SIUE vs. RU

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

SIUE RU
Location Edwardsville, IL Radford, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 12,519 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE RU
Tuition (In State) $9,306 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $9,306 $20,246
Room & Board $10,272 $10,567
Avg Net Price $13,586 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $10,649 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

SIUE RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,325 11,442
Admitted 9,093 10,680
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 93.3%
Enrolled % 20.5% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/23
SAT Range 930/1160 960/1160
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

SIUE RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

SIUE RU
Graduation Rate 52% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,430 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $221 $237

Diversity

SIUE RU
% Men 42% 33%
% Women 58% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 71%
% Black 15% 13%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

SIUE RU
% In-State 79% 89%
% Out-of-State 16% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is larger than than RU based on total student enrollment (12,519 students vs. 7,718 students)

SIUE vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SIUE or RU?

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is 14.1% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($9,306.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 117.6% higher at RU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($20,246.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than RU ($13,586 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 2.9% lower than costs at Radford University ($10,272 vs. $10,567)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as Radford University (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students is 9.4% larger than aid received Radford University ($10,649 vs. $9,733)

SIUE vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at RU (3.31)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than RU (93.3%)

SIUE vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SIUE or RU? 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 RU and SIUE.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (56% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $400 more per year than SIUE graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $47,000)
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $1,570 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($21,430 vs. $23,000)
  • SIUE graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($221 vs. $237)
  • More RU 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/