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 | 9200 | 96200 | 0.904 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 2 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | 9900 | 21600 | 0.5416 | 4,250 | 970 | 0.9166 | |
| 3 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | 10200 | 25200 | 0.5946 | 902 | 1245 | 0.3308 | |
| 4 | New Mexico Highlands University | 10500 | 21500 | 0.5112 | 1,710 | 945 | 0.9481 | |
| 5 | New York University | 12000 | 91800 | 0.869 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 6 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12200 | 29900 | 0.5919 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 8 | Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | 12600 | 28200 | 0.554 | 755 | 895 | 1 | |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 14500 | 24900 | 0.417 | 5,474 | 1138 | 0.9198 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 11 | Goshen College | 14800 | 55800 | 0.7345 | 780 | 995 | 0.8404 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 13 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23100 | 0.3246 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 14 | Middle Tennessee State University | 16400 | 23200 | 0.2928 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 15 | SUNY at Fredonia | 16500 | 27800 | 0.407 | 2,876 | 1193 | 0.792 | |
| 16 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 16600 | 25700 | 0.3541 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 16 | University of Southern California | 16600 | 76000 | 0.7815 | 21,023 | 1485 | 0.1002 | |
| 18 | Jacksonville State University | 16900 | 26600 | 0.3649 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 18 | Weber State University | 16900 | 22100 | 0.2355 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 20 | California State University-Sacramento | 17400 | 27200 | 0.3601 | 28,226 | 1015 | 0.9343 | |
| 21 | Pacific Union College | 17500 | 52800 | 0.668 | 910 | 1090 | 0.4248 | |
| 21 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 17500 | 33600 | 0.4788 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 23 | Husson University | 17800 | 48100 | 0.6293 | 2,762 | 1115 | 0.8095 | |
| 24 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 25 | State University of New York at Cortland | 18400 | 27700 | 0.3355 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 26 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27500 | 0.3235 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 27 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 28 | Lindenwood University | 19500 | 35800 | 0.4557 | 4,663 | 1170 | 0.5684 | |
| 28 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19500 | 71100 | 0.726 | 3,032 | 1145 | 0.9305 | |
| 30 | Cleveland State University | 19700 | 37300 | 0.4721 | 9,418 | 1005 | 0.913 | |
| 31 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19800 | 24500 | 0.1915 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 31 | University of West Georgia | 19800 | 23600 | 0.1607 | 9,157 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 33 | Lee University | 19900 | 37100 | 0.4631 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 34 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4817 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 35 | Southwestern Assemblies of God University | 20300 | 40500 | 0.4994 | 1,413 | 1045 | 0.8423 | |
| 36 | Montana State University | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2285 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 37 | University of Miami | 21100 | 70800 | 0.7023 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 38 | Augsburg University | 21200 | 56400 | 0.6241 | 2,527 | 1065 | 0.8198 | |
| 38 | SUNY at Purchase College | 21200 | 28000 | 0.2424 | 3,283 | 1294 | 0.7405 | |
| 40 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 41 | Maharishi International University | 22600 | 30300 | 0.2538 | 777 | 1089 | 0.969 | |
| 42 | California Institute of the Arts | 22700 | 77300 | 0.7063 | 918 | 0 | 0.2595 | |
| 43 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5915 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 44 | Bob Jones University | 23300 | 41500 | 0.4374 | 2,477 | 1149 | 0.8729 | |
| 45 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 46 | Oral Roberts University | 23900 | 55600 | 0.5706 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 47 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24400 | 26600 | 0.0828 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 47 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 15,254 | 1270 | 0.6424 | |
| 49 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 50 | The University of Tampa | 24900 | 56900 | 0.562 | 10,594 | 1185 | 0.4034 | |
| 51 | Missouri Western State University | 25800 | 39300 | 0.345 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 52 | Fitchburg State University | 26000 | 31300 | 0.1694 | 3,027 | 1150 | 0.8693 | |
| 53 | Point Park University | 26200 | 56800 | 0.5391 | 2,337 | 1144 | 0.9691 | |
| 54 | Clayton State University | 26400 | 34900 | 0.2438 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 54 | La Sierra University | 26400 | 55100 | 0.5213 | 1,244 | 1015 | 0.933 | |
| 56 | Columbia College Chicago | 26800 | 60600 | 0.5582 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.7549 | |
| 56 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 58 | Webster University | 27000 | 54300 | 0.5024 | 2,091 | 1105 | 0.9594 | |
| 59 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 27100 | 55200 | 0.5088 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 60 | John Brown University | 28100 | 48300 | 0.418 | 1,882 | 1226 | 0.6764 | |
| 61 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.505 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 62 | George Fox University | 28700 | 67100 | 0.5727 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 62 | Kansas City Art Institute | 28700 | 61000 | 0.5294 | 813 | 1056 | 0.5476 | |
| 62 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 65 | Cornerstone University | 29200 | 40800 | 0.2846 | 1,444 | 1124 | 0.7316 | |
| 66 | Messiah University | 29300 | 54100 | 0.4586 | 2,618 | 1241 | 0.7897 | |
| 67 | William Penn University | 29500 | 48000 | 0.3853 | 1,348 | 1000 | 0.5188 | |
| 68 | Huntington University | 29700 | 44300 | 0.3299 | 1,286 | 1095 | 0.7115 | |
| 69 | Southern Adventist University | 29800 | 46900 | 0.3648 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 69 | Southern Methodist University | 29800 | 81700 | 0.6355 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 71 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 72 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 72 | Keene State College | 30200 | 40700 | 0.2592 | 2,744 | 1020 | 0.9033 | |
| 74 | St Bonaventure University | 30600 | 61000 | 0.4981 | 2,048 | 1194 | 0.8165 | |
| 75 | Azusa Pacific University | 30900 | 66000 | 0.532 | 2,996 | 1138 | 0.7959 | |
| 76 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 77 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 78 | CUNY Brooklyn College | 31800 | 31800 | 0 | 11,562 | 1110 | 0.5836 | |
| 78 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | 31800 | 39200 | 0.1878 | 10,206 | 1190 | 0.7218 | |
| 80 | Vermont State University | 32100 | 38000 | 0.1554 | 4,087 | 960 | 0.8323 | |
| 81 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 81 | Southeastern University | 32700 | 60500 | 0.4592 | 10,351 | 1130 | 0.6165 | |
| 83 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 84 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 32900 | 41100 | 0.1995 | 1,871 | 1085 | 0.7627 | |
| 85 | Ithaca College | 33600 | 72500 | 0.5365 | 4,268 | 1314 | 0.6901 | |
| 86 | Taylor University | 34000 | 57600 | 0.4097 | 2,503 | 1235 | 0.7353 | |
| 87 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 87 | College for Creative Studies | 34600 | 79600 | 0.5653 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 89 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 90 | Stevenson University | 35300 | 59900 | 0.4105 | 3,106 | 1100 | 0.7891 | |
| 91 | Anderson University | 35700 | 46900 | 0.2387 | 1,095 | 1055 | 0.5342 | |
| 92 | Western Kentucky University | 36100 | 41900 | 0.1385 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 93 | University of Central Arkansas | 36200 | 38400 | 0.0575 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 94 | Biola University | 36300 | 52900 | 0.3141 | 3,481 | 1268 | 0.7482 | |
| 95 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 96 | Long Island University | 37200 | 59600 | 0.376 | 11,753 | 1222 | 0.8977 | |
| 97 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 37900 | 39900 | 0.0501 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 98 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 99 | Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale | 38700 | 52100 | 0.2572 | 18,452 | 930 | 0.9697 | |
| 100 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 101 | Pacific University | 38900 | 74900 | 0.4806 | 1,589 | 1106 | 0.8956 | |
| 102 | Wayne State University | 39300 | 45500 | 0.1362 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 103 | The University of Montana | 39400 | 43700 | 0.0984 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 104 | Pace University | 39700 | 74100 | 0.464 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 105 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 106 | Marymount Manhattan College | 40600 | 68600 | 0.4079 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 107 | Marquette University | 41300 | 75100 | 0.4502 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 108 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 109 | CUNY City College | 41500 | 41500 | 0 | 12,982 | 1169 | 0.5997 | |
| 110 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 42000 | 61600 | 0.3182 | 893 | 1124 | 0.7174 | |
| 111 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 112 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 42400 | 42400 | 0 | 14,019 | 1159 | 0.7781 | |
| 113 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 113 | Southern Oregon University | 42600 | 42600 | 0 | 4,964 | 1125 | 0.9007 | |
| 115 | Mount Saint Mary's University | 42900 | 80700 | 0.4678 | 1,733 | 1015 | 0.7313 | |
| 116 | California College of the Arts | 43300 | 87600 | 0.5056 | 1,004 | 1079 | 0.911 | |
| 117 | University of California-Riverside | 43500 | 66400 | 0.3448 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 118 | University of the Arts | 44900 | 88300 | 0.4913 | 1,072 | 1050 | 0.782 | |
| 119 | High Point University | 45700 | 70500 | 0.3518 | 5,006 | 1209 | 0.7683 | |
| 120 | Montclair State University | 46300 | 46600 | 0.0064 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 121 | Wagner College | 46900 | 73400 | 0.36 | 1,590 | 1230 | 0.8346 | |
| 122 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 48600 | 64400 | 0.2454 | 14,657 | 1180 | 0.8368 | |
| 123 | George Mason University | 49200 | 49200 | 0 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 124 | Binghamton University | 50600 | 52800 | 0.0417 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 124 | Woodbury University | 50600 | 68700 | 0.2636 | 825 | 1087 | 0.7287 | |
| 126 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 127 | Chapman University | 51300 | 87300 | 0.4125 | 7,713 | 1357 | 0.6543 | |
| 128 | Lynn University | 51500 | 64200 | 0.1979 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 129 | Oklahoma City University | 52000 | 52000 | 0 | 1,447 | 1190 | 0.7039 | |
| 130 | Ringling College of Art and Design | 52200 | 91600 | 0.43 | 1,689 | 0 | 0.6965 | |
| 131 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 53700 | 66000 | 0.1864 | 714 | 1271 | 0.4836 | |
| 132 | Emerson College | 55800 | 82600 | 0.3245 | 4,171 | 1339 | 0.4749 | |
| 133 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57300 | 83800 | 0.3163 | 3,967 | 1266 | 0.7325 | |
| 134 | Cornish College of the Arts | 59700 | 75100 | 0.2051 | 502 | 0 | 0.7046 | |
| 135 | Maryland Institute College of Art | 60700 | 71200 | 0.1476 | 1,324 | 1196 | 0.7729 | |
| 136 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 60800 | 63000 | 0.035 | 38,093 | 1302 | 0.7821 | |
| 137 | Loyola Marymount University | 72500 | 94300 | 0.2311 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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