What is the acceptance rate at Chicago State University?

Chicago State University's acceptance rate is approximately 43% (Chicago, IL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.

How much does Chicago State University cost?

At Chicago State University, the average net price (after aid) is about $12,335 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.

How many undergraduates attend Chicago State University?

Chicago State University enrolls approximately 1,384 undergraduate students.

Where is Chicago State University located?

Chicago State University is located in Chicago, IL.

Chicago State University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost — QuantAdmit

← All schools

Chicago State University

Chicago, ILpublicwww.csu.edu/

Acceptance

43%

Avg net price

$12,335

Earnings (10 yr)

$42,778

Graduation rate

15%

Admit rate has ranged 41%–63% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.

Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.

Chicago State University is a public urban institution on Chicago's South Side, offering an accessible education with a 40-43% acceptance rate and a starkly low 11% graduation rate. Known for its affordability and 11:1 student-faculty ratio, CSU serves a predominantly local student body with programs in business, psychology, and nursing, though it struggles with retention and long-term outcomes.

Admission requirements

Test-optional — scores considered if submitted

Required

Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)

Considered (not required)

High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies

Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.

More details

Undergrad enrollment: 1,384
In-state tuition: $12,754
Out-of-state tuition: $12,754
Location: South Side, Chicago
Campus Size: 161 acres
Acceptance Rate: 40-43%
Most Popular Majors: Psychology, Business, Liberal Arts
Student-Faculty Ratio: 11:1
4-Year Graduation Rate: 7%
Average Financial Aid Package: $16,023
Median Earnings After Graduation: $36,427

Outcomes & value

Median earnings (10 yr): $42,778
Value (earnings ÷ net price): 3.5×
Median debt at graduation: $30,625
Graduation rate: 15%
First-year retention: 57%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr): 25%
Pell (lower-income) share: 86%
First-generation share: 42%
Endowment / student: $6,151

Top-earning majors

Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$61,814
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$37,856
Business Administration, Management and Operations$36,437
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$32,925
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$32,391

Campus & location

Campus safety

On-campus violent crimes (2024): 0
Per 1,000 students: 0.00

On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.

Climate

Pleasant days / yr: 89
Summer high: 81°F
Winter low: 23°F
Annual rain: 48.2"
Annual snow: 29.3"
Natural-hazard risk: Very High

Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.

Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility

Research output

Institutional h-index: 163
Scholarly works: 3,355

Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.

Economic mobility

Mobility rate: 3.7%
Bottom → top quintile: 14%
From bottom quintile: 26%

Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.

Quick answers

What is the acceptance rate at Chicago State University?: Chicago State University's acceptance rate is approximately 43% (Chicago, IL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Chicago State University cost?: At Chicago State University, the average net price (after aid) is about $12,335 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Chicago State University?: Chicago State University enrolls approximately 1,384 undergraduate students.
Where is Chicago State University located?: Chicago State University is located in Chicago, IL.

Admissions

Chicago State University maintains a moderately selective admissions process, with hovering between 40.5% and 43% (sources vary slightly). Of 10,638 applicants in a recent cycle, 4,602 were admitted, with 1,501 enrolling. Test scores are optional for freshman applicants, though the university emphasizes completion of a college-prep high school curriculum. The regular admission deadline is August 1, with early action available.

collegedata.com prepscholar.com usnews.com bigfuture.collegeboard.org petersons.com csu.edu

Academics

CSU touts itself as the most affordable public university in Chicago (per the Illinois Board of Higher Education) and offers 60+ programs, including standout business administration degrees with five concentrations. Popular majors include psychology (42 graduates), business (27), and liberal arts (23), though the 4-year graduation rate sits at just 7%. The 11:1 student-faculty ratio suggests accessible class sizes, but academic outcomes are uneven—the College of Pharmacy reports a 75.9% on-time graduation rate for one cohort, starkly higher than the university-wide average.