CSU vs. SIUE

Should I go to California State University Chico or Southern Illinois University Edwardsville? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or SIUE 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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California State University Chico vs. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville comparison
California State University Chico Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College 3 College 4
California State University Chico Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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Overview

CSU SIUE
Location Chico, CA Edwardsville, IL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,183 12,519
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #506
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu siue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU SIUE
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $9,306
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $9,306
Room & Board $15,212 $10,272
Avg Net Price $15,517 $13,586
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $10,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 96%

Admission

CSU SIUE
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 9,325
Admitted 20,347 9,093
Acceptance Rate 95% 97.5%
Enrolled % 9.9% 20.5%
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 19/26
SAT Range 970/1170 930/1160
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, 2024 May 1, 2025

Academics

CSU SIUE
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

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 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
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% 79%
% Out-of-State 2% 16%

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 (14,183 students vs. 12,519 students)

CSU vs. SIUE Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or SIUE?

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is 62.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,306.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89.4% higher at CSU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($17,622.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than CSU ($13,586 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 48.1% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($10,272 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than California State University Chico (96% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students is 16.2% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($10,649 vs. $9,162)

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 (97.5%) than CSU (95%)

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/