School value profile
Southern Illinois University Carbondale OT value profile
Review why Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranks #45 in The OT Index public-program value ranking, including institution-level cost, debt, completion, state labor-market context, and matched ACOTE program profiles.
Value rank #4553.5 value score$13,334 in-state tuition$21,543 median debt
Value snapshot
Cost, debt, completion, and career-return context
This profile keeps College Scorecard institution-level measures separate from ACOTE and NBCOT program-specific context so applicants can see what is known and what still needs direct confirmation.
Our take
Southern Illinois University Carbondale value assessment
Why it stands out
- 62% completion is above the comparison midpoint, which matters because affordability is more compelling when students are also completing at a strong rate.
- Illinois's labor-market score is above the program-set midpoint, giving graduates a stronger local employment backdrop than price alone would suggest.
Tradeoffs that matter
- Published in-state tuition is $2,862 above the comparison midpoint, so this is not one of the genuinely low-price public options.
- Median debt is $592 above the midpoint. That borrowing result directly weakens the return-on-cost case.
- A #45 rank places the institution in the lower half of the public-value comparison; stronger-priced alternatives are readily available in the same dataset.
What to compare next
- Compare Southern Illinois University Carbondale with the two nearest-ranked public options on tuition and debt separately; similar value scores can be driven by different affordability strengths.
- Compare the matched OT doctorate program profile on degree and delivery format before treating the institution-level price advantage as a program-level win.
- Put Illinois's labor-market score beside the state where you expect to work after graduation; local value is less relevant when the likely first job is elsewhere.
Applicant read
What makes this school look affordable—or not
The value score is strongest when low cost, manageable debt, institution-wide completion strength, and local labor-market opportunity point in the same direction.
Published tuition
The published in-state tuition is competitive, but program fees and living costs can erase some of that advantage.
Median debt
The institution-wide median debt is moderate, so tuition—not unusually low borrowing—is doing most of the work in the value score.
Completion rate
The institution-wide completion rate is low enough to undercut the value case: a low price matters less when completion is less dependable.
State opportunity
Illinois has a middle-of-the-pack job market in this model. Compare the strongest metros and common first jobs instead of relying on the statewide average.
Program profiles
Linked ACOTE program profiles
Open the program-level profiles before treating the institution-level value score as an application decision.
| Program profile | Value context | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale OT doctorate profile | OT doctorate program; ACOTE next on-site review 2031/2032. | Open profile |
Compare value options
Other public OT value profiles
Compare the value score against other public options before narrowing your application list.
Rank #40
University of Illinois Chicago
$14,338 in-state tuition; $16,704 median debt; 55.3 value score.
Open value profile Rank #67Governors State University
$12,004 in-state tuition; $18,618 median debt; 48.1 value score.
Open value profile Rank #82Chicago State University
$12,754 in-state tuition; $30,625 median debt; 34.6 value score.
Open value profile
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a weaker value proposition than most public institutions in this comparison for an in-state applicant. Neither tuition nor debt beats the comparison midpoint, which explains the weaker placement. The 62% completion rate supports the case.