Chicago State University
Chicago State University is a public university in Chicago, IL, with about 1,916 students on campus.
The short version on Chicago State University
A lower graduation rate than at most 4-year colleges
Only 15% of students graduate within six years, fewer than at 96% of 4-year colleges. 57% of first-year students come back for a second year. Many students are older and juggling work or family. Outcomes ↓
Most undergraduates are Black
77% of Chicago State University’s undergraduates are Black. The students ↓
What you pay depends heavily on your income
Families earning under $30,000 pay about $9,073 a year after grants. Families over $110,000 pay $28,427, 3 times as much. What it costs ↓
Loan payments above the 10% comfort line
The typical graduate owes $30,625, about $325 a month over ten years. That’s 11.5% of a typical former student’s monthly pay six years after starting, above the 10% many advisers treat as a comfort line. Outcomes ↓
What you study here makes a big difference to pay
Among Chicago State University’s biggest bachelor’s programs, nursing graduates earn a median $92,024 four years out. Psychology graduates earn $47,168. Majors ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard; graduation rates count only first-time, full-time students.
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Debt vs. the paycheck
The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting
$325 a month against about $2,817 a month in pay.
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 9% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
How hard is it to get into Chicago State University?
of applicants admitted
About 9 of every 20 applicants get in.
Test scores of admitted students
No SAT or ACT ranges reported. Chicago State University is likely test-optional.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $29,764 a year
Before any grants
After grants, the average family on aid pays $12,335.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $45,336 over 4 years · 62% off the sticker price
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
The students
1,384 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
Living in Chicago
7% of Chicago’s 2,731,585 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Chicago pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Chicago State University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.