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 | United States Coast Guard Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,081 | 1283 | 0.2432 | |
| 1 | United States Military Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,473 | 1326 | 0.1245 | |
| 3 | Millikin University | 9600 | 43400 | 0.7794 | 1,496 | 1020 | 0.6668 | |
| 4 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 5 | Southern Utah University | 11800 | 21100 | 0.44 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 6 | University of Richmond | 12200 | 87400 | 0.8609 | 3,055 | 1484 | 0.222 | |
| 7 | Bismarck State College | 12400 | 17500 | 0.2919 | 4,065 | 0 | 0.8666 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 9 | Brigham Young University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5686 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 10 | University of West Florida | 12800 | 21500 | 0.4041 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 11 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 13000 | 24400 | 0.4677 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 12 | Northern Kentucky University | 13100 | 25900 | 0.495 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.8307 | |
| 12 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13100 | 27100 | 0.5158 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 14 | Kansas State University | 14200 | 26100 | 0.4563 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14400 | 41100 | 0.6502 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 16 | West Virginia University | 14500 | 23300 | 0.3776 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 17 | Northwest Missouri State University | 14600 | 27900 | 0.476 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 18 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 19 | University of North Texas | 15400 | 25400 | 0.3943 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 20 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 15800 | 23400 | 0.3252 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 21 | Troy University | 15900 | 26700 | 0.4044 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 22 | Northeastern University | 16100 | 89900 | 0.8213 | 22,695 | 1490 | 0.0522 | |
| 23 | Collin County Community College District | 16500 | 25100 | 0.3429 | 39,552 | 0 | 0.9836 | |
| 24 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.4533 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 25 | Augusta University | 16800 | 30700 | 0.4528 | 5,684 | 1125 | 0.8931 | |
| 25 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 27 | University of Maine at Presque Isle | 17100 | 31700 | 0.4604 | 2,152 | 925 | 0.9709 | |
| 28 | Sam Houston State University | 17300 | 23000 | 0.2478 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 29 | Keene State College | 17600 | 31900 | 0.4475 | 2,744 | 1020 | 0.9033 | |
| 30 | University of Mary | 17700 | 32600 | 0.4578 | 2,650 | 1189 | 0.7825 | |
| 31 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17800 | 26700 | 0.3338 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 32 | Illinois State University | 17900 | 28000 | 0.3622 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 33 | Northern Arizona University | 18000 | 32000 | 0.4372 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 34 | Montana Technological University | 18200 | 27500 | 0.338 | 1,435 | 1125 | 0.899 | |
| 35 | University of Maine at Fort Kent | 18300 | 27900 | 0.3436 | 1,357 | 1078 | 0.9907 | |
| 36 | Angelo State University | 18500 | 23100 | 0.1979 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 37 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 18600 | 27600 | 0.326 | 9,302 | 1125 | 0.9735 | |
| 38 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4817 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 39 | Saint Cloud State University | 18900 | 24500 | 0.2311 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 40 | Mid-America Christian University | 19000 | 36800 | 0.4841 | 1,636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 19100 | 27000 | 0.293 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 42 | The University of Montana | 19400 | 25200 | 0.2299 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 43 | Lindenwood University | 19500 | 35800 | 0.4557 | 4,663 | 1170 | 0.5684 | |
| 44 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 27600 | 0.2756 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 45 | Florida Memorial University | 20100 | 46100 | 0.5641 | 1,299 | 0 | 0.7431 | |
| 46 | Dakota State University | 20400 | 22500 | 0.0912 | 3,066 | 1192 | 0.8814 | |
| 46 | Morris College | 20400 | 28100 | 0.2737 | 421 | 0 | 0.9828 | |
| 48 | Marshall University | 20500 | 36300 | 0.4356 | 9,165 | 1065 | 0.9572 | |
| 48 | Western Michigan University | 20500 | 26500 | 0.2266 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 50 | Shawnee State University | 20900 | 26400 | 0.2086 | 2,994 | 1085 | 0.8147 | |
| 50 | Western Illinois University | 20900 | 31000 | 0.3266 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 52 | Olivet Nazarene University | 21100 | 88800 | 0.7623 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 21100 | 23500 | 0.1023 | 10,090 | 1075 | 0.9368 | |
| 54 | Felician University | 21300 | 58700 | 0.6373 | 1,870 | 1005 | 0.9511 | |
| 55 | University of Miami | 21500 | 70800 | 0.6967 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 56 | Freed-Hardeman University | 21600 | 35100 | 0.385 | 1,878 | 1180 | 0.9061 | |
| 57 | Blackburn College | 21800 | 41800 | 0.4784 | 389 | 1020 | 0.8014 | |
| 58 | Bentley University | 22000 | 84500 | 0.7394 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 58 | Guilford College | 22000 | 57400 | 0.6167 | 1,160 | 1025 | 0.8376 | |
| 60 | Aurora University | 22200 | 42100 | 0.4727 | 4,107 | 1045 | 0.8085 | |
| 60 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 60 | Stetson University | 22200 | 79100 | 0.7197 | 2,349 | 1114 | 0.716 | |
| 63 | Defiance College | 22600 | 45900 | 0.508 | 464 | 1040 | 0.4243 | |
| 64 | Lewis University | 22700 | 57000 | 0.6019 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 65 | Murray State University | 23000 | 27600 | 0.166 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 66 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 67 | University of Central Missouri | 23300 | 34300 | 0.3206 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 68 | Indiana Institute of Technology | 23400 | 48800 | 0.5206 | 1,642 | 1055 | 0.5713 | |
| 68 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 70 | The University of Alabama | 23500 | 29900 | 0.2144 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 71 | Syracuse University | 23600 | 83100 | 0.716 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 72 | William Woods University | 23800 | 60700 | 0.608 | 1,097 | 1140 | 0.7449 | |
| 73 | Illinois Institute of Technology | 23900 | 71600 | 0.6664 | 3,135 | 1299 | 0.5493 | |
| 74 | Fontbonne University | 24000 | 50200 | 0.5221 | 650 | 1090 | 0.9503 | |
| 74 | University of Illinois Springfield | 24000 | 39800 | 0.3978 | 2,342 | 1140 | 0.8437 | |
| 76 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24600 | 32900 | 0.2523 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 77 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 77 | Friends University | 24800 | 59300 | 0.5816 | 1,549 | 1030 | 0.6046 | |
| 79 | University of Akron Main Campus | 25000 | 25000 | 0 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 80 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 81 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 82 | Geneva College | 25800 | 48900 | 0.4723 | 1,147 | 1110 | 0.8035 | |
| 82 | Neumann University | 25800 | 45000 | 0.427 | 1,658 | 975 | 0.8128 | |
| 82 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 25800 | 35600 | 0.2757 | 3,525 | 1070 | 0.8175 | |
| 85 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 86 | Thomas College | 26000 | 51300 | 0.4938 | 1,581 | 905 | 0.9707 | |
| 87 | Pennsylvania College of Technology | 26100 | 34600 | 0.2456 | 4,264 | 1130 | 0.7423 | |
| 88 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 89 | Norwich University | 26500 | 70900 | 0.6264 | 2,642 | 1209 | 0.7361 | |
| 90 | Ferrum College | 26600 | 44700 | 0.4045 | 747 | 1035 | 1 | |
| 90 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 26600 | 38200 | 0.3036 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9808 | |
| 90 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 26600 | 36800 | 0.2771 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 93 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 26700 | 48200 | 0.4462 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 93 | Randolph-Macon College | 26700 | 69200 | 0.614 | 1,643 | 1140 | 0.8661 | |
| 95 | Columbia College | 26900 | 41300 | 0.349 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 95 | Tulane University of Louisiana | 26900 | 83600 | 0.6785 | 7,283 | 1451 | 0.1398 | |
| 97 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 97 | University of North Georgia | 27000 | 35500 | 0.2393 | 18,329 | 1100 | 0.6794 | |
| 99 | The University of Tampa | 27200 | 56900 | 0.5216 | 10,594 | 1185 | 0.4034 | |
| 100 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 27400 | 40900 | 0.3303 | 3,469 | 1080 | 0.9215 | |
| 101 | University of Tulsa | 27700 | 62700 | 0.5585 | 2,852 | 1328 | 0.615 | |
| 102 | Mount St. Mary's University | 27800 | 61400 | 0.5466 | 1,833 | 1164 | 0.7381 | |
| 102 | Touro University | 27800 | 60200 | 0.5381 | 5,098 | 1366 | 0.6196 | |
| 104 | Oregon Institute of Technology | 27900 | 36400 | 0.234 | 5,162 | 1131 | 0.9502 | |
| 105 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 28000 | 41900 | 0.3317 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 106 | Drury University | 28200 | 52900 | 0.4668 | 1,391 | 1228 | 0.5758 | |
| 106 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 108 | Mississippi State University | 28300 | 32300 | 0.126 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 109 | Assumption University | 28500 | 74400 | 0.6173 | 1,713 | 1085 | 0.8298 | |
| 109 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5054 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 111 | George Fox University | 28700 | 67100 | 0.5727 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 111 | Mercy University | 28700 | 44500 | 0.3552 | 6,775 | 1074 | 0.8584 | |
| 113 | Regis University | 28800 | 67200 | 0.5711 | 2,704 | 1199 | 0.8639 | |
| 114 | Radford University | 28900 | 32800 | 0.1189 | 6,161 | 1070 | 0.8953 | |
| 114 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28900 | 39700 | 0.2722 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 116 | University of Detroit Mercy | 29100 | 48100 | 0.3962 | 3,422 | 1154 | 0.7572 | |
| 117 | Messiah University | 29300 | 54100 | 0.4586 | 2,618 | 1241 | 0.7897 | |
| 118 | New England College | 29800 | 64600 | 0.539 | 1,032 | 930 | 0.9213 | |
| 119 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3621 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 120 | Columbus State University | 30300 | 43500 | 0.3031 | 6,033 | 1020 | 0.9918 | |
| 121 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 122 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6096 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 123 | College of Our Lady of the Elms | 30600 | 66300 | 0.5383 | 1,002 | 1235 | 0.8882 | |
| 124 | St Bonaventure University | 30800 | 61000 | 0.4948 | 2,048 | 1194 | 0.8165 | |
| 124 | University of Maine at Augusta | 30800 | 38900 | 0.2085 | 4,250 | 0 | 0.0683 | |
| 126 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 31100 | 33200 | 0.0625 | 14,504 | 1145 | 0.7637 | |
| 127 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3259 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 128 | Point University | 31300 | 43800 | 0.2854 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 129 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 31400 | 31400 | 0 | 6,853 | 1090 | 0.7147 | |
| 130 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | 31500 | 43200 | 0.2707 | 1,764 | 1055 | 0.8325 | |
| 131 | McKendree University | 32100 | 52200 | 0.3857 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 132 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32400 | 47600 | 0.3192 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 133 | University of Missouri-St Louis | 32600 | 37200 | 0.1231 | 12,151 | 1154 | 0.5716 | |
| 134 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 135 | Frostburg State University | 32900 | 43100 | 0.2367 | 2,619 | 1082 | 0.892 | |
| 135 | Harding University | 32900 | 47000 | 0.2995 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 137 | Saint Francis University | 33000 | 61500 | 0.4634 | 2,450 | 1150 | 0.7916 | |
| 138 | Grambling State University | 33200 | 35300 | 0.0595 | 4,279 | 965 | 0.2368 | |
| 138 | Mount Saint Mary College | 33200 | 68400 | 0.5147 | 2,141 | 1090 | 0.8888 | |
| 140 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 141 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 142 | Shenandoah University | 34100 | 53300 | 0.3603 | 2,641 | 1127 | 0.7695 | |
| 142 | Taylor University | 34100 | 57600 | 0.4074 | 2,503 | 1235 | 0.7353 | |
| 144 | St. John Fisher University | 34400 | 63700 | 0.4601 | 2,583 | 1210 | 0.664 | |
| 145 | Eastern Oregon University | 34600 | 40200 | 0.1395 | 2,502 | 1040 | 0.9831 | |
| 146 | Davenport University | 34700 | 44400 | 0.2184 | 4,991 | 0 | 0.9827 | |
| 146 | North Greenville University | 34700 | 44800 | 0.2248 | 2,020 | 1164 | 0.6667 | |
| 146 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 149 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 150 | Stevenson University | 35300 | 59900 | 0.4105 | 3,106 | 1100 | 0.7891 | |
| 151 | Roger Williams University | 35800 | 63700 | 0.4381 | 4,050 | 1225 | 0.8778 | |
| 151 | Seton Hill University | 35800 | 63800 | 0.4386 | 1,597 | 1150 | 0.7579 | |
| 153 | Anderson University | 35900 | 46900 | 0.2359 | 1,095 | 1055 | 0.5342 | |
| 154 | University of Central Arkansas | 36300 | 38400 | 0.0541 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 155 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 156 | Farmingdale State College | 36500 | 37800 | 0.0344 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 156 | Mercer University | 36500 | 60500 | 0.3967 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 156 | Warner Pacific University | 36500 | 41600 | 0.1221 | 350 | 945 | 0.5855 | |
| 159 | Bluefield University | 37200 | 43200 | 0.1389 | 694 | 995 | 0.6272 | |
| 159 | Immaculata University | 37200 | 47800 | 0.2215 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 161 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 37600 | 38900 | 0.0334 | 1,919 | 1245 | 0.7844 | |
| 162 | University of New Haven | 38300 | 64900 | 0.4096 | 4,903 | 1180 | 0.6038 | |
| 163 | Champlain College | 38500 | 70000 | 0.4503 | 1,691 | 1304 | 0.8764 | |
| 164 | Saint Vincent College | 38600 | 60700 | 0.3636 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 165 | Loyola University Chicago | 40000 | 67600 | 0.4085 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 166 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 167 | Montreat College | 40900 | 55000 | 0.256 | 759 | 1055 | 0.6555 | |
| 168 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 169 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3591 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 169 | Hofstra University | 41700 | 74600 | 0.4409 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 171 | New England Institute of Technology | 41900 | 61100 | 0.3145 | 1,718 | 995 | 0.6673 | |
| 172 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 173 | Old Dominion University | 42300 | 52400 | 0.1926 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 174 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 175 | Marist College | 42600 | 90500 | 0.5295 | 5,551 | 1279 | 0.5651 | |
| 176 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43200 | 46200 | 0.0665 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 177 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 43700 | 43700 | 0 | 11,554 | 1100 | 0.5516 | |
| 178 | Western Washington University | 45000 | 50900 | 0.1158 | 13,752 | 1218 | 0.9325 | |
| 179 | Wagner College | 47100 | 73400 | 0.3582 | 1,590 | 1230 | 0.8346 | |
| 180 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 56200 | 0.1476 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 181 | University at Albany | 48100 | 48700 | 0.0123 | 12,666 | 1245 | 0.6909 | |
| 182 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49100 | 85800 | 0.4277 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 183 | Drexel University | 51200 | 82600 | 0.38 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 184 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 51700 | 51700 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 185 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 56100 | 0.0036 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 186 | Michigan Technological University | 59100 | 59100 | 0 | 6,022 | 1256 | 0.8353 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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