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 | California Institute of Technology | 6800 | 91800 | 0.9264 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 96200 | 0.9033 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10200 | 27800 | 0.632 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 5 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 6 | Tennessee State University | 11400 | 48200 | 0.7627 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7018 | |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 11500 | 24800 | 0.5368 | 6,817 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 8 | Wichita State University | 11700 | 29800 | 0.6086 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 10 | West Virginia University | 12800 | 57700 | 0.778 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 11 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 12900 | 23400 | 0.4493 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 11 | University of West Florida | 12900 | 21500 | 0.3995 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 13 | Saginaw Valley State University | 13000 | 28600 | 0.5467 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 15 | University of Idaho | 13400 | 25800 | 0.4808 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 15 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 18 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 19 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 20 | Louisiana Tech University | 14300 | 36900 | 0.6124 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 20 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 20 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 14300 | 28900 | 0.5059 | 8,320 | 1074 | 0.8858 | |
| 23 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14400 | 26500 | 0.4563 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 24 | Texas State University | 14500 | 24500 | 0.4075 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 25 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4446 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 26 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 29000 | 0.4808 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 26 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 28 | Grand Valley State University | 15300 | 25300 | 0.3957 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 29 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15500 | 25600 | 0.3938 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 30 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 31 | University of Memphis | 15700 | 29900 | 0.4745 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 32 | James Madison University | 15800 | 28900 | 0.4537 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 32 | University of North Florida | 15800 | 33000 | 0.5216 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 34 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 34 | Sam Houston State University | 16000 | 30300 | 0.4716 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 36 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 16100 | 23200 | 0.306 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 37 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 38 | Jacksonville State University | 16500 | 27000 | 0.3896 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 39 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 39 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 16600 | 24900 | 0.3329 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 39 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16600 | 22300 | 0.2554 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 42 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16800 | 48200 | 0.6518 | 20,609 | 990 | 0.999 | |
| 43 | University of Maine | 16900 | 29300 | 0.4235 | 9,601 | 1178 | 0.9664 | |
| 43 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 16900 | 33600 | 0.4966 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 45 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 46 | Lamar University | 17200 | 41900 | 0.5895 | 8,218 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 47 | Weber State University | 17300 | 41300 | 0.5806 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 48 | Greensboro College | 17400 | 37800 | 0.5396 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 49 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 50 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 51 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3585 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 51 | Virginia State University | 17800 | 29500 | 0.3963 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 53 | Georgia Southern University | 17900 | 26800 | 0.3326 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 54 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 18100 | 36500 | 0.5044 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 55 | State University of New York at Cortland | 18200 | 27700 | 0.3427 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 56 | East Tennessee State University | 18700 | 26100 | 0.283 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 57 | University of Mississippi | 18800 | 45000 | 0.5828 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 58 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 18900 | 18900 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 59 | Francis Marion University | 19100 | 37100 | 0.485 | 3,635 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 59 | University of West Georgia | 19100 | 48000 | 0.6024 | 9,157 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 61 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19200 | 33700 | 0.4308 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 62 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 965 | 0.4823 | |
| 63 | Wheaton College | 19400 | 84800 | 0.7712 | 2,119 | 1351 | 0.8998 | |
| 64 | Midwestern State University | 19500 | 28600 | 0.3176 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 65 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 65 | South Carolina State University | 20100 | 42000 | 0.5209 | 2,950 | 910 | 0.8262 | |
| 67 | Boise State University | 20300 | 59700 | 0.66 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 68 | Georgia College & State University | 20400 | 52400 | 0.6106 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 68 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 68 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 20400 | 41300 | 0.5061 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 71 | Utica University | 20600 | 43400 | 0.5249 | 2,333 | 1120 | 0.8679 | |
| 72 | Loyola University New Orleans | 20800 | 72100 | 0.7113 | 3,032 | 1145 | 0.9305 | |
| 72 | Pennsylvania Western University | 20800 | 26600 | 0.218 | 7,586 | 0 | 0.9433 | |
| 72 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3286 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 75 | University of the Incarnate Word | 20900 | 73100 | 0.7143 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9815 | |
| 76 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 15,130 | 1095 | 0.5256 | |
| 77 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 77 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 79 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 803 | 1065 | 0.8379 | |
| 80 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 81 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 22100 | 59900 | 0.6309 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 81 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 81 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 84 | West Texas A & M University | 22200 | 22400 | 0.0089 | 6,930 | 1060 | 0.5863 | |
| 85 | Allegheny College | 22700 | 75400 | 0.6994 | 1,171 | 1269 | 0.5452 | |
| 86 | SUNY Oneonta | 23400 | 49300 | 0.5258 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 87 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 23900 | 30500 | 0.2162 | 6,800 | 1245 | 0.6857 | |
| 87 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3386 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 89 | Ave Maria University | 24000 | 45400 | 0.4712 | 1,250 | 1193 | 0.4481 | |
| 90 | Northern Arizona University | 24100 | 43700 | 0.4487 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 90 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 24100 | 58100 | 0.5848 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 92 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 25000 | 56100 | 0.5541 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 93 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 94 | Hope College | 25400 | 60100 | 0.5772 | 3,395 | 1245 | 0.7924 | |
| 95 | Northwest Nazarene University | 25500 | 75700 | 0.6635 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 95 | University of Redlands | 25500 | 84200 | 0.6975 | 2,045 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 97 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 25800 | 39200 | 0.3419 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 98 | Westminster University | 26000 | 81400 | 0.6807 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 99 | Aquinas College | 26200 | 53400 | 0.5098 | 1,019 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 99 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 99 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 26200 | 61400 | 0.5725 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 99 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 26200 | 53800 | 0.5132 | 2,803 | 1085 | 0.9576 | |
| 103 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 26300 | 43000 | 0.388 | 5,789 | 1060 | 0.5774 | |
| 104 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 104 | Oklahoma City University | 26500 | 62200 | 0.5738 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 104 | Washburn University | 26500 | 36300 | 0.2697 | 5,331 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 107 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 107 | University of Arizona | 27200 | 38500 | 0.2932 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 109 | Cleveland State University | 27300 | 37300 | 0.2682 | 9,418 | 1105 | 0.913 | |
| 110 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6322 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 111 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 111 | Marquette University | 27700 | 66200 | 0.5813 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 113 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 27800 | 67800 | 0.5902 | 936 | 995 | 0.8003 | |
| 114 | Villanova University | 27900 | 88800 | 0.6856 | 7,006 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 115 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.4166 | 1,882 | 1220 | 0.6764 | |
| 116 | Missouri Valley College | 28300 | 38200 | 0.2592 | 1,558 | 1010 | 0.5269 | |
| 117 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 118 | Beloit College | 30400 | 97600 | 0.6884 | 1,004 | 1298 | 0.6304 | |
| 119 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 120 | Samford University | 30600 | 78000 | 0.6074 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 121 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.6264 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 122 | Azusa Pacific University | 30900 | 66600 | 0.5357 | 2,996 | 1138 | 0.7959 | |
| 122 | Wofford College | 30900 | 73200 | 0.5784 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 124 | University of North Dakota | 31100 | 33700 | 0.0781 | 11,033 | 1189 | 0.769 | |
| 125 | Carroll University | 31200 | 61500 | 0.4929 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 126 | Coastal Carolina University | 31300 | 45100 | 0.3061 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 126 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31300 | 59600 | 0.4745 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3296 | |
| 128 | Angelo State University | 31800 | 35400 | 0.1027 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 128 | University of Dayton | 31800 | 64200 | 0.5048 | 7,740 | 1284 | 0.6566 | |
| 130 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 130 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 132 | Hampton University | 32300 | 62400 | 0.482 | 3,728 | 956 | 0.6225 | |
| 133 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 32400 | 93400 | 0.6533 | 1,525 | 1283 | 0.556 | |
| 134 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 135 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 136 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4004 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 137 | University of Louisville | 33500 | 42000 | 0.2026 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 138 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 139 | Loyola University Chicago | 34000 | 68100 | 0.5008 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 140 | Salisbury University | 34200 | 41700 | 0.1797 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 141 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 34700 | 37800 | 0.0829 | 5,086 | 1000 | 0.9821 | |
| 141 | Hofstra University | 34700 | 77000 | 0.5492 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 143 | Cedarville University | 35900 | 57000 | 0.3709 | 4,916 | 1247 | 0.6488 | |
| 144 | Berry College | 36000 | 60900 | 0.4091 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 145 | Loyola University Maryland | 36300 | 78800 | 0.5394 | 3,881 | 1309 | 0.7549 | |
| 145 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2801 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 147 | Seattle University | 36500 | 74600 | 0.5105 | 4,103 | 1243 | 0.7703 | |
| 148 | Western Kentucky University | 36600 | 42300 | 0.1348 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 149 | Clark Atlanta University | 36800 | 61700 | 0.4037 | 3,495 | 1000 | 0.6463 | |
| 150 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 151 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 152 | Saint Francis University | 37900 | 62800 | 0.3967 | 2,450 | 1150 | 0.7916 | |
| 153 | Westmont College | 38300 | 80300 | 0.523 | 1,311 | 1324 | 0.7704 | |
| 154 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 155 | Arcadia University | 39400 | 71600 | 0.4491 | 2,030 | 1185 | 0.8022 | |
| 156 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 156 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 158 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 159 | University of Wyoming | 40200 | 45300 | 0.1134 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 160 | Saint Vincent College | 41400 | 64600 | 0.3582 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 161 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42300 | 42300 | 0 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 161 | Widener University | 42300 | 79400 | 0.4674 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 163 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 164 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 43400 | 53700 | 0.1917 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 165 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 165 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 167 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 168 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43900 | 57100 | 0.2302 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 169 | Saint Louis University | 44600 | 80900 | 0.4485 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 170 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 171 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48300 | 60000 | 0.1949 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 172 | Molloy University | 48900 | 62300 | 0.2152 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 173 | Chapman University | 51400 | 94000 | 0.4534 | 7,713 | 1357 | 0.6543 | |
| 174 | Miami University-Oxford | 56600 | 56600 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 175 | Santa Clara University | 57700 | 85400 | 0.3244 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 176 | Presbyterian College | 59800 | 62700 | 0.0462 | 853 | 1105 | 0.6837 | |
| 177 | University of California-Irvine | 72800 | 74700 | 0.0254 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 178 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82000 | 82000 | 0 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6557 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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