Concordia University Chicago vs. GSU

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

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Location River Forest, IL University Park, IL
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,066 4,337
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #749
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuchicago.edu govst.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Tuition (In State) $35,200 $7,872
Tuition (Out of State) $35,200 $7,872
Room & Board $11,140 $11,360
Avg Net Price $17,767 $10,833
Avg Grant Aid $26,680 $11,315
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 90%

Admission

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,607 -
Admitted 4,301 -
Acceptance Rate 93.4%
Enrolled % 7.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 4.0
Typical High School Grades B A/A+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 990/1180 830/1060
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Graduation Rate 60% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,300 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,951 $17,250
Median Loan Payment $257 $178

Diversity

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
% Men 23% 15%
% Women 50% 27%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 36%
% Black 13% 38%
% Hispanic 26% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
% In-State 67% 95%
% Out-of-State 32% 3%

Campus

 Concordia University Chicago GSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Concordia University Chicago is larger than than GSU based on total student enrollment (5,066 students vs. 4,337 students)

Concordia University Chicago vs. GSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Concordia University Chicago or GSU?

  • Concordia University Chicago is 347.2% more expensive to attend than GSU for in-state tuition ($35,200.00 vs. $7,872.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 347.2% higher at Concordia University Chicago than Governors State University ($35,200.00 vs. $7,872.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Governors State University than Concordia University Chicago ($10,833 vs. $17,767)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Concordia University Chicago are 2% lower than costs at Governors State University ($11,140 vs. $11,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Concordia University Chicago than Governors State University (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Chicago students is 135.8% larger than aid received Governors State University ($26,680 vs. $11,315)

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

  • The average SAT score at Concordia University Chicago (1047) is 136 points higher than at GSU (911)
  • Incoming Concordia University Chicago students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at GSU (19)
  • Accepted freshman GSU students have a 0.82 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Concordia University Chicago (3.18)

Concordia University Chicago vs. GSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Concordia University Chicago 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 Concordia University Chicago.

  • Graduates from Governors State University earn on average $300 more per year than Concordia University Chicago graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $42,300)
  • Governors State University students graduate with a $7,701 lower median federal student loan debt than Concordia University Chicago graduates. ($17,250 vs. $24,951)
  • GSU graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than Concordia University Chicago graduates. ($178 vs. $257)
  • More Concordia University Chicago graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 48%)

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