- Acceptance rate: 87% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 470–590 reading and writing, 430–570 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 18–25 composite
- Average net price: $16,131 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Southern Illinois University Carbondale reported: an acceptance rate of 87% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 18–25.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Southern Illinois University Carbondale reviews each application.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale GPA requirements
Southern Illinois University Carbondale requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale acceptance rate
Southern Illinois University Carbondale admitted 9,433 of 10,858 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 87%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public 4-year university in Carbondale, Illinois, with 8,553 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Southern Illinois University Carbondale in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 470 | 530 | 590 |
| SAT Math | 430 | 510 | 570 |
| ACT Composite | 18 | 22 | 25 |
| ACT English | 16 | 22 | 25 |
| ACT Math | 17 | 21 | 25 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1055 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Southern Illinois University Carbondale looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Southern Illinois University Carbondale awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $16,131 a year at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
How selective is Southern Illinois University Carbondale?
Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admitted 87% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
What is Southern Illinois University Carbondale's acceptance rate?
Southern Illinois University Carbondale's acceptance rate was 87% for fall 2024: it admitted 9,433 of 10,858 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
What SAT and ACT scores do Southern Illinois University Carbondale students have?
The middle 50% of Southern Illinois University Carbondale's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 470–590 in reading and writing and 430–570 in math; ACT composite 18–25, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Can I get into Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admitted 87% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
What GPA do you need to get into Southern Illinois University Carbondale?
Southern Illinois University Carbondale requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
How important is GPA for getting into Southern Illinois University Carbondale?
A lot: Southern Illinois University Carbondale requires high school GPA, high school record and college preparatory program. It considers high school class rank, recommendations, essay or personal statement and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Is Southern Illinois University Carbondale test optional?
Check Southern Illinois University Carbondale's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Southern Illinois University Carbondale was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 37% sent SAT scores and 8% sent ACT scores.
Does Southern Illinois University Carbondale look at legacy status?
No. Southern Illinois University Carbondale doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What do students pay at Southern Illinois University Carbondale after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $16,131 a year at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Southern Illinois University Carbondale give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Southern Illinois University Carbondale awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Southern Illinois University Carbondale's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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