00 vs. $9,576.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than CSU ($15,182 vs. $15,187)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 51.7% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($10,562 vs. $16,020)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than California State University Chico (90% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Chico students is 4% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($10,331 vs. $9,934)
CSU vs. SIUE Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or SIUE? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SIUE or CSU .
- The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 67 points higher than at CSU (1003)
- Incoming SIUE students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
- Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at CSU (3.37)
- SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than CSU (93.7%)
CSU vs. SIUE Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU or SIUE? 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 SIUE and CSU.
- The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (59% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $5,400 more per year than SIUE graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $47,000)
- California State University Chico students graduate with a $4,430 lower median federal student loan debt than SIUE graduates. ($17,000 vs. $21,430)
- CSU graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than SIUE graduates. ($175 vs. $221)
- More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SIUE students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/