Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville prices accessibly across income levels, reflecting its identity as a public regional university serving a broad range of Illinois families. Low-income students pay approximately $8,483 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $11,116, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,684.

Azimuth ranks Southern Illinois University Edwardsville #340 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay reflects the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) that characterizes many public institutions, where published costs and real costs diverge meaningfully by income band.

Need-based aid plays a meaningful role in shaping what families pay at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The university participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and students apply through the FAFSA to access Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and any institutional scholarships.

The spread between low- and higher-income net prices reflects how aid packages taper as family income rises — a pattern common to public universities with moderate endowments. Families comparing sticker price to net price should focus on the income-band figures above as the more accurate planning baseline.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $21,500; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,199, median federal debt of $20,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $232 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn median 4-year earnings of $65,199, placing Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in the 69.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,237 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 84.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Southern Illinois University Edwardsville #490 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 479 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $83,867, ranked #152 nationally in its major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 300 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $65,403, ranked #170 nationally in its major.

Psychology, General reports 177 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $48,951, ranked #205 nationally in its major. Communication and Media Studies reports 117 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $52,466, ranked #150 nationally in its major.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's program mix is anchored in Health, with meaningful enrollment in business, education, and applied professional fields. Business accounts for 17% of graduates, Engineering represents 11%, and Education makes up 4% — a distribution that reflects the university's regional comprehensive identity and its strength in career-oriented disciplines.

Across 40 programs serving roughly 2,377 students annually, 30 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Nursing combines strong enrollment with solid earnings, making it a central driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes.

Nursing is the largest program with 479 graduates and median earnings of $83,867 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #106 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Business Administration program graduates 300 students with median earnings of $65,403, and the The Psychology, General program graduates 177 students with median earnings of $48,951.

On the earnings side, Computer Science leads at $106,082 with 72 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #98 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing follows at $83,867, and Azimuth ranks it #106 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Several of the institution's strongest programs are direct-to-workforce pathways — particularly nursing and construction management — where four-year earnings reflect labor-market demand rather than graduate-school deferral. Programs like Communication and Media Studies and Biology, General, by contrast, often serve as foundations for graduate study, meaning four-year earnings may undercount the long-term trajectory for students who continue to advanced degrees.

The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national hiring trends and wage growth. ```