CSU vs. Marian

Should I go to Chicago State University or Marian University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or Marian 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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Chicago State University vs. Marian University comparison
Chicago State University Marian University College 3 College 4
Chicago State University Marian University
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Overview

 CSU Marian
Location Chicago, IL Indianapolis, IN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,317 3,701
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #870
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu marian.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Marian
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $37,600
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $37,600
Room & Board $13,800 $12,000
Avg Net Price $6,446 $22,554
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $28,904
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 CSU Marian
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 1,997
Admitted 3,592 1,874
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 93.8%
Enrolled % 4.8% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19
SAT Range 750/963
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 CSU Marian
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (55%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

 CSU Marian
Graduation Rate 21% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $323 $279

Diversity

 CSU Marian
% Men 33% 37%
% Women 67% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 3% 72%
% Black 75% 12%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 12% 4%

Students

 CSU Marian
% In-State 77% 87%
% Out-of-State 20% 10%

Campus

 CSU Marian
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Marian University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (3,701 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. Marian Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Marian?

  • Marian University is 391.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($37,600.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 391.1% higher at Marian than Chicago State University ($37,600.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Marian ($6,446 vs. $22,554)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marian University are 15% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($12,000 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marian University than Chicago State University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 81.9% larger than aid received Chicago State University ($28,904 vs. $15,891)

CSU vs. Marian Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marian University (1026) is 151 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming Marian students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Marian students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • Marian has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. Marian Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Marian? 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 Marian and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at Marian is higher than Chicago State University (58% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Marian University earn on average $6,500 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $38,300)
  • Marian University students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,250)
  • Marian graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($279 vs. $323)
  • More Marian graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 25%)

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