Side-by-side
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus vs Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Similar selectivity (87% vs 81%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $22k.
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 81% | 87% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $14,460 | $13,334 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $22,448 | $13,334 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $14,460 | $13,334 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $22,448 | $13,334 |
| Graduation rate | 63% | 59% |
| Total enrollment | 12,812 | 8,494 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus-vs-southern-illinois-university-carbondale.