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 | 9400 | 102300 | 0.9085 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 11500 | 24800 | 0.5368 | 6,809 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 48200 | 0.7577 | 21,118 | 980 | 0.9992 | |
| 7 | Tennessee State University | 11800 | 48200 | 0.7544 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7011 | |
| 8 | Midwestern State University | 12000 | 21600 | 0.4439 | 4,303 | 1010 | 0.9352 | |
| 9 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 12100 | 43000 | 0.7186 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3297 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 11 | Saginaw Valley State University | 13000 | 28600 | 0.5451 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 12 | West Virginia University | 13100 | 57700 | 0.7728 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 13 | Northern Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5124 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5436 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 15 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 13600 | 27600 | 0.508 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 16 | Coastal Carolina University | 13700 | 27200 | 0.4964 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 16 | Youngstown State University | 13700 | 26800 | 0.4884 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 19 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 20 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 20 | University of West Florida | 14100 | 39000 | 0.6379 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 22 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14200 | 28100 | 0.4947 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 23 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 14300 | 28900 | 0.5059 | 8,320 | 1090 | 0.8858 | |
| 24 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 14400 | 26800 | 0.4632 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 25 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14500 | 26500 | 0.455 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 25 | Texas State University | 14500 | 24500 | 0.4075 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 27 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14600 | 22600 | 0.3536 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 28 | Louisiana Tech University | 14700 | 36900 | 0.6015 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 29 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4169 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 30 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 37700 | 0.6009 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 31 | Troy University | 15200 | 26700 | 0.4306 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 32 | Grand Valley State University | 15300 | 25300 | 0.3957 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 32 | University of California-Irvine | 15300 | 36300 | 0.5784 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2857 | |
| 34 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15500 | 25600 | 0.3938 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 35 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 35 | Salisbury University | 15600 | 28700 | 0.4563 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 37 | University of Memphis | 15800 | 26400 | 0.4023 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 37 | University of North Florida | 15800 | 33000 | 0.5216 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 39 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 39 | Sam Houston State University | 16000 | 30300 | 0.4716 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 41 | Lamar University | 16200 | 22900 | 0.2922 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 41 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 16200 | 23200 | 0.3017 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 43 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 44 | Jacksonville State University | 16500 | 27000 | 0.3896 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 44 | Lewis University | 16500 | 57700 | 0.7138 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 46 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 16600 | 24900 | 0.3329 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 46 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16600 | 22300 | 0.2554 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 48 | Eastern Michigan University | 16800 | 39700 | 0.5785 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 49 | University of Maine | 16900 | 29300 | 0.4235 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 50 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 51 | Georgia State University | 17400 | 45500 | 0.617 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 51 | Greensboro College | 17400 | 37800 | 0.5396 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 51 | Weber State University | 17400 | 41300 | 0.5782 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 54 | Francis Marion University | 17500 | 24100 | 0.2743 | 3,692 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 54 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 56 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 17600 | 52500 | 0.6647 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 57 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 58 | Virginia State University | 17800 | 29500 | 0.3963 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 59 | Georgia Southern University | 17900 | 26800 | 0.3326 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 60 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 18100 | 27700 | 0.3461 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 60 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 18100 | 26700 | 0.3221 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 62 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 63 | Angelo State University | 18500 | 23100 | 0.1985 | 9,702 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 64 | University of Mississippi | 18900 | 45000 | 0.5806 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 65 | University of West Georgia | 19100 | 48000 | 0.6024 | 9,103 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 66 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19200 | 33700 | 0.4302 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 66 | Wheaton College | 19200 | 84800 | 0.7736 | 2,150 | 1363 | 0.874 | |
| 68 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 950 | 0.9315 | |
| 69 | South Carolina State University | 20200 | 30000 | 0.3262 | 2,950 | 930 | 0.8262 | |
| 70 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 20400 | 41300 | 0.5061 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 71 | Utica University | 20500 | 43400 | 0.5272 | 2,329 | 1118 | 0.9195 | |
| 72 | Boise State University | 20600 | 59700 | 0.655 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 73 | University of Wyoming | 20700 | 27900 | 0.2572 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 74 | University of the Incarnate Word | 20900 | 73100 | 0.7143 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 74 | Western Illinois University | 20900 | 31000 | 0.3271 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 76 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 77 | Loyola University New Orleans | 21100 | 72100 | 0.7072 | 3,007 | 1155 | 0.9305 | |
| 78 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 79 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 763 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 79 | Pennsylvania Western University | 21500 | 28200 | 0.238 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 81 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 82 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1225 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 82 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 53100 | 0.584 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 84 | West Texas A & M University | 22200 | 28900 | 0.232 | 6,926 | 1060 | 0.9868 | |
| 85 | Bradley University | 22300 | 48500 | 0.5395 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 86 | Allegheny College | 22500 | 75400 | 0.7014 | 1,171 | 1279 | 0.5457 | |
| 87 | SUNY Oneonta | 23400 | 49300 | 0.5258 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 88 | Ave Maria University | 23600 | 45400 | 0.48 | 1,301 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 89 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 24100 | 58100 | 0.5848 | 1,108 | 990 | 0.6578 | |
| 90 | Miami University-Oxford | 24800 | 28400 | 0.1267 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 91 | Marquette University | 25000 | 63100 | 0.6034 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 91 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 25000 | 52700 | 0.5256 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 91 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 25000 | 42700 | 0.4146 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 94 | Northwood University | 25100 | 54500 | 0.5399 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 95 | Northwest Nazarene University | 25200 | 75700 | 0.6675 | 1,043 | 1134 | 0.6474 | |
| 96 | Hope College | 25400 | 60100 | 0.5772 | 3,395 | 1241 | 0.7924 | |
| 97 | University of Redlands | 25500 | 84200 | 0.6975 | 2,049 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 98 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 25900 | 59900 | 0.5675 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 99 | East Tennessee State University | 26000 | 30600 | 0.1502 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 99 | Westminster University | 26000 | 81400 | 0.6807 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 101 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 26100 | 61400 | 0.575 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 102 | Aquinas College | 26200 | 53400 | 0.5098 | 1,088 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 102 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3867 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 102 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 26200 | 53800 | 0.5132 | 2,803 | 1099 | 0.9576 | |
| 105 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 26400 | 43000 | 0.3857 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 106 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 106 | Oklahoma City University | 26500 | 62200 | 0.5738 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 106 | Washburn University | 26500 | 36300 | 0.2697 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 109 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 29600 | 0.0975 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 110 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 27000 | 30100 | 0.1027 | 5,086 | 1124 | 0.949 | |
| 110 | University of Idaho | 27000 | 45200 | 0.4023 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 112 | Cleveland State University | 27100 | 37300 | 0.2736 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 113 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 113 | University of Arizona | 27200 | 38500 | 0.2932 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 115 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6318 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 116 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 116 | Missouri Valley College | 27700 | 38200 | 0.2749 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6918 | |
| 116 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 27700 | 67800 | 0.5916 | 870 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 119 | Villanova University | 28000 | 88800 | 0.6845 | 7,004 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 120 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.4157 | 1,948 | 1197 | 0.7614 | |
| 121 | Mississippi State University | 28300 | 32300 | 0.1265 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 122 | Wichita State University | 28900 | 40600 | 0.2901 | 13,313 | 1073 | 0.9395 | |
| 123 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 124 | Beloit College | 30300 | 97600 | 0.6894 | 1,004 | 1299 | 0.6304 | |
| 125 | Samford University | 30600 | 78000 | 0.6074 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 126 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.6259 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 127 | University of Dayton | 30900 | 64200 | 0.5188 | 7,740 | 1302 | 0.6545 | |
| 127 | Wofford College | 30900 | 73200 | 0.5778 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 129 | University of North Dakota | 31200 | 33700 | 0.0767 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 130 | Carroll University | 31300 | 61500 | 0.4912 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 131 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31800 | 93400 | 0.6597 | 1,525 | 1281 | 0.556 | |
| 132 | DePaul University | 31900 | 67100 | 0.5246 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 133 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 134 | Azusa Pacific University | 32200 | 66600 | 0.5162 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8843 | |
| 135 | Hampton University | 32300 | 62400 | 0.482 | 3,728 | 947 | 0.6225 | |
| 136 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5355 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 137 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 138 | North Carolina State University | 32900 | 54800 | 0.3996 | 28,422 | 1378 | 0.4174 | |
| 139 | University of Louisville | 33500 | 42000 | 0.2026 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 140 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 141 | Loyola University Chicago | 34000 | 68100 | 0.5008 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 142 | Hofstra University | 34200 | 77000 | 0.5557 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 143 | Seattle University | 34400 | 74600 | 0.5386 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 144 | State University of New York at Cortland | 35800 | 39900 | 0.1029 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 145 | Cedarville University | 35900 | 57000 | 0.3701 | 5,790 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 146 | Berry College | 36000 | 60900 | 0.4091 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 146 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 36000 | 42500 | 0.1528 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.784 | |
| 148 | Clark Atlanta University | 36700 | 61700 | 0.4053 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 149 | Loyola University Maryland | 36900 | 78800 | 0.5318 | 3,881 | 1303 | 0.7549 | |
| 150 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 150 | Westmont College | 37400 | 80300 | 0.5342 | 1,302 | 1335 | 0.7705 | |
| 152 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 153 | Saint Francis University | 38000 | 62800 | 0.3951 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 154 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 155 | Arcadia University | 39500 | 71600 | 0.4485 | 2,030 | 1170 | 0.8022 | |
| 155 | Saint Vincent College | 39500 | 64600 | 0.3885 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 157 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 157 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 159 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 160 | Mercyhurst University | 40800 | 66400 | 0.3857 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 161 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 42100 | 53700 | 0.2159 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 162 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42300 | 42300 | 0 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 163 | Saint Louis University | 42400 | 80900 | 0.4757 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 163 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 165 | Widener University | 43200 | 79400 | 0.4561 | 2,975 | 1184 | 0.7093 | |
| 166 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 166 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4466 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 168 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 44000 | 57100 | 0.2294 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 169 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 170 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 171 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 172 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 48100 | 48800 | 0.0143 | 6,800 | 1293 | 0.6857 | |
| 173 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1352 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 174 | Chapman University | 51600 | 94000 | 0.4512 | 7,713 | 1353 | 0.6543 | |
| 175 | Santa Clara University | 57700 | 85400 | 0.3244 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 176 | Molloy University | 59800 | 62300 | 0.0402 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 177 | Presbyterian College | 60800 | 62700 | 0.0303 | 853 | 1120 | 0.6837 | |
| 178 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82000 | 82000 | 0 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6579 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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