Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
16% gap between the two groups
24% gap between the two groups
19% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $9,828 |
| $30k–$48k | $8,619 |
| $48k–$75k | $11,412 |
| $75k–$110k | $15,665 |
| $110k+ | $21,027 |
How Eastern Illinois University compares
This college against the Illinois and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Eastern Illinois University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Eastern Illinois University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $83,935 | $15,478 | +1,147% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $79,045 | $22,229 | +911% | Strong return |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | $76,860 | $22,000 | +849% | Strong return |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Certificate | $78,838 | — | +562% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $83,141 | $25,546 | +531% | Strong return |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Certificate | $78,769 | $17,123 | +489% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $63,486 | $21,500 | +453% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $63,447 | $22,625 | +446% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $61,716 | $20,326 | +407% | Strong return |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Associate's | $59,275 | $16,348 | +353% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $58,333 | $22,500 | +295% | Strong return |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Associate's | $56,875 | $19,040 | +265% | Strong return |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Associate's | $57,214 | $24,000 | +256% | Strong return |
| Mathematics | Associate's | $53,926 | — | +249% | Strong return |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Certificate | $65,847 | $39,565 | +218% | Strong return |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | Certificate | $61,034 | $19,043 | +176% | Strong return |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | $53,353 | $18,750 | +158% | Strong return |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | $53,765 | $23,676 | +156% | Strong return |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Certificate | $59,438 | $14,627 | +156% | Strong return |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Certificate | $60,679 | $29,035 | +154% | Strong return |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Associate's | $53,628 | $27,000 | +144% | Strong return |
| Special Education and Teaching | Associate's | $51,770 | $22,062 | +101% | Strong return |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Certificate | $55,457 | $20,226 | +79% | Strong return |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Certificate | $54,958 | $15,601 | +75% | Strong return |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Associate's | $50,730 | $22,165 | +70% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Eastern Illinois University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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