CSU Loans, Tuition, Costs & More

This is the complete guide to CSU tuition, costs and student loans. If you’re considering Chicago State University, you’re likely focussed on that huge, glaring sticker price: $N/A.

If you’re still trying to figure out if you can get into the school, try our college chances calculator for CSU

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    That expensive sticker price can be extremely misleading and does not usually represent the true cost of CSU. The reality is that a huge percentage of students who attend CSU do not pay that number.

    What you are most likely concerned with is what you and your family will pay for Chicago State University, which is dependent on a range of factors from family income to state residency.

    Before we get started, if you have any doubts about your ability to afford CSU and are interested in student loans to support your education, the below vendors specifically lend to CSU students - click any of them to learn more about their rates and requirements.

    Now, let’s break down that scary sticker price first.

    How much is CSU tuition?

    The stated tuition for out-of-state students at Chicago State University is $17123 while in-state students pay $10163. The dictionary definition of tuition is the “price of payment for instruction.” That’s an important distinction from the total cost of attending CSU.

    Essentially, tuition is only what you pay to attend classes at CSU. The annual charge of $17123 or $10163 often excludes dozens of other miscellaneous expenses, such as housing, textbooks, meals, fees and more. Therefore, the true cost of CSU is much higher than either of these prices (more on this later).

    At the same time, however, tuition does not take into account factors that can help a student or family afford college, such as scholarships, student loans and grants.

    Therefore, although an important benchmark, the $10163 for Chicago State University is likely not a good indicator of what you can expect to pay if you attend the school.

    What is the total cost of CSU?

    If you’re already thinking of this question, you’re one step ahead of us! And you’re on the right track… .The total cost of attending CSU is $N/A and is much more indicative of how much you will pay over the course of one year to attend the school - with one BIG caveat: total cost excludes financial supports that help reduce the cost of attending school, like scholarships at CSU.

    Still, if you do not plan on receiving financial aid, student loans and the like then the Chicago State University cost of attendance is the best indicator to consider.

    What does the total cost of CSU include?

    The total cost of CSU includes tuition and other common, material expenses, like textbooks and supplies, room and board, and meal costs, minus the average amount of financial aid and scholarships.

    Importantly, this does not reflect the price you will likely pay based on your income bracket.

    What is the price of room and board at CSU?

    CSU doesn’t report the cost of rooming and dorms. However, we know that average room and board costs from private universities around the country is estimated to be about $10,800. Although there is variability in this price, mostly determined by school location, CSU dorm costs are likely similar give or take 10%.

    CSU doesn’t report meal/boarding charges.

    The combined room and board charge for CSU is $8724.

    How much is CSU out of state tuition?

    Out of state tuition for CSU is $17123.

    How much is Chicago State University in state tuition?

    In state state tuition for CSU is $10163.

    How can I afford CSU?

    You should use a variety of financial tools to offset the cost of CSU.

    It’s easy to lose track of all the assets at your disposal, but the most common can be categorized into grants, loans, and scholarships.

    At Chicago State University, 0.6412% of students receive a pell grant. Furthermore, 0.8162% of students borrow federal student loans to help pay for the school.

    If you will use student loans to help pay for CSU, these providers below all work with CSU students.

    How much will I pay for CSU?

    This is the million dollar question - literally! CSU students pay a variety of prices to attend the institution, as you already know. A very easy way to determine an average price you can expect to pay is by using your average family income and comparing it to the table below.

    For additional insight, try using the Chicago State University net price calculator.

    Family Annual Income Average Net Price for CSU
    $0 - 30,000 9944
    $30,001 - 48,000 13541
    $48,001 - 75,000 13937
    $75,001 - 110,000 16212
    $110,001+ 17690

    How much debt will I graduate with from CSU?

    Beyond the years you plan on spending at Chicago State University, the financial repercussions of CSU tuition will stay with you for awhile, especially if you take out loans to finance the education.

    The median debt for students who have completed a degree at CSU is $31250.0. We can break down this number further by household income and student type (see where you might fit in):

    Family Income and Student Types Median Debt from CSU
    $0 - 30,000 Family income 25977.0
    $30,001 - 75,000 Family income 24949.0
    $75,000+ Family income 17000.0
    The median debt for Pell students 26100.0
    The median debt for female students 25250.0
    The median debt for male students 24250.0
    The median debt for first-generation students 25250.0

    Is CSU worth the cost?

    Going to college is an investment, and like all investments, you should look at the ROI of attending Chicago State University.

    Luckily, we can provide some insightful data to help determine whether or not CSU is worth the cost by examining what past graduates are earning now.

    The average salary of students who were working six years after graduating from CSU is $32200 (the median is $29400).

    After 8 years, the average salary for CSU graduates is $N/A.

    10 years out, the average salary for CSU graduates is $38200.

    I think it’s particularly interesting to look at the salary 10 years after graduation, and it’s probably more indicative of whether CSU is worth the cost. The real upside of a college degree is that it puts you on a path where your future salary can increase substantially, and it may be hard to achieve that upside without a college degree.

    For example, after graduating from CSU you may get a job where the salary is not too much more than you’d make without a college degree, and you may have taken out a lot of loans to get there!

    However, if you stay in that position for 5 or 10 years, you will likely begin doubling and tripling what you’re making.

    The future earnings potential is going to be much higher if you go to CSU compared to not attending college at all. Therefore, it’s about maximizing that opportunity and reducing the debt needed to get there.

    How do CSU graduates fare compared to similar schools?

    This is an important question because if you’re considering CSU, you likely have other options on the table.

    Often times, students enroll in the cheapest university available to them. But, as we know from above, this isn’t the whole story.

    For example, you would pay 5% more for a college if you knew the average salary would also be 10% higher, wouldn’t you?

    There’s a lot of reasons why the average salary for CSU students would differ from its peer schools. Perhaps the most popular areas of study align with higher or lower paying careers, or the school has a massive and supportive alumni network.

    Here are just a few related schools to CSU that may be of interest. Click on any one to break down their costs and performance outcomes further.

    How much does CSU cost per semester?

    Assuming there are two semesters at CSU and you are an in-state student, you will pay $5081 per semester. If you are out-of-state, you will pay $8561 per semester.

    How much does CSU cost per year?

    This is effectively the total annual cost of CSU, which is $N/A. However, you can also add room and board, textbooks, and other fees listed above onto that number to better determine how you will really spend in one year of attendance.

    Is it possible to attend CSU for free?

    In theory, yes it is possible to attend CSU for free. If you are a stellar student, you may get a scholarship to cover the entire cost of the education.

    Similarly, if you are a student athlete, you may receive a full scholarship to be on a sports team.

    Unless you are receiving a “full ride” (e.g. full scholarship) to attend CSU, though, it won’t be free. If you take out loans to finance the school, you may pay very little in the near term but all of that money must still be paid off in the long term.

    If you're trying to get in to CSU read about the requirements here