Springfield, Illinois Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Springfield, Illinois: median public in-state tuition $12,195 (+114.0% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $64,479 (+8.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 91.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $10,002 (-25.9% vs U.S.) 8,016 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Springfield serve students across Illinois with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 6 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 8,016 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $12,195. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Springfield, Illinois and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Springfield vs Illinois & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, Illinois | $12,195 | $14,793 | $10,002 | 53.4% | 8,016 |
| Illinois (state median) | $4,800 | $6,286 | $10,500 | 56.0% | 467,073 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Springfield, Illinois vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, Illinois | $64,479 | 91.9% | 74.8% | 5.3% | — | 67.8% | 0.28 |
| Illinois (state median) | $61,534 | 93.8% | 75.0% | 4.2% | — | 74.5% | 0.35 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in Illinois (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, Illinois | $12,195 | $14,793 | $10,002 | 53.4% | 8,016 | $64,479 | 91.9% |
| Chicago | $16,157 | $18,353 | $13,063 | 53.7% | 113,950 | $56,800 | 91.5% |
| Champaign | $10,409 | $9,298 | $12,480 | 86.3% | 39,606 | $87,599 | 94.9% |
| Lisle | $26,821 | $27,156 | $17,038 | 41.4% | 30,923 | $67,314 | 93.6% |
| Normal | $10,881 | $15,472 | $8,750 | 67.3% | 22,225 | $67,557 | 96.1% |
| Dekalb | $13,792 | $13,936 | $12,816 | 48.5% | 11,400 | $61,351 | 94.1% |
| Joliet | $21,715 | $15,336 | $14,752 | 64.1% | 10,609 | $69,137 | 95.4% |
| Evanston | $70,589 | $34,420 | $17,017 | 96.1% | 9,201 | $104,255 | 93.3% |
| Rockford | $16,849 | $21,892 | $13,875 | 72.2% | 7,597 | $58,999 | 93.6% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 53.4%, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 91.9%, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Most selective college in Springfield, Illinois (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 85.9%, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $74,686, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $102,020, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,270, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $57,676, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $64,479, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $252,836, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Most affordable college in Springfield, Illinois (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $7,528, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
Top college in Springfield, Illinois by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 74.8%, University of Illinois Springfield
University of Illinois Springfield
In-state tuition: Springfield, Illinois vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Springfield, Illinois median in-state tuition is $12,195, +114.0% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Springfield, Illinois vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Springfield, Illinois is $10,002 (-25.9% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $14,568.
Median earnings (10 years out): Springfield, Illinois vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Springfield, Illinois center around $64,479 (+8.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Springfield, Illinois vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 91.9% at the median Springfield, Illinois campus (-1.1 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Springfield, Illinois median public in-state tuition is $12,195, about +114.0% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +112.3%.
Median graduate debt is $10,002 (-25.9% below the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Springfield, Illinois are $64,479, about +8.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 91.9% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-1.1 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 74.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 67.8% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Illinois Springfield (91.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Springfield, Illinois is 53.4% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Springfield?
This city profile covers 6 campuses in Springfield, Illinois with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Springfield?
Median in-state tuition in Springfield is $12,195 and median net price is $14,793. For Illinois overall, medians are $4,800 and $6,286; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Springfield?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Springfield is $64,479 vs $61,534 for Illinois and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Springfield colleges?
Median completer debt in Springfield is $10,002 vs $10,500 for Illinois and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Springfield?
Top campuses on this page include University of Illinois Springfield (graduation) and University of Illinois Springfield (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Springfield?
Among 6 campuses in Springfield, Illinois, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Illinois college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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