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 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 5 | Tennessee State University | 11400 | 48200 | 0.7627 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7018 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 48200 | 0.7577 | 20,609 | 990 | 0.999 | |
| 6 | Wichita State University | 11700 | 29800 | 0.6086 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 8 | Midwestern State University | 12000 | 21600 | 0.4439 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 9 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 12100 | 43000 | 0.7186 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3296 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 11 | University of West Florida | 12900 | 21500 | 0.3995 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 12 | Louisiana Tech University | 13000 | 36900 | 0.6476 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 12 | Saginaw Valley State University | 13000 | 28600 | 0.5467 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 12 | West Virginia University | 13000 | 57700 | 0.7745 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 17 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 13600 | 27600 | 0.508 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 18 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 13900 | 25700 | 0.4586 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 19 | Arkansas Tech University | 14100 | 35900 | 0.6065 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 19 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 21 | University of North Florida | 14200 | 22400 | 0.3665 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 22 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 14300 | 28900 | 0.5059 | 8,320 | 1074 | 0.8858 | |
| 23 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14400 | 28000 | 0.4854 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 24 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14600 | 22600 | 0.3536 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 25 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4446 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 26 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 37700 | 0.6009 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 26 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 28 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15500 | 25600 | 0.3938 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 29 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 29 | Salisbury University | 15600 | 28700 | 0.4563 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 31 | University of Memphis | 15800 | 26400 | 0.4023 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 32 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 32 | Sam Houston State University | 16000 | 30300 | 0.4716 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 34 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 16100 | 23200 | 0.306 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 35 | Lamar University | 16200 | 22900 | 0.2922 | 8,218 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 36 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 37 | Appalachian State University | 16500 | 19500 | 0.1541 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 37 | 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 | |
| 40 | Texas State University | 16800 | 26800 | 0.3727 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 41 | Weber State University | 17300 | 41300 | 0.5806 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 42 | Greensboro College | 17400 | 37800 | 0.5396 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 43 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 43 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 45 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 46 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 17800 | 50400 | 0.6471 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 46 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3585 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 48 | Georgia Southern University | 17900 | 26800 | 0.3326 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 48 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 17900 | 52500 | 0.659 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 50 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 18100 | 36500 | 0.5044 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 51 | SUNY Oneonta | 18400 | 29300 | 0.372 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 52 | University of Mississippi | 18800 | 45000 | 0.5828 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 53 | Francis Marion University | 19100 | 37100 | 0.485 | 3,635 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 54 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19200 | 33700 | 0.4309 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 55 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 965 | 0.4823 | |
| 55 | University of West Georgia | 19300 | 24900 | 0.225 | 9,157 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 57 | Wheaton College | 19400 | 84800 | 0.7712 | 2,119 | 1351 | 0.8998 | |
| 58 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 58 | Iowa State University | 20100 | 24200 | 0.1726 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 60 | South Carolina State University | 20200 | 30000 | 0.3262 | 2,950 | 910 | 0.8262 | |
| 61 | Boise State University | 20300 | 59700 | 0.66 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 62 | Georgia College & State University | 20400 | 52400 | 0.6106 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 62 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 64 | Utica University | 20600 | 43400 | 0.5249 | 2,333 | 1120 | 0.8679 | |
| 65 | Loyola University New Orleans | 20800 | 72100 | 0.7113 | 3,032 | 1145 | 0.9305 | |
| 65 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3286 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 67 | University of the Incarnate Word | 20900 | 73100 | 0.7143 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9815 | |
| 68 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 68 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 70 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 803 | 1065 | 0.8379 | |
| 71 | Pennsylvania Western University | 21700 | 28200 | 0.2309 | 7,586 | 0 | 0.9433 | |
| 72 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 73 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 73 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 75 | West Texas A & M University | 22200 | 22400 | 0.0089 | 6,930 | 1060 | 0.5863 | |
| 76 | Allegheny College | 22700 | 75400 | 0.6994 | 1,171 | 1269 | 0.5452 | |
| 77 | Ave Maria University | 24000 | 45400 | 0.4712 | 1,250 | 1193 | 0.4481 | |
| 78 | Northern Arizona University | 24100 | 43700 | 0.4489 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 78 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 24100 | 58100 | 0.5848 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 80 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 24900 | 28000 | 0.1119 | 5,086 | 1000 | 0.9821 | |
| 81 | Marquette University | 25000 | 63100 | 0.6034 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 81 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 25000 | 56100 | 0.5541 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 83 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 84 | Hope College | 25400 | 60100 | 0.5772 | 3,395 | 1245 | 0.7924 | |
| 85 | Northwest Nazarene University | 25500 | 75700 | 0.6635 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 85 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25500 | 31500 | 0.1906 | 6,817 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 85 | University of Redlands | 25500 | 84200 | 0.6975 | 2,045 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 88 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 25800 | 39200 | 0.3419 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 89 | East Tennessee State University | 25900 | 30600 | 0.1535 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 89 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 25900 | 59900 | 0.5675 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 89 | University of North Dakota | 25900 | 28600 | 0.0923 | 11,033 | 1189 | 0.769 | |
| 92 | Westminster University | 26000 | 81400 | 0.6807 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 93 | Aquinas College | 26200 | 53400 | 0.5098 | 1,019 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 93 | Grand Valley State University | 26200 | 36300 | 0.2786 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 93 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 26200 | 61400 | 0.5725 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 93 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 26200 | 53800 | 0.5132 | 2,803 | 1085 | 0.9576 | |
| 97 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 26300 | 43000 | 0.388 | 5,789 | 1060 | 0.5774 | |
| 98 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 98 | Oklahoma City University | 26500 | 62200 | 0.5738 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 98 | Washburn University | 26500 | 36300 | 0.2697 | 5,331 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 101 | University of Idaho | 27000 | 45200 | 0.4023 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 102 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 102 | University of Arizona | 27200 | 38500 | 0.2932 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 104 | Cleveland State University | 27300 | 37300 | 0.2682 | 9,418 | 1105 | 0.913 | |
| 105 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6322 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 106 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 107 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 27800 | 67800 | 0.5902 | 936 | 995 | 0.8003 | |
| 108 | Villanova University | 27900 | 88800 | 0.6856 | 7,006 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 109 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.4166 | 1,882 | 1220 | 0.6764 | |
| 110 | Missouri Valley College | 28300 | 38200 | 0.2592 | 1,558 | 1010 | 0.5269 | |
| 111 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 112 | Beloit College | 30400 | 97600 | 0.6884 | 1,004 | 1298 | 0.6304 | |
| 113 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 114 | Samford University | 30600 | 78000 | 0.6074 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 115 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.6264 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 116 | Azusa Pacific University | 30900 | 66600 | 0.5357 | 2,996 | 1138 | 0.7959 | |
| 116 | Wofford College | 30900 | 73200 | 0.5784 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 118 | Carroll University | 31200 | 61500 | 0.4929 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 119 | Coastal Carolina University | 31300 | 45100 | 0.3061 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 120 | Angelo State University | 31800 | 35400 | 0.1027 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 120 | University of Dayton | 31800 | 64200 | 0.5048 | 7,740 | 1284 | 0.6566 | |
| 122 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 122 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 124 | Hampton University | 32300 | 62400 | 0.482 | 3,728 | 956 | 0.6225 | |
| 125 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 32400 | 93400 | 0.6533 | 1,525 | 1283 | 0.556 | |
| 126 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 126 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 128 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 129 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4004 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 130 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 1095 | 0.5256 | |
| 131 | University of Louisville | 33500 | 42000 | 0.2026 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 132 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 133 | Loyola University Chicago | 34000 | 68100 | 0.5008 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 134 | Hofstra University | 34700 | 77000 | 0.5492 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 135 | Virginia State University | 35300 | 42200 | 0.1636 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 136 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 35700 | 42800 | 0.165 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 137 | State University of New York at Cortland | 35800 | 39900 | 0.1029 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 138 | Cedarville University | 35900 | 57000 | 0.3709 | 4,916 | 1247 | 0.6488 | |
| 139 | Berry College | 36000 | 60900 | 0.4091 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 139 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 36000 | 42500 | 0.1528 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 141 | Loyola University Maryland | 36300 | 78800 | 0.5394 | 3,881 | 1309 | 0.7549 | |
| 141 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2801 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 143 | Seattle University | 36500 | 74600 | 0.5105 | 4,103 | 1243 | 0.7703 | |
| 144 | Clark Atlanta University | 36800 | 61700 | 0.4037 | 3,495 | 1000 | 0.6463 | |
| 145 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 146 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 147 | Saint Francis University | 37900 | 62800 | 0.3967 | 2,450 | 1150 | 0.7916 | |
| 148 | Westmont College | 38300 | 80300 | 0.523 | 1,311 | 1324 | 0.7704 | |
| 149 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 150 | Arcadia University | 39400 | 71600 | 0.4491 | 2,030 | 1185 | 0.8022 | |
| 151 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 151 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 153 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 153 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 155 | University of Wyoming | 40200 | 45300 | 0.1134 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 156 | Arkansas State University | 40300 | 40800 | 0.0121 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 157 | Saint Vincent College | 41400 | 64600 | 0.3582 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 158 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42300 | 42300 | 0 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 158 | Widener University | 42300 | 79400 | 0.4674 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 160 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 161 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 162 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 163 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43900 | 57100 | 0.2302 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 164 | Saint Louis University | 44600 | 80900 | 0.4485 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 165 | University of Maine | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 9,601 | 1178 | 0.9664 | |
| 166 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 167 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 168 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48300 | 60000 | 0.1949 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 169 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 6,800 | 1245 | 0.6857 | |
| 170 | Molloy University | 48900 | 62300 | 0.2152 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 170 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1357 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 172 | Chapman University | 51400 | 94000 | 0.4534 | 7,713 | 1357 | 0.6543 | |
| 173 | Miami University-Oxford | 56600 | 56600 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 174 | Santa Clara University | 57700 | 85400 | 0.3244 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 175 | Presbyterian College | 59800 | 62700 | 0.0462 | 853 | 1105 | 0.6837 | |
| 176 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 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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