Overview

Nationally Recognized for Excellence

• According to the National Science Foundation, SIUE ranks first for research expenditures among Doctoral/Professional Universities.
  • In FY24, faculty and staff were awarded $39 million in 199 grants and contracts for research, teaching and service initiatives from funding organizations such as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

• SIUE is classified by The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education in the doctoral/professional universities category.
• The University is proud to be ranked by Washington Monthly among the top doctoral universities in the nation.
  • Unlike conventional college rankings, Washington Monthly evaluates an institution’s “contribution to the public good” in three broad categories: social mobility—educating low-income students; research—producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs; and service—encouraging students to give something back to their communities. 
• SIUE has been nationally-recognized as a 2024-2025 Military Friendly® School. The designation emphasizes the University’s commitment to successfully connect the military and civilian world through its Office of Military and Veteran Services. 
  • Military Friendly® School: Institutions earning this designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the survey; SIUE is one of 282 to be selected for “Gold” award status for their leading practices, outcomes and effective programs. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. 

  • SIUE received national recognition via the 2024 Military Times’ Best for Vets: Colleges ranking. The recognition underscores the University’s commitment to successfully connect the military and civilian world through its Office of Military and Veteran Services. 

    • Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges is the largest and most comprehensive rankings of schools for military service members and veterans, helping them make important decisions about their education. Official rankings are developed based on results from an annual survey, which are analyzed along with public data about colleges and universities obtained from the Department of Education and Department of Veterans Affairs. 
  • Since the Daily Beast ranked SIUE among the safest college campuses in the country in 2010, SIUE and the city of Edwardsville have consistently been rated highly for their safe environments by a variety of organizations, including the National Council for Home Safety and Security and YourLocalSecurity. 
    • SIUE is committed to safety and the investment in safety technology, such as the Rave Guardian app, to maintain a secure campus. SIUE police officers are academy trained and engaged in a Community Policing program. Under the SIUE Campus Violence Prevention Plan, there are more than 80 emergency phones on campus.

Commitment to Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

• SIUE received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The HEED Award, which SIUE has received for 11 consecutive years, is the only national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campus.  
• SIUE is one of 62 university campuses in the world and the only public institution in Illinois to be part of the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN) which helps university faculty, staff and students address issues of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability status and other topics that often are not effectively discussed in diverse groups. SDCN leaders learn to build more cohesive, engaged and diverse campus communities. 
• The non-profit group Campus Pride ranked SIUE in the top 100 among the 2021 Most Affordable LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities. SIUE’s LGBTQ-Friendly Campus Climate index and Sexual Orientation scores are 4.5 out of 5 stars. SIUE's Gender Identity/Expression score is 4 out of 5 stars.
• SIUE is home to more than 900 international students from 66 nations.
• In 1974, SIUE declared itself a “World University,” which means it recognizes that it is part, not only of state and national communities, but also of a global community. As a symbol of this declaration, the United Nations flag is flown on the main campus flagpole.

Quality Education

• SIUE's fall 2024 enrollment is 11,893.
  • SIUE welcomed 1,534 first-year, full-time students from diverse backgrounds. 
  • Students come to SIUE from 45 states (Guam and Puerto Rico included) and 66 countries.
  • The University now boasts the largest population of international students in our history, with 937 students enriching our community and learning environment.
  • Notable enrollment increases include:
    • Transfer student enrollment: 6%
    • Dual credit and early college students: 31%
• SIUE offers nationally accredited academic programs of study with one of the lowest tuition and required fees of all four-year institutions in Illinois. SIUE offers in-state tuition to undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states, and new undergraduate students receive a guaranteed tuition rate for four continuous academic years. That positions an SIUE education as one of the best values in the Midwest.
• SIUE offers easy access to professional and cultural opportunities in Metropolitan St. Louis, located just 25 minutes from the campus. The close proximity to St. Louis gives students the benefit of internships, cooperative education opportunities and full-time employment with major corporations like The Boeing Company, Anheuser-Busch, Edward Jones, Express Scripts and BJC Healthcare. 

Serving the Community

• School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 13,000 people annually through a wide variety of community outreach events.
• The SIUE East St. Louis Center received more than $14 million in grant awards last year and applied those funds toward comprehensive programs, services and training for children and families in the community. A vital educational resource and a supportive neighbor to the Metro East Community, the Center serves to empower individuals and families to lead successful and healthy lives.
• As society’s demand for leadership and innovation in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) grows, SIUE is rising to the challenge with a center dedicated to strengthening STEM education for all students, as well as for current and future teachers. The SIUE STEM Center for Research, Education and Outreach loans science materials to teachers, and offers camps and activities for area K-12 students, as well as educators. The Center has forged vital partnerships, including those with the United States Transportation Command and The Boeing Company, to expand community outreach efforts. 

Economic Impact

• The University boasts a regional economic impact of more than $1.3 billion in the 2024 report.
• SIUE is the number one producer of bachelor's degrees in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
• The University's economic activity helped support 12,178 jobs in Illinois.
• Expenditures by SIUE students off-campus contribute to the economy, with an economic impact of $129,665,705, supporting 1,379 jobs.
• SIUE alumni working in Illinois leverage their college degrees to earn higher incomes. Income gains from these alumni have an economic impact of $516,306,895.

Sustainability

• SIUE has been named a Bicycle Friendly University in the bronze category by the League of American Bicyclists. The designation, through 2025, comes after a thorough review focused on five criteria: equity, engineering, education, encouragement, and evaluation and planning. The honor recognizes SIUE’s cyclist-welcoming environment and notes the University’s commitment to the safety and comfortability of cyclists.
• SIUE is one of three higher education institutions in the nation to be designated a Living Architecture Regional Center of Excellence by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities and the Green Infrastructure Foundation. 
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks SIUE number one in Illinois and 22nd in the nation in green power usage. The EPA's Green Power Partnership program has named the top 30 colleges and universities representing the largest green power users among higher education institutions within the Partnership. SIUE ranks first in the state and 22nd nationally. SIUE is one of only two Illinois schools that made the top 30. 
• SIUE is recognized as a STARS Silver Institution for accomplishments in campus sustainability. The rating is based on the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System for campus-wide sustainable practices from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
• SIUE is committed to continually enhancing the learning environment for students by maintaining the natural beauty of campus and engaging in sustainable construction practices. All new campus construction is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certifiable by the U.S. Green Building Council.  
  • LEED Gold: Art & Design West
  • LEED Silver: Science Building East, Science Building West, Lukas Athletics Annex, Engineering Building Addition and the Multidisciplinary Dental Medicine Laboratory
  • LEED Silver Residential: Cougar Village
  • Pending Certification: Fowler Student Design Center, Founders Hall and School of Dental Medicine Advanced Care Clinic 
• From the installation of a 120-foot wind turbine and 140 solar panels, to the maintenance of more than 17,500-square-feet of green roof space, SIUE is committed to sustainability.
• The 35-acre Gardens at SIUE and the 380-acre Nature Preserve are places where students and faculty take part in valuable research, lab projects and class assignments.
• The NCERC at SIUE is a nationally recognized research center dedicated to the development and commercialization of biofuels, specialty chemicals and other renewable compounds.

NCAA Division I Athletics

• SIUE is fully certified at the Division I level by the NCAA and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as affiliate members in the sports of men's soccer and wrestling.
• SIUE currently is ranked 1st among Illinois state universities and tied for 2nd nationally among public universities graduating student-athletes, according to a report released by the NCAA.  
• Fall 2024 marked the 37th consecutive semester all student-athletes have earned a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA.