Southwestern Illinois College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Belleville, Illinois. It enrolls 5,675 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
60/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes43
Value49
Affordability37
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Southwestern Illinois College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Southwestern Illinois College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $10,427 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$10,427
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
25%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
10%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$3,960
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,720
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,910
Books & Supplies
$2,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,602
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,249
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,136
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,769
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,473
$75,001 – $110,000
$14,512
Over $110,000
$15,587
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,30510%percentile
$1,75025%percentile
$6,908Medianpercentile
$7,65075%percentile
$13,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $3,825
↓ $3,083
No Pell $4,883
↓ $2,025
Dependent students $3,825
↓ $3,083
Independent students $4,302
↓ $2,606
Female students $4,125
↓ $2,783
Male students $3,717
↓ $3,191
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,500, less than completers ($6,908), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Southwestern Illinois College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Southwestern Illinois College earn a median of $36,884 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,884
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$28,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$36,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$27,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$34,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,500
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,600, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
17.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 66% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southwestern Illinois College is home to 5,675 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 43% are first-generation college students, 52% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
5,675
Part-Time
52%
First-Generation
43%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 57.8%3,278
Black 24.1%1,370
Hispanic 6.9%389
Other 6.6%373
Asian 0.9%49
International 0.4%24
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southwestern Illinois College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbBelleville, Illinois
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
30%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Southwestern Illinois College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
58 distinct programs across
20 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern Illinois College is 17:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,020
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.4M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,668
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
157 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
55
35%
$85,530
Associate Professors
34
22%
$64,547
Assistant Professors
33
21%
$54,036
Instructors
31
20%
$52,902
No Rank
4
3%
$36,262
Pros & Cons of Southwestern Illinois College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southwestern Illinois College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Southwestern Illinois College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southwestern Illinois College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southwestern Illinois College.
Is Southwestern Illinois College hard to get into?
Southwestern Illinois College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Southwestern Illinois College?
Southwestern Illinois College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Southwestern Illinois College cost?
The average net price after aid at Southwestern Illinois College is $10,427 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southwestern Illinois College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,884 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $10,427 per year. That's roughly 3.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southwestern Illinois College known for?
Southwestern Illinois College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Southwestern Illinois College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southwestern Illinois College are $36,884, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southwestern Illinois College accredited?
Yes. Southwestern Illinois College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Southwestern Illinois College?
Southwestern Illinois College enrolls 5,675 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Illinois College?
Southwestern Illinois College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southwestern Illinois College a public or private college?
Southwestern Illinois College is a Public institution.
Where is Southwestern Illinois College located?
Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, Illinois.
What programs does Southwestern Illinois College offer?
Southwestern Illinois College offers 58 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern Illinois College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern Illinois College is 17:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Illinois
Other colleges in Illinois share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
Allied Health Diagnostic
Practical Nursing
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