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 | Washington University in St Louis | 7600 | 102300 | 0.9256 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22200 | 0.6405 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | 8400 | 94600 | 0.9108 | 971 | 1564 | 0.0379 | |
| 4 | Lamar University | 9100 | 22900 | 0.6019 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 5 | University of Central Florida | 10100 | 31700 | 0.6821 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10200 | 41500 | 0.7543 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 7 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 27500 | 0.6258 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 8 | Arkansas State University | 11500 | 28400 | 0.596 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 9 | Francis Marion University | 11800 | 31300 | 0.623 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 10 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 22200 | 0.459 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 11 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 12 | Louisiana Tech University | 12300 | 42900 | 0.7132 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 12700 | 30000 | 0.5767 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 14 | Colorado College | 12800 | 98000 | 0.869 | 1,887 | 1357 | 0.2209 | |
| 15 | University of Arizona | 13000 | 31000 | 0.5803 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 15 | University of North Florida | 13000 | 22400 | 0.4202 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 17 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 13100 | 43000 | 0.6953 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13100 | 19400 | 0.3248 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 19 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 20 | Coastal Carolina University | 13400 | 27200 | 0.5074 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 20 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 22 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 14000 | 25600 | 0.4523 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 23 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 14100 | 31000 | 0.5458 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 23 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 25 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5802 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 26 | University of Memphis | 14300 | 29100 | 0.5088 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 27 | Troy University | 14700 | 34700 | 0.5764 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 28 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 28 | West Virginia University | 15000 | 73100 | 0.7945 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 30 | University of California-Irvine | 15100 | 40400 | 0.6267 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 | |
| 31 | University of Mississippi | 15200 | 27000 | 0.4369 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 32 | University of Maine at Farmington | 15500 | 32600 | 0.5247 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 33 | Jacksonville State University | 15600 | 27000 | 0.423 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 33 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 29800 | 0.4782 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 35 | Greensboro College | 16000 | 38300 | 0.5817 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 35 | Missouri Valley College | 16000 | 38200 | 0.5813 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6922 | |
| 37 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 26000 | 0.3809 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 38 | Tennessee State University | 16200 | 55800 | 0.7098 | 4,221 | 990 | 0.8463 | |
| 39 | Niagara University | 16300 | 57400 | 0.7158 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 40 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16400 | 38700 | 0.5755 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 41 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4058 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 41 | Union College | 16500 | 93300 | 0.8231 | 1,954 | 1399 | 0.4342 | |
| 41 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16500 | 27600 | 0.4027 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 44 | California State University-Long Beach | 16600 | 25800 | 0.3567 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 44 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 46 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 16900 | 28100 | 0.3992 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 47 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 47 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17000 | 36500 | 0.5346 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 20700 | 0.169 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 50 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 51 | Virginia State University | 17700 | 34900 | 0.4922 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 52 | Kennesaw State University | 18000 | 27400 | 0.3428 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 53 | Bentley University | 18100 | 89000 | 0.7969 | 4,620 | 1323 | 0.4729 | |
| 54 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 18200 | 66900 | 0.7279 | 1,108 | 990 | 1 | |
| 55 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 56 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 18500 | 30500 | 0.3932 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 57 | Valdosta State University | 18900 | 29600 | 0.3614 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 58 | Wheaton College | 19000 | 68000 | 0.7209 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 59 | Louisiana Christian University | 19200 | 26000 | 0.2613 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 60 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 19300 | 26900 | 0.2823 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 61 | Jackson State University | 19400 | 28100 | 0.3091 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 61 | Lehigh University | 19400 | 89800 | 0.7841 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 63 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 30900 | 0.3627 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 64 | Fort Lewis College | 20300 | 29100 | 0.3027 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 65 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 65 | Midwestern State University | 20400 | 33600 | 0.3933 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 65 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 20400 | 26100 | 0.2181 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 65 | Washburn University | 20400 | 34400 | 0.4075 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 69 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 70 | University of Wyoming | 20600 | 27900 | 0.2642 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 71 | South Carolina State University | 21000 | 43100 | 0.5131 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 71 | West Texas A & M University | 21000 | 29200 | 0.2806 | 7,110 | 1060 | 0.6681 | |
| 73 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 74 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 21300 | 27800 | 0.2336 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 75 | Iowa State University | 21400 | 25700 | 0.1685 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 76 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36200 | 0.3949 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 76 | South Dakota State University | 21900 | 25200 | 0.1303 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 78 | University of the Incarnate Word | 22000 | 58000 | 0.6205 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 79 | Oklahoma City University | 22400 | 74100 | 0.6979 | 1,546 | 1159 | 0.7103 | |
| 80 | Hope College | 22500 | 60100 | 0.6254 | 3,427 | 1216 | 0.8712 | |
| 80 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 80 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 80 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22500 | 53400 | 0.5791 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 84 | Carroll University | 23400 | 63900 | 0.6341 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 84 | Dillard University | 23400 | 54600 | 0.5718 | 1,070 | 1055 | 0.7371 | |
| 86 | Northern Arizona University | 23900 | 47000 | 0.4928 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 86 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 88 | University of Dayton | 24100 | 64400 | 0.6255 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 89 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 24300 | 53800 | 0.5485 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 90 | Seton Hall University | 24500 | 67400 | 0.6361 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 91 | Ave Maria University | 25000 | 46600 | 0.4637 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 92 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25300 | 32800 | 0.229 | 7,393 | 1125 | 0.8968 | |
| 93 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 25600 | 82600 | 0.6903 | 871 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 94 | Loyola University Maryland | 25800 | 78800 | 0.6727 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 94 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0975 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 96 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5966 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 97 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 26300 | 43400 | 0.3937 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 98 | George Fox University | 26400 | 92800 | 0.7157 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 98 | Presbyterian College | 26400 | 64600 | 0.5914 | 903 | 1150 | 0.6515 | |
| 100 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 101 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39600 | 0.3258 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 101 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4024 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 103 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 26800 | 30100 | 0.1092 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 104 | Capital University | 27100 | 63800 | 0.5751 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 105 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27300 | 39800 | 0.3139 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 106 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6336 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 107 | John Brown University | 28000 | 48300 | 0.4197 | 2,091 | 1187 | 0.6802 | |
| 107 | Marquette University | 28000 | 63800 | 0.5612 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 109 | St Bonaventure University | 28100 | 64100 | 0.5617 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 110 | Georgia State University | 29000 | 45700 | 0.3652 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 111 | Alvernia University | 29100 | 69400 | 0.5805 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 112 | Cleveland State University | 29300 | 38600 | 0.2411 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 113 | Mississippi State University | 30100 | 34400 | 0.1245 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 114 | The College of Wooster | 30700 | 82400 | 0.627 | 1,515 | 1345 | 0.6438 | |
| 114 | Wofford College | 30700 | 73200 | 0.5805 | 1,781 | 1305 | 0.5487 | |
| 116 | Angelo State University | 31600 | 35400 | 0.107 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 116 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5822 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 118 | Hampton University | 31700 | 54800 | 0.4215 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 119 | Westminster University | 31800 | 94100 | 0.6623 | 868 | 1205 | 0.6513 | |
| 120 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 121 | Villanova University | 32100 | 92900 | 0.6548 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 122 | Azusa Pacific University | 32200 | 66600 | 0.5162 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8842 | |
| 123 | University of Louisville | 32300 | 42100 | 0.2325 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 124 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 32400 | 38400 | 0.1562 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 125 | Rider University | 32500 | 60200 | 0.4601 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 126 | North Carolina State University | 32700 | 54800 | 0.4032 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 127 | Wichita State University | 32800 | 42200 | 0.2226 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 128 | Ursinus College | 33200 | 83700 | 0.6038 | 1,378 | 1303 | 0.9285 | |
| 129 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 130 | Allegheny College | 33400 | 77600 | 0.5703 | 1,125 | 1243 | 0.5877 | |
| 130 | Utica University | 33400 | 48600 | 0.3129 | 2,191 | 1214 | 0.9187 | |
| 132 | Elizabethtown College | 33600 | 57500 | 0.4154 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 133 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 134 | Berry College | 34500 | 62400 | 0.4472 | 2,262 | 1219 | 0.7315 | |
| 135 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 136 | University of Idaho | 34800 | 48700 | 0.2854 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 137 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35000 | 42000 | 0.1667 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 138 | Cedarville University | 35700 | 57000 | 0.3735 | 5,794 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 139 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 36000 | 39700 | 0.0932 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 140 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 54000 | 0.326 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 141 | Loyola University New Orleans | 37000 | 74600 | 0.5039 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 142 | Beloit College | 37100 | 81700 | 0.5457 | 997 | 1296 | 0.7039 | |
| 142 | University of West Georgia | 37100 | 47300 | 0.2155 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 144 | Xavier University | 37600 | 68100 | 0.4481 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 145 | Widener University | 37700 | 79400 | 0.5254 | 2,975 | 1179 | 0.7093 | |
| 146 | Middle Tennessee State University | 37800 | 48300 | 0.2174 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 147 | East Tennessee State University | 38400 | 38500 | 0.0026 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 148 | Loyola University Chicago | 38800 | 73100 | 0.469 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 148 | Westmont College | 38800 | 80300 | 0.5168 | 1,311 | 1315 | 0.8059 | |
| 150 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4512 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 150 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3915 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 150 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39300 | 40300 | 0.0248 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 153 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 154 | Saint Francis University | 39900 | 67300 | 0.407 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 155 | Boise State University | 40000 | 50100 | 0.2014 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 156 | University of Maine | 40300 | 42800 | 0.0585 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 157 | University of Redlands | 41300 | 90700 | 0.5448 | 1,941 | 1233 | 0.8272 | |
| 158 | Butler University | 41400 | 68400 | 0.395 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 159 | Susquehanna University | 41800 | 85600 | 0.5116 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 160 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85300 | 0.5016 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 161 | Saint Louis University | 43000 | 84300 | 0.4896 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 162 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45100 | 0.0355 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 162 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4478 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 164 | State University of New York at Cortland | 44800 | 52600 | 0.1482 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 165 | University of Kentucky | 48400 | 59900 | 0.1912 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 166 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 48600 | 57000 | 0.1475 | 8,219 | 1100 | 0.9485 | |
| 167 | Marymount Manhattan College | 49200 | 74900 | 0.3432 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 168 | Chapman University | 50200 | 94000 | 0.4662 | 7,630 | 1336 | 0.7206 | |
| 168 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 170 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 50500 | 58800 | 0.141 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 171 | Northwest Nazarene University | 51500 | 87600 | 0.412 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 172 | University of Georgia | 52100 | 52100 | 0 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 173 | Molloy University | 56100 | 62300 | 0.0996 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 174 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 175 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 176 | Mercyhurst University | 61200 | 68000 | 0.1 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 177 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 64000 | 64000 | 0 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 178 | Santa Clara University | 69400 | 85400 | 0.1873 | 6,695 | 1399 | 0.4788 | |
| 179 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82900 | 82900 | 0 | 18,194 | 1281 | 0.7273 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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