Which colleges are most affordable for Illinois residents ? The answer may surprise you.
These rankings of the most affordable colleges for Illinois residents are based on the estimated net price for a "typical" middle class family living in the state of Illinois.
Note: Net price is the actual cost of the school paid by the student and family, after factoring in merit and grant aid from the college federal programs and work study.The net prices displayed in these rankings are College Raptor's estimates.
“Typical” middle class family values used in the Net Price estimates on this page are:
| Rank | Institution | Typical Net Price | Sticker Price | % Savings | Undergraduates | Est. Median SAT | Acceptance Rate | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Henry College | 3800 | 42000 | 0.9089 | 425 | 1345 | 0.7744 | |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 7600 | 34500 | 0.7792 | 16,086 | 1293 | 0.5117 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 96200 | 0.9037 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Francis Marion University | 9800 | 25400 | 0.6139 | 3,635 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 5 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 6 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5776 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 7 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 8 | Marshall University | 11400 | 27100 | 0.5784 | 9,165 | 1065 | 0.9572 | |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5739 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 10 | Lehigh University | 12500 | 85700 | 0.8546 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 11 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 12700 | 37100 | 0.6572 | 4,218 | 1020 | 0.9307 | |
| 12 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12800 | 24400 | 0.4759 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 13 | Saginaw Valley State University | 12900 | 28600 | 0.5484 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 14 | Texas State University | 13200 | 23200 | 0.4313 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 15 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 16 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 18 | Northwest Missouri State University | 14600 | 27900 | 0.476 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 18 | Union College | 14600 | 91000 | 0.8396 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 20 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 21 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 22 | University of California-Irvine | 15200 | 35300 | 0.5701 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 23 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15300 | 28100 | 0.4555 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 24 | California State University-Long Beach | 15400 | 25800 | 0.4032 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 25 | University of Maine at Farmington | 15500 | 23200 | 0.3312 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 26 | James Madison University | 15600 | 28600 | 0.4538 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 27 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 15900 | 24900 | 0.361 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 27 | Troy University | 15900 | 26700 | 0.4044 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 29 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 30 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 16300 | 26800 | 0.392 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 31 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16400 | 22300 | 0.2643 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 32 | Midwestern State University | 17800 | 29000 | 0.3858 | 4,508 | 1055 | 0.8738 | |
| 33 | Georgia Southern University | 18000 | 23800 | 0.2441 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 34 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 35 | Angelo State University | 18400 | 23100 | 0.2026 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 35 | SUNY Oneonta | 18400 | 29300 | 0.372 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 37 | Greensboro College | 18500 | 37800 | 0.5105 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 38 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.482 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 38 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45500 | 0.5895 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 40 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 41 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19500 | 71100 | 0.726 | 3,032 | 1145 | 0.9305 | |
| 41 | Western Kentucky University | 19500 | 26800 | 0.2725 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 43 | Wheaton College | 19600 | 82000 | 0.7609 | 2,119 | 1351 | 0.8998 | |
| 44 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1747 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 45 | South Carolina State University | 20300 | 30000 | 0.3228 | 2,950 | 865 | 0.8262 | |
| 46 | Allegheny College | 20500 | 75200 | 0.7269 | 1,171 | 1269 | 0.5452 | |
| 46 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20500 | 30000 | 0.3172 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 48 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 49 | Niagara University | 20800 | 57400 | 0.6374 | 2,692 | 970 | 0.3972 | |
| 49 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3302 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 51 | University of Miami | 21100 | 70800 | 0.7023 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 52 | Grove City College | 21200 | 37200 | 0.4302 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 53 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3343 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 54 | Cleveland State University | 21400 | 30900 | 0.3071 | 9,418 | 1005 | 0.913 | |
| 55 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 803 | 1065 | 0.8379 | |
| 56 | Dillard University | 21600 | 50400 | 0.5717 | 1,117 | 1080 | 0.4051 | |
| 57 | Bentley University | 22000 | 84500 | 0.7394 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 57 | South Dakota State University | 22000 | 25200 | 0.1263 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 59 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 60 | Ave Maria University | 22300 | 44800 | 0.502 | 1,250 | 1193 | 0.4481 | |
| 61 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 62 | University of Memphis | 22700 | 30000 | 0.2437 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 63 | West Texas A & M University | 22800 | 24600 | 0.0732 | 6,930 | 1060 | 0.5863 | |
| 64 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 22900 | 22900 | 0 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 65 | Berry College | 23100 | 60800 | 0.6199 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 66 | Utica University | 23700 | 41100 | 0.423 | 2,333 | 1120 | 0.8679 | |
| 67 | Beloit College | 23800 | 75600 | 0.6855 | 1,004 | 1298 | 0.6304 | |
| 67 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 23800 | 24500 | 0.0285 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 69 | Saint Cloud State University | 24500 | 35100 | 0.303 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 70 | University of North Dakota | 25000 | 27700 | 0.0971 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 71 | Mary Baldwin University | 25400 | 46100 | 0.4487 | 1,217 | 1099 | 0.947 | |
| 72 | Hope College | 25700 | 60100 | 0.5722 | 3,395 | 1245 | 0.7924 | |
| 73 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 73 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25900 | 31500 | 0.1779 | 6,817 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 73 | Westmont College | 25900 | 76400 | 0.6612 | 1,311 | 1324 | 0.7704 | |
| 76 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5966 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 76 | Westminster University | 26100 | 59500 | 0.561 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 78 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 78 | University of Arizona | 26500 | 35200 | 0.247 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 80 | Northwest Nazarene University | 26600 | 68400 | 0.6111 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 80 | Pennsylvania Western University | 26600 | 35600 | 0.2531 | 7,586 | 1070 | 0.9433 | |
| 82 | Lamar University | 26700 | 37700 | 0.2915 | 8,206 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 82 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 26700 | 48200 | 0.4462 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 82 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 30800 | 0.1328 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 85 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 86 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 87 | Capital University | 27200 | 68600 | 0.6036 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 88 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 27400 | 53300 | 0.4858 | 2,803 | 1105 | 0.9576 | |
| 89 | Aquinas College | 27500 | 53300 | 0.4842 | 1,019 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 89 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6326 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 91 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 27600 | 27600 | 0 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 92 | Tennessee State University | 27700 | 39300 | 0.2954 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7018 | |
| 92 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 94 | Missouri Valley College | 27800 | 38100 | 0.2703 | 1,558 | 985 | 0.5269 | |
| 95 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 27900 | 54800 | 0.4907 | 936 | 980 | 0.8003 | |
| 95 | University of Louisville | 27900 | 42200 | 0.3387 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 95 | Villanova University | 27900 | 88800 | 0.6856 | 7,006 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 98 | John Brown University | 28100 | 48300 | 0.4176 | 1,882 | 1226 | 0.6764 | |
| 99 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 99 | Washburn University | 28200 | 38100 | 0.26 | 5,331 | 1015 | 1 | |
| 101 | Jacksonville State University | 28500 | 38200 | 0.2537 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 102 | George Fox University | 28700 | 67100 | 0.5727 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 103 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 104 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 29800 | 41000 | 0.2729 | 8,320 | 1074 | 0.8858 | |
| 105 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.5538 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 106 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 107 | St Bonaventure University | 30600 | 61000 | 0.4981 | 2,048 | 1194 | 0.8165 | |
| 107 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 30600 | 31100 | 0.0161 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 109 | East Tennessee State University | 30700 | 30700 | 0 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 109 | The College of Wooster | 30700 | 82400 | 0.627 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 109 | University of Redlands | 30700 | 81400 | 0.6227 | 2,045 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 112 | Carroll University | 30800 | 61400 | 0.4983 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 112 | Georgia State University | 30800 | 44400 | 0.306 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 112 | Wofford College | 30800 | 73200 | 0.5791 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 115 | Azusa Pacific University | 30900 | 66000 | 0.532 | 2,996 | 1138 | 0.7959 | |
| 116 | University of West Georgia | 31300 | 36000 | 0.1306 | 9,157 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 117 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 31500 | 36700 | 0.1417 | 5,789 | 1115 | 0.5774 | |
| 118 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 119 | Samford University | 31800 | 65200 | 0.5122 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 119 | University of North Florida | 31800 | 37900 | 0.161 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 121 | Sam Houston State University | 32100 | 39900 | 0.1955 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 122 | Hampton University | 32300 | 47000 | 0.3128 | 3,728 | 956 | 0.6225 | |
| 123 | Widener University | 32500 | 75300 | 0.5682 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 124 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4013 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 124 | University of Dayton | 32800 | 64100 | 0.4883 | 7,737 | 1284 | 0.6566 | |
| 126 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 32900 | 73700 | 0.5534 | 1,525 | 1241 | 0.556 | |
| 127 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 0 | 0.5256 | |
| 127 | Virginia State University | 33300 | 42200 | 0.2111 | 4,829 | 935 | 0.891 | |
| 129 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 54600 | 0.383 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 129 | Stephen F Austin State University | 33700 | 42800 | 0.2126 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 131 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34400 | 34500 | 0.0029 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 132 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 132 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 34600 | 37800 | 0.0842 | 5,086 | 1000 | 0.9821 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 134 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 34900 | 48400 | 0.2791 | 20,609 | 990 | 0.999 | |
| 136 | Cedarville University | 35000 | 55100 | 0.366 | 4,916 | 1247 | 0.6488 | |
| 137 | Coastal Carolina University | 35100 | 44700 | 0.2146 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 137 | Goldey-Beacom College | 35100 | 38100 | 0.0796 | 702 | 0 | 0.7653 | |
| 139 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 140 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 35700 | 42400 | 0.158 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 141 | Boise State University | 35800 | 48800 | 0.2664 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 142 | Salisbury University | 36000 | 40900 | 0.1199 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 143 | University of Maine | 36100 | 45100 | 0.1996 | 591 | 1199 | 0.9684 | |
| 144 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2811 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 144 | State University of New York at Cortland | 36300 | 39900 | 0.0903 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 144 | Tennessee Technological University | 36300 | 38500 | 0.0567 | 8,838 | 1159 | 0.8316 | |
| 147 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 147 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 36700 | 38900 | 0.0561 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 149 | Clark Atlanta University | 36800 | 49800 | 0.2613 | 3,495 | 1000 | 0.6463 | |
| 150 | Loyola University Chicago | 37600 | 67600 | 0.444 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 150 | Wichita State University | 37600 | 39600 | 0.0504 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 152 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 37700 | 51000 | 0.2605 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 153 | Seattle University | 37800 | 69800 | 0.4582 | 4,103 | 1256 | 0.7703 | |
| 154 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 154 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 156 | Saint Vincent College | 38500 | 60700 | 0.3655 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 156 | Suffolk University | 38500 | 73600 | 0.4771 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 158 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38600 | 44600 | 0.1345 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 159 | University of Wyoming | 38700 | 43800 | 0.1183 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 160 | Hofstra University | 38900 | 74600 | 0.4784 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 160 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38900 | 52900 | 0.2645 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 162 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 39000 | 39000 | 0 | 6,800 | 1245 | 0.6857 | |
| 163 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 164 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4108 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 165 | Alvernia University | 39800 | 68700 | 0.4208 | 2,050 | 1060 | 0.6232 | |
| 166 | University of Georgia | 40300 | 46000 | 0.1242 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 167 | Marymount Manhattan College | 40600 | 68600 | 0.4079 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 168 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 41300 | 41300 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 169 | Marquette University | 41400 | 75100 | 0.4489 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 170 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 41600 | 42500 | 0.0212 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 171 | Arkansas State University | 41900 | 45800 | 0.0838 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 172 | Loyola University Maryland | 42000 | 78800 | 0.4671 | 3,881 | 1309 | 0.7549 | |
| 173 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 174 | Old Dominion University | 42300 | 52400 | 0.1926 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 175 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 176 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 177 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4478 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 178 | Georgia College & State University | 45100 | 52400 | 0.1393 | 6,006 | 1155 | 0.8779 | |
| 179 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 180 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 74500 | 0.3826 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 181 | Presbyterian College | 47300 | 62700 | 0.2455 | 853 | 1105 | 0.6837 | |
| 182 | Molloy University | 48200 | 62300 | 0.2265 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 183 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 50200 | 52300 | 0.0401 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 184 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 185 | Chapman University | 51300 | 87300 | 0.4125 | 7,713 | 1357 | 0.6543 | |
| 186 | Oklahoma City University | 52000 | 52000 | 0 | 1,447 | 1190 | 0.7039 | |
| 187 | Miami University-Oxford | 56100 | 56100 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 188 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 56200 | 66500 | 0.1549 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6557 | |
| 189 | Santa Clara University | 56600 | 84800 | 0.3327 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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