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Blackburn College
Most applicants get into Blackburn College — 63.2% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
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Blackburn College anchors the college town of Carlinville, IL, where the private campus and town largely share a footprint. The school maintains its Presbyterian Church (USA) affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Biology, General, where graduates median $54,587 four years out. Faculty pay averages $102,168 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 471 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 67.2% of first-years come back for a second year.
Blackburn College won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
Blackburn College does not use test scores in admissions at all: the 63.2% who got into Blackburn College did it on GPA, coursework and application alone. No score range exists to publish.
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Blackburn College received 1,113 applications and admitted 892 (80.1%), with 86 enrolling.
How Blackburn College compares
| Blackburn College | Illinois median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 63.2% | 77% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $28,149 | $31,360 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $46,802 | $58,572 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, Blackburn College's median earnings are $46,802 — below the Illinois benchmark of $58,572. Weigh that against the $28,149 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
Blackburn College lists tuition at $28,149 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Blackburn College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $28,149 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 471 undergraduates, Blackburn College is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
57.5% graduate within six years. Roughly 43% don't — ask a Blackburn College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Blackburn College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Biology, General | $54,587 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $46,283 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,004 |
Median earnings for these 3 Blackburn College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $46,802 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 39 additional Blackburn College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Blackburn College?
Blackburn College doesn't look at test scores; its 63.2% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Blackburn College's acceptance rate?
80.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 892 admitted from 1,113 applicants.
How much does Blackburn College cost?
At Blackburn College, published tuition is $28,149 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Blackburn College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Blackburn College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $46,802 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Illinois
- Bradley University — 76.8% admitted
- Aurora University — 80.8% admitted
- Augustana College — 62.7% admitted
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago — 77.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.