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Large crowd of community members at the circle in Uptown Normal among Rivian vehicles listening to R.J. Scaringe talking into a microphone.

About

Be in the Heart of it All

With a strong economy and fun culture, our community gives you big opportunities and unique experiences.

Explore Bloomington-Normal

Normal is home to Rivian, an automotive company that creates sustainable, emissions-free transportation.

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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.

  • Normal, IL
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Quick Facts

  • 20,878 Students

    18,250 undergraduate
    2,628 graduate

  • 1,000+

    out-of-state and international students from 47 states and 74 countries

  • 1 in 4 students

    from underrepresented backgrounds

  • 78% of our students

    receive financial aid

  • Updated for fall 2019 unless otherwise noted. More Quick Facts

Metrics of Excellence

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • See all Metrics of Excellence

Our Leadership

  • President Terri Goss Kinzy
  • Administration and Shared Governance
  • Board of Trustees

Our Values and Traditions

A monument of Abraham Lincoln's head.

Educate • Connect • Elevate: 2018-2023

A historic black and white photograph of the original Old Main building with it's bell tower.

Our Traditions

Students at the Martin Luther King dinner.

Diversity and Accessibility

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Civic Engagement

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Veterans and Military Services

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Sustainability

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Faculty and Staff

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2021-09-24T12:29:15.002-07:00 2021
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