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 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 102300 | 0.9087 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 3 | Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus | 10800 | 24600 | 0.5615 | 4,239 | 970 | 0.9166 | |
| 4 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,820 | 1035 | 0.9399 | |
| 5 | Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | 13400 | 28100 | 0.5232 | 877 | 895 | 0.9747 | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 7 | Clayton State University | 14000 | 21700 | 0.3543 | 5,551 | 965 | 0.6845 | |
| 8 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | 14200 | 24800 | 0.4266 | 946 | 1241 | 0.2997 | |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 10 | University of West Georgia | 15600 | 24600 | 0.3662 | 9,103 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 12 | Jacksonville State University | 16000 | 27000 | 0.4081 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 12 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 14 | Goshen College | 16500 | 55900 | 0.7055 | 780 | 995 | 0.8407 | |
| 15 | Maharishi International University | 16900 | 32800 | 0.4848 | 922 | 1089 | 0.957 | |
| 16 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 16 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 18 | Keene State College | 17500 | 41400 | 0.577 | 2,725 | 1085 | 0.9033 | |
| 19 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 20 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5385 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 21 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 22 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 18400 | 30600 | 0.3971 | 38,093 | 1302 | 0.7821 | |
| 23 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45000 | 0.5849 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 24 | The University of Montana | 18900 | 25200 | 0.2497 | 7,891 | 1225 | 0.9586 | |
| 25 | Rutgers University-Newark | 19500 | 38000 | 0.4866 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 26 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 27 | La Sierra University | 19800 | 65900 | 0.6992 | 1,226 | 1025 | 0.915 | |
| 28 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19900 | 72100 | 0.7238 | 3,007 | 1155 | 0.9305 | |
| 29 | Cleveland State University | 20000 | 30900 | 0.3523 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 29 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 31 | Lindenwood University | 20200 | 35800 | 0.4361 | 4,663 | 1209 | 0.5684 | |
| 31 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 20200 | 57300 | 0.6479 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 33 | State University of New York at Cortland | 20500 | 27700 | 0.2597 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 34 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 34 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20600 | 23200 | 0.1121 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 36 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 37 | Missouri Western State University | 22000 | 28800 | 0.2366 | 3,491 | 0 | 0 | |
| 38 | Nelson University | 22300 | 55500 | 0.5982 | 1,479 | 990 | 0.8902 | |
| 39 | New Mexico Highlands University | 22500 | 27200 | 0.1726 | 1,603 | 0 | 0 | |
| 40 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 41 | New York University | 22700 | 91800 | 0.7524 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 42 | Oklahoma City University | 22800 | 64400 | 0.6461 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 43 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23400 | 34500 | 0.3221 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 43 | Bob Jones University | 23400 | 41500 | 0.4362 | 2,312 | 1149 | 0.8616 | |
| 45 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 46 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,356 | 1222 | 0.7091 | |
| 47 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 63200 | 0.6158 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 48 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 15,254 | 1270 | 0.6424 | |
| 49 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 50 | Augsburg University | 25200 | 56400 | 0.5536 | 2,527 | 1065 | 0.8198 | |
| 50 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 25200 | 37900 | 0.3348 | 5,661 | 1085 | 0.982 | |
| 50 | Point Park University | 25200 | 57000 | 0.5582 | 2,337 | 1140 | 0.9691 | |
| 53 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5027 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 54 | Messiah University | 26000 | 54300 | 0.5209 | 2,618 | 1241 | 0.7897 | |
| 54 | Western Kentucky University | 26000 | 41800 | 0.3779 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 56 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26200 | 28300 | 0.0744 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5876 | |
| 57 | St Bonaventure University | 26600 | 61200 | 0.5653 | 2,042 | 1189 | 0.8165 | |
| 58 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 59 | University of Central Arkansas | 27100 | 31200 | 0.1314 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 60 | Oral Roberts University | 27700 | 52700 | 0.4747 | 5,017 | 1214 | 0.989 | |
| 60 | Syracuse University | 27700 | 83100 | 0.6665 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 62 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 63 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.416 | 1,948 | 1197 | 0.7614 | |
| 64 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 64 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 66 | Webster University | 28500 | 54700 | 0.4792 | 2,322 | 1109 | 0.8623 | |
| 67 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 67 | Southern Methodist University | 29100 | 90100 | 0.677 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 69 | Cornerstone University | 29200 | 40800 | 0.2846 | 1,354 | 1110 | 0.7777 | |
| 70 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 884 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 71 | Huntington University | 29500 | 44300 | 0.3339 | 1,588 | 1055 | 0.7564 | |
| 72 | Montana State University | 29600 | 31900 | 0.072 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 72 | William Penn University | 29600 | 48000 | 0.3832 | 1,348 | 1000 | 0.5188 | |
| 74 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3627 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 75 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30400 | 39200 | 0.2248 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 76 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 77 | George Mason University | 30700 | 35700 | 0.1399 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 78 | Kansas City Art Institute | 31100 | 78600 | 0.6046 | 813 | 1159 | 0.5476 | |
| 78 | Taylor University | 31100 | 59100 | 0.4725 | 2,503 | 1229 | 0.7353 | |
| 80 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 81 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 81 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | 31900 | 39200 | 0.1852 | 10,166 | 1190 | 0.7218 | |
| 83 | Ithaca College | 32100 | 72500 | 0.5571 | 4,268 | 1314 | 0.6901 | |
| 84 | Azusa Pacific University | 32300 | 66600 | 0.5147 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8843 | |
| 85 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5356 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 85 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 87 | The University of Tampa | 32700 | 56900 | 0.425 | 10,598 | 1185 | 0.4034 | |
| 88 | University of Rhode Island | 32900 | 46400 | 0.2907 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 89 | State University of New York at Oswego | 33000 | 40200 | 0.1792 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 90 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 91 | SUNY at Purchase College | 33400 | 38300 | 0.1278 | 3,257 | 1294 | 0.7405 | |
| 92 | SUNY at Fredonia | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1391 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 93 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 94 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 95 | Stevenson University | 35300 | 59900 | 0.4105 | 3,106 | 1100 | 0.7891 | |
| 96 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 97 | Anderson University | 35800 | 46900 | 0.2366 | 1,092 | 1035 | 0.7934 | |
| 98 | Vermont State University | 37400 | 38700 | 0.0336 | 4,108 | 960 | 0.8167 | |
| 99 | Cornish College of the Arts | 37500 | 80200 | 0.5325 | 505 | 0 | 0.6221 | |
| 100 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 100 | Marymount Manhattan College | 37800 | 69900 | 0.4592 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 102 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 103 | Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale | 38300 | 63000 | 0.3923 | 18,071 | 0 | 0.9697 | |
| 104 | Crown College | 38800 | 53200 | 0.27 | 1,523 | 1060 | 0.2278 | |
| 104 | Long Island University | 38800 | 60000 | 0.3535 | 12,072 | 1229 | 0.8616 | |
| 106 | Pacific University | 39000 | 74900 | 0.4793 | 1,589 | 1106 | 0.8956 | |
| 107 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 108 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 108 | University of South Alabama | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 110 | Southern Oregon University | 39800 | 39800 | 0 | 4,235 | 1104 | 0.8862 | |
| 111 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 39900 | 39900 | 0 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 112 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 40400 | 42500 | 0.0495 | 13,921 | 1119 | 0.7468 | |
| 112 | Wayne State University | 40400 | 46200 | 0.1256 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 114 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 115 | Pacific Union College | 41000 | 52800 | 0.2233 | 937 | 1070 | 0.473 | |
| 116 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46600 | 0.0966 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 117 | Mount Saint Mary's University | 43000 | 80700 | 0.4672 | 1,731 | 1015 | 0.7313 | |
| 118 | California Institute of the Arts | 43100 | 84900 | 0.4925 | 868 | 0 | 0.3234 | |
| 119 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 120 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 121 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 46200 | 66500 | 0.3054 | 720 | 1211 | 0.4848 | |
| 122 | Wagner College | 47000 | 73400 | 0.3586 | 1,666 | 1240 | 0.88 | |
| 123 | Biola University | 47300 | 71200 | 0.3358 | 3,481 | 1268 | 0.7435 | |
| 124 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 48500 | 69000 | 0.2972 | 1,871 | 1085 | 0.7627 | |
| 125 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83900 | 0.4172 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 126 | University of California-Riverside | 49300 | 66000 | 0.2532 | 22,600 | 1199 | 0.7639 | |
| 127 | Ringling College of Art and Design | 50500 | 92000 | 0.451 | 1,666 | 0 | 0.6965 | |
| 128 | Binghamton University | 50700 | 52800 | 0.0398 | 14,669 | 1415 | 0.3861 | |
| 129 | Chapman University | 51500 | 93100 | 0.4469 | 7,713 | 1353 | 0.6543 | |
| 130 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 131 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 132 | Woodbury University | 53000 | 69500 | 0.2373 | 786 | 1087 | 0.8165 | |
| 133 | Emerson College | 54600 | 82600 | 0.339 | 3,908 | 1359 | 0.5131 | |
| 134 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54800 | 66400 | 0.1747 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 135 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57200 | 83800 | 0.3175 | 3,967 | 1272 | 0.7325 | |
| 136 | Maryland Institute College of Art | 60700 | 71200 | 0.1476 | 1,191 | 1232 | 0.7679 | |
| 137 | California College of the Arts | 65300 | 87600 | 0.2545 | 1,004 | 1079 | 0.911 | |
| 138 | Loyola Marymount University | 71700 | 95500 | 0.2491 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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