Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,227. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for Illinois residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,004 | $12,004 |
| Housing & meals | $11,360 | $11,360 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Personal & travel | $3,100 | $3,100 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,237 | −$3,237 |
| Total cost of attendance | $24,227 | $24,227 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at GSU
What GSU reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
GSU net price compared with other Illinois colleges
GSU has the 5th-lowest average net price of 52 Illinois colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Springfield | $9,833 | 53% | $57,103 |
| 2 | Saint Xavier University | $10,970 | 57% | $58,656 |
| 3 | University of Illinois Chicago | $10,974 | 62% | $68,740 |
| 4 | Dominican University | $11,745 | 55% | $60,327 |
| 5 | Governors State University | $12,329 | 22% | $58,169 |
| 6 | Chicago State University | $12,335 | 15% | $42,778 |
| 7 | National Louis University | $12,641 | 30% | $45,799 |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois University | $12,786 | 47% | $51,989 |
| 9 | Western Illinois University | $12,937 | 45% | $54,163 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Illinois colleges →
Why GSU costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governors State University | 48% | $12,329 | 22% | $58,169 | This school |
| Chicago State University | 43% | $12,335 | 15% | $42,778 | |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 75% | $14,109 | 22% | $52,234 | |
| Eastern Illinois University | 65% | $12,786 | 47% | $51,989 | |
| Western Illinois University | 71% | $12,937 | 45% | $54,163 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Governors State University would cost you $6 less per year than Chicago State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Governors State University, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$1,900).
- Chicago State University gives aided families $5,531 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Illinois resident | GSU | CSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,004 | $12,754 | −$750 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $2,400 | −$1,400 |
| Housing & meals | $11,360 | $11,550 | −$190 |
| Personal & travel | $3,100 | $5,000 | −$1,900 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,237 | −$1,940 | −$1,297 |
| Sticker price | $24,227 | $29,764 | −$5,537 |
| Average grants | −$11,898 | −$17,429 | +$5,531 |
| You pay | $12,329 | $12,335 | −$6 |
“+” means GSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
GSU cost questions
How much is tuition at GSU?
Tuition and fees are $12,004 a year.
What is the total cost of attending GSU?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $24,227 a year for Illinois residents living on campus and about $24,227 for out-of-state students.
What do families actually pay at GSU?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $12,329 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $9,563; $48–75k pay $11,705; $110k+ pay $22,076. These figures are for Illinois residents.
Does GSU give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 16 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Governors State University, averaging $11,890 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 89% of it met on average.
How much debt do GSU graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $14,000, and 6.2% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Governors State University overview