I am going to walk you through what the official data actually shows: who studies there, how difficult it is to get in, how much it costs, how much aid families receive, and what happens to students once they start. I am not going to tell you whether it is "the right university" for your child. No article can tell you that. But I can help you understand this piece of the map with the clarity you deserve.
What Type of University It Is
University of Southern Indiana is a four-year public institution located in Evansville, Indiana, within Vanderburgh County. It is within the Evansville metropolitan area, although the census code places it in a suburb: inside the urbanized area but outside the principal city. If your child plans to live at home and drive to campus, do not rely on what the map says. Travel that route on a weekday at the exact time of their classes. Actual traffic almost never matches the estimate.
The system that classifies universities in the United States—Carnegie—places it among master's universities with larger programs and describes it as a medium-sized, primarily residential four-year school: at the time of that analysis, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 undergraduate degree-seeking students lived in institution-provided housing. IPEDS, the federal government's official database, confirms that it offers programs through the doctoral level, although that is general institutional information: it does not tell you whether the specific major that interests your child extends to that level. That must be verified program by program.
A note that clarifies rather than obscures: University of Southern Indiana has none of the three special designations tracked by the government—it is not a historically Black university, a tribal university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of those three labels. Its not having them says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child would feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today and, better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
One fact deserves your attention if your child would arrive as a transfer student: Carnegie places it among institutions that receive many transfer students. That label does not tell you how many credits they bring or how many are lost in the transition. If that is your child's path, ask in writing which courses will count and which will not before enrolling.
A Medium-Sized Community, Mostly from Within the State
In the most recent official fall count, University of Southern Indiana had 9,282 enrolled students: 7,428 undergraduates and 1,854 graduate students. It is neither a small school nor a huge one. Compared with the 519 selective-admission, four-year public schools in this national census, its size falls right in the middle. Above all, it is an undergraduate institution, with relatively little graduate enrollment.
Here is something many families overlook: total enrollment does not tell you how many people are present at the same time. This figure includes a substantial number of part-time students, so before assuming a particular schedule, ask when the specific courses in your child's intended major are offered.
Who makes up that community? Of every 100 undergraduate students, 62 are women. Most first-time students, 86 out of every 100, reported a permanent address in the same state when they applied for admission: this is a school that primarily serves its own region. Students ages 25 to 64 are a minority: 8 out of every 100. Hispanic or Latino students account for 5 out of every 100 undergraduates, a small minority that places the university in the lowest quarter among the 519 comparable schools in this census that reported this information.
I want to say this very clearly, because it is the kind of thing cold data can distort if it is not explained properly: having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not by itself make it good. This number tells you who is enrolled, and nothing more. If your child will be one of the few, ask what student groups and support services exist, and speak with a Latino student there before deciding. This number covers the entire school; the experience in a specific major may look different.
How the Academic Year Works and What Prior Credit It Accepts
The calendar is organized by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. There is nothing unusual about that; it is the most common format in the United States.
Where it is worth pausing is prior credit. University of Southern Indiana officially reported that it accepts credit for AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls "credit for life experiences": learning acquired through independent study, adult courses without prior credit, work experience, portfolios, licenses, certifications, or military and government experience. It also reports accepting credit directly for military training. And it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth you need to hear before getting excited about the savings: the school's reporting that it accepts AP does not mean it awards credit for every exam at every score. The report does not say what scores are required or whether those credits count toward your child's specific major. Ask for a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for those savings until you have it in hand.
As for degree offerings: between July 2022 and June 2023, the university awarded 1,292 bachelor's degrees across 23 academic program families. The largest family was health professions, with 27 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year—no other area exceeded it, but it did not dominate the total either. The offerings are broad, without any one major accounting for the majority. Still, 23 active program families do not mean 23 exact majors: each family groups several programs. Verify the precise program that interests your child.
Regarding relative class size: the official ratio is 14 students for every instructional staff member, in full-time-equivalent terms. Compared with similar schools, it falls below the midpoint—a low aggregate ratio. But be careful: this figure alone does not demonstrate that more attention is available per student, and it certainly does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class. It is an institutional average, not a classroom promise.
Structured Academic Opportunities
The university reports several formal pathways: study abroad, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, the possibility of completing preparation in certain teacher-specialization areas there—or at another institution—and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program. If your child's major connects with any of these pathways, it is worth asking admissions directly.
Getting In: An Open Door, with Specific Requirements
Here we reach one of the most important facts for any family beginning to build a list: how selective this university is and what it requires.
University of Southern Indiana reported that it does not have open admission—it reviews specific components before saying yes. Of the nine possible considerations tracked by the federal government, it marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English-proficiency exam when applicable. By contrast, it reported the following as not considered: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a relative studied there. IPEDS does not report how each element is weighted, so this does not mean the transcript is the only factor, but it is the component consistently marked as required.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, listen carefully: the English-proficiency exam is marked as required when applicable, and this is the kind of thing families discover late. Ask about it today.
The undergraduate application fee is $40.
And now the figure that probably interests you most: in the most recent report, there were 4,392 first-time applicants, and the university admitted 4,157. That is 95 out of every 100. Compared with 519 similar public schools in this census, it is on the high-acceptance side: seven out of ten schools in that group, or more, accepted an equal or smaller percentage. Put plainly: this school almost always accepts applicants. Your child's energy is better spent meeting deadlines and completing the application correctly than worrying about competing for a spot.
But here is the counterweight you cannot skip: being easy to get into does not mean it is inexpensive or that most students finish. Before deciding, look at the net price and graduation rate. Those two calculations matter more than admission, and we will examine them shortly.
Of the students who were admitted, only 31 out of every 100 ultimately enrolled here. The other 69 had an acceptance letter in hand and decided to go elsewhere. This does not measure how difficult it is to get in—we have already seen that. It measures what other families decided after they had the option before them. When your child's admission letters arrive, this type of number should not decide anything by itself: place the letters side by side and compare net price, major, and distance before the deposit deadline.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required here. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds in the same way. Of the first-time students who did enroll, 48 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores—a share that places the university in the highest quarter among similar universities for score submission, even though the policy remains optional. Among those who submitted scores, the middle half scored between 510 and 610 in reading and writing and between 510 and 610 in mathematics. That range is neither a minimum for admission nor a guarantee of anything: it describes only students who had already enrolled and chose to submit their scores.
About Transferring: A Frequent Departure Worth Understanding
Here is an uncomfortable fact, and I would rather give it to you directly. The university tracked the cohort of first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017. Within 150% of the normal time to completion, 466 of those students transferred to another institution without completing their degree here. That is 28 out of every 100—a large share. Compared with similar schools, it is on the high side: seven out of ten schools in that comparison group, or more, saw an equal or smaller share leave.
At the same time, the university also receives a substantial number of incoming transfer students: 366 students arrived here for the first time in the most recent fall after studying at another institution.
There is something important that almost no one sees, and it matters here: a student who transfers to another school does not count as a University of Southern Indiana graduate, even if they complete their degree elsewhere. Keep that in mind when you compare graduation rates among universities later in this article. And the fact that many students transfer does not mean they did poorly—the report records the movement, not the reason or each person's final outcome.
The Price: The Published Amount and the In-State Versus Out-of-State Gap
At University of Southern Indiana, among 162 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $7,102. Among 133 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $13,194; among 154 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $17,421. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (162 students) and that for the highest-income band (154 students) is $10,319. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $14,066.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure for the same time period, this university falls in the least expensive quarter for the lowest-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a fact that matters when you build the list of schools to which you will apply.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average after grants and scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Financial Aid and Loans: Who Receives What
Of every 100 degree- or certificate-seeking students here, 78 received a grant, scholarship, or other aid that does not have to be repaid. The average amount of that aid, counting only those who received it, was $7,798 per year.
The Pell Grant—federal aid specifically for low-income families—reached 30 out of every 100 students. That is a notably smaller share than the 78 out of every 100 who received aid overall. That difference may come from non-Pell federal, state, local, or institutional aid; the report does not make it possible to know exactly which source covers that gap. Ask directly which programs make it up and what requirements each one has.
Here is something I want you to do with every financial-aid letter your child receives, not just the one from this university: separate it by hand into three piles. What does not have to be repaid. What must be repaid with interest. And what must be earned through work. Many letters mix these three things in a single column, and that is where families get confused.
Regarding loans: 29 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the reported academic year. Among those who borrowed, the average amount per borrower that year was $5,903. Compared with similar schools, this university is on the low side in the share of students who borrow.
Here is the simple but necessary truth: this percentage describes other families, not yours. What your child would need to borrow is determined by their own financial-aid letter, not an institutional average. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it. And remember that this average of $5,903 covers only one year and only federal loans in the student's name—it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, credit cards, or the debt accumulated by graduation.
The university also reports a concrete payment-management option: an installment tuition plan.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Available Support
University of Southern Indiana does have institution-controlled housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 2,284 students. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—although that does not rule out the possibility that a specific program may require it. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest plan. The existence of the option does not guarantee a bed or an included rate: ask in writing for this year's cost, the application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: the university specifically reported an Army ROTC opportunity. Navy and Air Force are not marked. If your child is interested in another branch, this report does not confirm it—that does not mean it is impossible; it means you must ask directly. And having it marked does not confirm that the program is taught on this specific campus: ask about availability, scholarships, and requirements by name.
Regarding sports: it does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child is an athlete, the membership belongs to the school, not to your child: write directly to the coach for the sport, ask whether there is a place on the team, what division they compete in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships. Ask for the response in writing.
Regarding distance education: it offers it at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and reports at least one complete program that can be finished entirely at a distance. But in the overall count, only 7 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all of their classes at a distance; the other 93 took at least one class in person. If your child's plan depends on studying entirely online, confirm the exact level and major for which that applies.
The library operates with paid staff and annual spending above the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government; it has physical and digital materials and offers interlibrary lending. That threshold is only a minimum floor—it does not guarantee that specific databases exist for your child's major. Ask by program name.
Finally, the university reports the following support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a veterans' student organization, and a disability-services webpage. The reporting of these services says nothing about their actual quality or effectiveness—that must be verified by speaking with someone who already uses them.
What Happens After Students Start: Retention and Graduation
This is, to me, the most important part of the article, because this is where you can see whether a student who enrolls actually manages to stay and finish.
The cohort of first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students who entered in fall 2022 included 1,222 people. Of them, 849—69 out of every 100—met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled here or had already completed their bachelor's degree one year later. Compared with similar schools, this share is on the low side: seven out of ten schools in that group, or more, retained a larger share.
It is a truth that must be stated plainly, without dramatizing it: nearly three out of every ten students in that cohort were not still enrolled here one year later. The report does not say why—it does not distinguish between someone who transferred, someone who paused their studies, and someone who began working. Not appearing as retained does not mean someone gave up. But it is a real part of the story that deserves a direct look before you decide.
Regarding graduation: of the 1,673 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor's-degree program in 2017, 866 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 52 out of every 100—almost evenly split. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 38 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it falls below the midpoint of the group: more than half of those schools graduated a larger share within the same period.
| Time frame | Graduation rate |
|---|---|
| 4 years | 38 out of every 100 |
| 6 years | 52 out of every 100 |
Put plainly: after six years, slightly more than half of that cohort had a bachelor's degree from here, and slightly less than half did not. The report records outcomes, not the reasons for each individual case. Before deciding, ask directly what specific support the university offers to help students finish and how long it actually takes to complete the specific major that interests your child.
And remember what we saw earlier about transferring: a student who changes schools does not count as a graduate here, even if they finish elsewhere. This rate tracks only students who entered full time and for the first time—it does not include those who arrived as transfer students or those who began part time.
There is a third measure, at eight years, that broadens the view somewhat: of a cohort of 2,481 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—including first-time students and those with prior postsecondary experience, both full time and part time—52 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from here by the August 2023 reporting date. Another 26 out of every 100 appeared in the indicator for those who had not received a credential from this institution, although an inconsistency in how that indicator is defined means the data does not allow a precise statement about how many were still enrolled at that exact time.
One fact deserves your attention if your family qualifies for low-income aid: among students who received a Pell Grant in that same historical cohort, 46 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from here within eight years—10 points fewer than the group that did not receive Pell. This comparison concerns a specific 2015-16 cohort; your family's qualifying for Pell today does not determine your child's individual outcome. But if it applies, ask the school what specifically exists: is there an assigned counselor? Is emergency aid available? Does the institutional scholarship renew every year? And ask for the answers in writing.
What This Article Cannot Tell You
This article stops at the official data available about University of Southern Indiana. It does not contain information about what happens after graduation—salaries, employment, or how much debt students actually carry when they leave. That requires other sources, and it is worth seeking them separately before making a final decision.
Putting the Pieces Together
You now know in detail one of the three pieces you need to decide: what University of Southern Indiana really is according to its own official data. It is a medium-sized public university in Evansville, with a very open door to admission, a relatively low listed price compared with similar schools, and a real gap between what an Indiana resident pays and what someone from out of state pays. It is a school where nearly three out of every ten students are not still enrolled after the first year and where slightly more than half of a typical cohort finishes with a degree within six years.
None of these numbers is a verdict on your child. They are the aggregate result of thousands of different students whose circumstances differ from your child's. What you can do with this information is exactly what we have emphasized in every section: verify in writing what applies to your child's case, request the financial-aid letter before deciding anything, and ask directly about the major, learning format, and specific circumstances.
This piece is the foundation. Combine it with what your child truly wants to study and has built so far, and with what your family can and is willing to pay. From that combination, made calmly and with verified information, a real plan emerges.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, with data primarily corresponding to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 years, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Southern Indiana or any government agency; this article is an independent informational resource.