Be in the Heart of it All
With a strong economy and fun culture, our community gives you big opportunities and unique experiences.
Who We Are
We at Illinois State University work as a diverse community of scholars with a commitment to fostering a small-college atmosphere with large-university opportunities.
High Retention and Graduation Rates
Illinois State students complete their degrees on time. ISU’s retention rate remains among the highest in the nation at over 84.2 percent, and our high graduation rate (68.1 percent) is well above the national average.
Top College Town
Bloomington-Normal ranks as one of the top 40 college towns in America based on it’s quality of life and among the top 10 for arts and entertainment opportunities.
First-Choice Institution
Illinois State remains a first-choice institution. We have a strong enrollment of more than 20,000 students, while maintaining academic quality and small class sizes.
Civically Engaged Campus
Illinois State has been recognized with the Elective Classification for Community Engagement, as a Excellence and Innovation Award for Civic Learning and Community Engagement, and as a Voter Friendly Campus. These honors demonstrate our campuswide commitment to civic engagement, a core value of the University.
Bang for the Buck
We were ranked by College Factual as the 22nd Best College for the Money out of 1,200 schools across the country.