Chicago State University

Chicago State University logo
#1683 / #483
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#857
Most Desirable School
University

Chicago State University at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#483
Acceptance rate (fall 2024)
43%
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$13,358
Graduation rate
15%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
1,384

Reviewed by , Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error

Chicago State University Featured Rankings

About Chicago State University

According to Wikipedia, Chicago State University is a predominantly black public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teachers college. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools assumed control of the school from the county and it became Chicago Teachers College . Northeastern Illinois University began as a branch campus of CTC in 1949. In 1951, the State of Illinois began funding the college, and assumed control in 1965, transforming it into a comprehensive state college. In 1967, it became Chicago State University. CSU is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Chicago State University's Online Degrees

MS in Technology And Performance Improvement Studies
  • Required Credits: 33
  • Format: Fully online
MS Ed in Physical Education
  • Required Credits: 34
  • Format: Fully online
MS in Library And Information Science
  • Format: Fully online

Chicago State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceRetention RateGraduation Rate
9,45843%57%15%

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.

How Much Does Chicago State University Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$13,358
Average Net Price by Family Income (2021–22)
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$7,266
30K - 48K$5,793
48K - 75K$6,137
75K - 110K$13,863
110K+$8,093

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.

How Much Do Chicago State University Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former Chicago State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $48,395 a year, and 89% of those not still in school are working.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.

Chicago State University's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
2,8541,8321,022

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is Chicago State University?

Chicago State University is located at 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628-1598.

How Safe is Chicago State University?

Relative to its enrollment, Chicago State University has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Chicago has a violent crime rate of 0.54% and a property crime rate of 3.49%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.

What Is Chicago State University Known For?

Chicago State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

Chicago State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much Chicago State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence

Literature
#662
World Rank
#718
Historical Rank
#228
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #228 in the U.S. and #662 worldwide for influence in Literature.

literature Degrees
Computer Science
#1197
World Rank
#1200
Historical Rank
#287
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #287 in the U.S. and #1197 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.

computer-science Degrees
Education
#1372
World Rank
#1102
Historical Rank
#327
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #327 in the U.S. and #1372 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees
Social Work
#1119
World Rank
#1120
Historical Rank
#450
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #450 in the U.S. and #1119 worldwide for influence in Social Work.

social-work Degrees
Mathematics
#1999
World Rank
#2045
Historical Rank
#487
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #487 in the U.S. and #1999 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.

math Degrees
History
#1443
World Rank
#1458
Historical Rank
#504
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #504 in the U.S. and #1443 worldwide for influence in History.

history Degrees
Communications
#1852
World Rank
#1880
Historical Rank
#511
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #511 in the U.S. and #1852 worldwide for influence in Communications.

communications Degrees
Medical
#1921
World Rank
#1926
Historical Rank
#513
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #513 in the U.S. and #1921 worldwide for influence in Medical.

medicine Degrees
Sociology
#2040
World Rank
#2051
Historical Rank
#594
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #594 in the U.S. and #2040 worldwide for influence in Sociology.

sociology Degrees
Criminal Justice
#1171
World Rank
#1176
Historical Rank
#624
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #624 in the U.S. and #1171 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.

criminal-justice Degrees
Political Science
#2705
World Rank
#2716
Historical Rank
#635
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #635 in the U.S. and #2705 worldwide for influence in Political Science.

political-science Degrees
Business
#2444
World Rank
#2446
Historical Rank
#653
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #653 in the U.S. and #2444 worldwide for influence in Business.

business Degrees
Nursing
#1768
World Rank
#1769
Historical Rank
#679
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #679 in the U.S. and #1768 worldwide for influence in Nursing.

nursing Degrees
Chemistry
#3168
World Rank
#3182
Historical Rank
#680
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #680 in the U.S. and #3168 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.

chemistry Degrees
Physics
#3028
World Rank
#3051
Historical Rank
#696
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #696 in the U.S. and #3028 worldwide for influence in Physics.

physics Degrees
Psychology
#2248
World Rank
#2262
Historical Rank
#866
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #866 in the U.S. and #2248 worldwide for influence in Psychology.

psychology Degrees
Biology
#5442
World Rank
#5464
Historical Rank
#1313
USA Rank

Chicago State University ranks #1313 in the U.S. and #5442 worldwide for influence in Biology.

biology Degrees

Who Are Chicago State University's Most Influential Alumni?

Chicago State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Literature, Education, and Social Work. Here are some of Chicago State University's most famous alumni:

Jack Dongarra
Jack Dongarra
An American computer scientist .
Elliot Eisner
An American professor of Art and Education.
Bola Tinubu
A President of Nigeria since 2023.
James A. Banks
An American academic.
Donda West
An American professor and the mother of Kanye West.
Margaret Haley
Margaret Haley
An American educator and labor activist.
Blanche M. Manning
A United States federal judge.
Martin Ridge
An American historians.
Parneshia Jones
Parneshia Jones
An American poet.
Quraysh Ali Lansana
A Poet.
Cynthia Nance
A Professor.
Margery J. Turner
A Dancer and choreographer.