Business School

Business School at Illinois State University

Public university ยท Normal, Illinois

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA

Illinois State University is a public university with graduate business programs in Normal, Illinois. Those programs run through the College of Business. The institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 2,439 students, alongside 19,057 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Normal in this directory - the other 9 business school options in Illinois are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask Illinois State University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Residency and tuition tier. As a public institution, Illinois State University may price in-state and out-of-state students differently, and some programs charge a flat rate regardless. Ask which tier you'd fall into and whether it changes after a year of residency.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the College of Business may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionIllinois State University
Business schoolCollege of Business
Controlpublic
LocationNormal, Illinois
Campus settingMidsize suburb
Carnegie classDoctoral university, high research activity (R2)
MBA formats listed MBA
Graduate enrollment2,439
Undergraduate enrollment19,057
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationHigher Learning Commission
Official site Visit website
Net price calculator Estimate your cost
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at Illinois State University

Details below come from Illinois State University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

MBA - Traditional

MBA
  • Credits 36
  • Delivery Hybrid
On lengthFull-time about 2 years, part-time 3-6 years; each course meets on campus one night a week for 90 minutes with the rest asynchronous online. A STEM-designated track is also offered. Tuition figure not confirmed on the pages checked this pass.
Class scheduleWeeknights and weekends; fall, spring, or summer admission

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $85,715 Median of 36 graduates working one year after completion -2% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $110,971 Median of 47 graduates working four years after completion +29% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $23,515 Median across 23 borrowers entering repayment About 0.27x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 9 schools in MBA Lab's Illinois business schools directory that report a figure, Illinois State University ranks 7th by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check Illinois State University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with Illinois State University's context.

Compare with other schools in Illinois

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
Illinois State University This page Normal Yes MBA $85,715
Northwestern University Evanston Yes MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $224,402
University of Chicago Chicago Yes MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $194,606
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Yes MBA, Online MBA $118,799
Bradley University Peoria Yes MBA Not reported
DePaul University Chicago Yes MBA, Part-Time MBA $101,710
Loyola University Chicago Chicago Yes MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $101,612
Northern Illinois University DeKalb Yes MBA, Executive MBA $85,140
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale Yes MBA, Online MBA $73,272

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does Illinois State University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists an MBA path at Illinois State University. Check the school's official site for current formats such as online, evening, or executive options.

How long is the MBA - Traditional at Illinois State University, and when does it meet?

The MBA - Traditional requires 36 credits and is delivered in a hybrid format. Full-time about 2 years, part-time 3-6 years; each course meets on campus one night a week for 90 minutes with the rest asynchronous online. A STEM-designated track is also offered. Tuition figure not confirmed on the pages checked this pass. Classes meet: Weeknights and weekends; fall, spring, or summer admission

What do graduates of Illinois State University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $85,715 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at Illinois State University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $110,971. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at Illinois State University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $23,515 for business master's graduates at Illinois State University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.27x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is Illinois State University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - Illinois State University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is Illinois State University a public or private institution?

Illinois State University is a public university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Normal, Illinois. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

How do I compare Illinois State University with other schools in Illinois?

MBA Lab lists 10 schools in its Illinois business schools directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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