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 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1055 | 0.9589 | |
| 4 | Marshall University | 11700 | 27100 | 0.5673 | 9,165 | 1065 | 0.9572 | |
| 5 | University of Maine at Fort Kent | 12000 | 21600 | 0.4449 | 1,357 | 1078 | 0.9907 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12100 | 24400 | 0.5046 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 7 | Bismarck State College | 12200 | 17500 | 0.3033 | 4,065 | 0 | 0.8666 | |
| 7 | University of Richmond | 12200 | 87400 | 0.8609 | 3,055 | 1484 | 0.222 | |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 10 | Brigham Young University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5686 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 11 | University of West Florida | 12800 | 21500 | 0.4041 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 12 | Northern Kentucky University | 13100 | 25900 | 0.495 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.8307 | |
| 13 | University of South Florida | 14100 | 17100 | 0.1753 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 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 | Northwest Missouri State University | 14600 | 27900 | 0.476 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 16 | University of Illinois Springfield | 14600 | 29800 | 0.5084 | 2,342 | 1140 | 0.8437 | |
| 18 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 18 | University of Maine at Augusta | 15100 | 23200 | 0.3489 | 4,250 | 0 | 0.0683 | |
| 20 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16000 | 23400 | 0.3166 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 21 | Northeastern University | 16100 | 89900 | 0.8213 | 22,695 | 1490 | 0.0522 | |
| 22 | Collin County Community College District | 16500 | 25100 | 0.3429 | 39,552 | 0 | 0.9836 | |
| 23 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.4533 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 24 | Millikin University | 16700 | 45000 | 0.6287 | 1,496 | 1020 | 0.6668 | |
| 25 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 26 | Sam Houston State University | 16900 | 23000 | 0.2652 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 27 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 17100 | 26000 | 0.3426 | 3,525 | 1070 | 0.8175 | |
| 27 | University of Maine at Presque Isle | 17100 | 31700 | 0.4604 | 2,152 | 925 | 0.9709 | |
| 29 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17600 | 26700 | 0.3413 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 30 | University of Mary | 17700 | 32600 | 0.4578 | 2,650 | 1189 | 0.7825 | |
| 31 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 18400 | 20300 | 0.0936 | 1,919 | 1245 | 0.7844 | |
| 32 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18600 | 25200 | 0.2618 | 6,853 | 1090 | 0.7147 | |
| 33 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4817 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 34 | Mid-America Christian University | 19000 | 36800 | 0.4841 | 1,636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | The University of Montana | 19400 | 25200 | 0.2299 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 36 | Lindenwood University | 19500 | 35800 | 0.4557 | 4,663 | 1170 | 0.5684 | |
| 37 | Florida Memorial University | 20100 | 46100 | 0.5641 | 1,299 | 0 | 0.7431 | |
| 38 | Dakota State University | 20400 | 22500 | 0.0912 | 3,066 | 1192 | 0.8814 | |
| 38 | Morris College | 20400 | 28100 | 0.2737 | 421 | 0 | 0.9828 | |
| 38 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 20400 | 33400 | 0.3897 | 3,469 | 1080 | 0.9215 | |
| 41 | Western Michigan University | 20500 | 31200 | 0.3426 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 42 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 43 | Western Illinois University | 20900 | 31000 | 0.3266 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 44 | Central Connecticut State University | 21000 | 34000 | 0.3821 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 45 | Olivet Nazarene University | 21100 | 88800 | 0.7623 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 45 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 21100 | 23500 | 0.1023 | 10,090 | 1075 | 0.9368 | |
| 47 | Felician University | 21300 | 58700 | 0.6373 | 1,870 | 1005 | 0.9511 | |
| 47 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3345 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 49 | University of Miami | 21500 | 70800 | 0.6967 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 50 | Freed-Hardeman University | 21600 | 35100 | 0.385 | 1,878 | 1180 | 0.9061 | |
| 51 | Blackburn College | 21800 | 41800 | 0.4784 | 389 | 1020 | 0.8014 | |
| 52 | Bentley University | 22000 | 84500 | 0.7394 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 52 | Guilford College | 22000 | 57400 | 0.6167 | 1,160 | 1025 | 0.8376 | |
| 54 | Aurora University | 22200 | 42100 | 0.4727 | 4,107 | 1045 | 0.8085 | |
| 54 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 56 | Defiance College | 22600 | 45900 | 0.508 | 464 | 1040 | 0.4243 | |
| 57 | Lewis University | 22700 | 57000 | 0.6019 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 58 | Murray State University | 23000 | 27600 | 0.166 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 59 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 60 | University of Central Missouri | 23300 | 34300 | 0.3206 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 61 | Indiana Institute of Technology | 23400 | 48800 | 0.5206 | 1,642 | 1055 | 0.5713 | |
| 61 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 63 | Syracuse University | 23600 | 83100 | 0.716 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 64 | William Woods University | 23800 | 60700 | 0.608 | 1,097 | 1140 | 0.7449 | |
| 65 | Illinois Institute of Technology | 23900 | 71600 | 0.6664 | 3,135 | 1299 | 0.5493 | |
| 66 | Fontbonne University | 24000 | 50200 | 0.5221 | 650 | 1090 | 0.9503 | |
| 67 | Old Dominion University | 24100 | 32100 | 0.2494 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 67 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24100 | 39200 | 0.3853 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 69 | Grambling State University | 24300 | 26700 | 0.09 | 4,279 | 955 | 0.2368 | |
| 70 | University of Central Arkansas | 24400 | 29500 | 0.1719 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 71 | Saint Cloud State University | 24500 | 35100 | 0.303 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 72 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24600 | 32900 | 0.2523 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 73 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 73 | Friends University | 24800 | 59300 | 0.5816 | 1,549 | 1030 | 0.6046 | |
| 75 | The University of Tampa | 25000 | 56900 | 0.5602 | 10,594 | 1185 | 0.4034 | |
| 76 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 77 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 78 | Geneva College | 25800 | 48900 | 0.4723 | 1,147 | 1110 | 0.8035 | |
| 78 | Neumann University | 25800 | 45000 | 0.427 | 1,658 | 975 | 0.8128 | |
| 80 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 81 | Stetson University | 26000 | 79100 | 0.6716 | 2,349 | 1209 | 0.716 | |
| 82 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 83 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26400 | 28400 | 0.073 | 14,504 | 1145 | 0.7637 | |
| 83 | Pennsylvania College of Technology | 26400 | 34600 | 0.2369 | 4,264 | 1130 | 0.7423 | |
| 83 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 26400 | 36800 | 0.2826 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 86 | Norwich University | 26500 | 70900 | 0.6264 | 2,642 | 1209 | 0.7361 | |
| 87 | Ferrum College | 26600 | 44700 | 0.4045 | 747 | 1035 | 1 | |
| 88 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 26700 | 48200 | 0.4462 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 88 | Randolph-Macon College | 26700 | 69200 | 0.614 | 1,643 | 1140 | 0.8661 | |
| 90 | Columbia College | 26900 | 41300 | 0.349 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 90 | Tulane University of Louisiana | 26900 | 83600 | 0.6785 | 7,283 | 1451 | 0.1398 | |
| 92 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 92 | University of North Georgia | 27000 | 35500 | 0.2393 | 18,329 | 1100 | 0.6794 | |
| 94 | Southern Utah University | 27400 | 35600 | 0.2301 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 94 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 96 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 97 | University of Tulsa | 27700 | 62700 | 0.5585 | 2,852 | 1328 | 0.615 | |
| 98 | Mount St. Mary's University | 27800 | 61400 | 0.5466 | 1,833 | 1153 | 0.7381 | |
| 98 | Touro University | 27800 | 60200 | 0.5381 | 5,098 | 1366 | 0.6196 | |
| 100 | Thomas College | 28000 | 55800 | 0.4984 | 1,581 | 905 | 0.9707 | |
| 101 | Shawnee State University | 28100 | 34400 | 0.1834 | 2,994 | 1085 | 0.8147 | |
| 102 | Drury University | 28200 | 52900 | 0.4668 | 1,391 | 1228 | 0.5758 | |
| 102 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 102 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 28200 | 41900 | 0.3269 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 105 | Mississippi State University | 28300 | 32300 | 0.126 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 106 | Assumption University | 28500 | 74400 | 0.6173 | 1,713 | 1085 | 0.8298 | |
| 106 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5052 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 108 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 31500 | 0.0921 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 109 | George Fox University | 28700 | 67100 | 0.5727 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 109 | Mercy University | 28700 | 44500 | 0.3552 | 6,775 | 1074 | 0.8584 | |
| 111 | Regis University | 28800 | 67200 | 0.5711 | 2,704 | 1199 | 0.8639 | |
| 112 | Radford University | 28900 | 32800 | 0.1189 | 6,161 | 1070 | 0.8953 | |
| 112 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28900 | 39700 | 0.2722 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 114 | University of Detroit Mercy | 29100 | 48100 | 0.3962 | 3,422 | 1154 | 0.7572 | |
| 115 | Messiah University | 29300 | 54100 | 0.4586 | 2,618 | 1241 | 0.7897 | |
| 116 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 117 | New England College | 29800 | 64600 | 0.539 | 1,032 | 930 | 0.9213 | |
| 118 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3621 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 119 | Keene State College | 30200 | 40700 | 0.2595 | 2,744 | 1020 | 0.9033 | |
| 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 | |
| 125 | Point University | 31200 | 43800 | 0.2877 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 125 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3259 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 127 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | 31500 | 43200 | 0.2707 | 1,764 | 1055 | 0.8325 | |
| 128 | Angelo State University | 31800 | 35400 | 0.101 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 129 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 32000 | 41600 | 0.231 | 9,302 | 1125 | 0.9735 | |
| 130 | McKendree University | 32100 | 52200 | 0.3857 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 131 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32400 | 47600 | 0.3192 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 132 | University of Missouri-St Louis | 32600 | 37200 | 0.1231 | 12,151 | 1154 | 0.5716 | |
| 133 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 134 | Frostburg State University | 32900 | 43100 | 0.2367 | 2,619 | 1082 | 0.892 | |
| 134 | Harding University | 32900 | 47000 | 0.2995 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 136 | Saint Francis University | 33000 | 61500 | 0.4634 | 2,450 | 1150 | 0.7916 | |
| 137 | Mount Saint Mary College | 33200 | 68400 | 0.5147 | 2,141 | 1090 | 0.8888 | |
| 138 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 139 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 140 | Shenandoah University | 34000 | 53300 | 0.3622 | 2,641 | 1127 | 0.7695 | |
| 141 | Taylor University | 34100 | 57600 | 0.4074 | 2,503 | 1235 | 0.7353 | |
| 142 | St. John Fisher University | 34400 | 63700 | 0.4601 | 2,583 | 1210 | 0.664 | |
| 143 | Eastern Oregon University | 34600 | 40200 | 0.1395 | 2,502 | 1040 | 0.9831 | |
| 144 | North Greenville University | 34700 | 44800 | 0.2248 | 2,020 | 1164 | 0.6667 | |
| 145 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 146 | Stevenson University | 35300 | 59900 | 0.4105 | 3,106 | 1100 | 0.7891 | |
| 147 | Roger Williams University | 35800 | 63700 | 0.4381 | 4,050 | 1225 | 0.8778 | |
| 147 | Seton Hill University | 35800 | 63800 | 0.4386 | 1,597 | 1150 | 0.7579 | |
| 149 | Anderson University | 35900 | 46900 | 0.2359 | 1,095 | 1055 | 0.5342 | |
| 150 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 151 | Davenport University | 36500 | 44400 | 0.1779 | 4,991 | 0 | 0.9827 | |
| 151 | Farmingdale State College | 36500 | 37800 | 0.0344 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 151 | Mercer University | 36500 | 60500 | 0.3967 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 151 | Warner Pacific University | 36500 | 41600 | 0.1221 | 350 | 945 | 0.5855 | |
| 155 | Augusta University | 37100 | 50500 | 0.2653 | 5,684 | 1125 | 0.8931 | |
| 156 | Bluefield University | 37200 | 43200 | 0.1389 | 694 | 995 | 0.6272 | |
| 156 | Immaculata University | 37200 | 47800 | 0.2215 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 158 | Montana Technological University | 38100 | 47000 | 0.1893 | 1,435 | 1125 | 0.899 | |
| 159 | University of New Haven | 38300 | 64900 | 0.4096 | 4,903 | 1180 | 0.6038 | |
| 160 | Champlain College | 38500 | 70000 | 0.4503 | 1,691 | 1304 | 0.8764 | |
| 161 | Saint Vincent College | 38600 | 60700 | 0.3636 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 162 | Montreat College | 38900 | 55000 | 0.2924 | 759 | 1055 | 0.6555 | |
| 163 | Loyola University Chicago | 40000 | 67600 | 0.4085 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 165 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 166 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 41500 | 45200 | 0.0819 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9808 | |
| 167 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3591 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 167 | Hofstra University | 41700 | 74600 | 0.4409 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 167 | Illinois State University | 41700 | 47300 | 0.1179 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 170 | New England Institute of Technology | 41900 | 61100 | 0.3145 | 1,718 | 995 | 0.6673 | |
| 171 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 172 | Marist College | 42600 | 90500 | 0.5295 | 5,551 | 1279 | 0.5651 | |
| 172 | Mercyhurst University | 42600 | 66400 | 0.3586 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 174 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43200 | 46200 | 0.0665 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 175 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 43700 | 43700 | 0 | 11,554 | 1100 | 0.5516 | |
| 176 | Western Washington University | 45000 | 50900 | 0.1158 | 13,752 | 1218 | 0.9325 | |
| 177 | Wagner College | 47100 | 73400 | 0.3582 | 1,590 | 1230 | 0.8346 | |
| 178 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 56200 | 0.1476 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 179 | University at Albany | 48100 | 48700 | 0.0123 | 12,666 | 1245 | 0.6909 | |
| 180 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 181 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49100 | 85800 | 0.4277 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 182 | Drexel University | 51200 | 82600 | 0.38 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 183 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 51700 | 51700 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 184 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 56100 | 0.0036 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 185 | Oregon Institute of Technology | 58900 | 67000 | 0.1205 | 5,162 | 1131 | 0.9502 | |
| 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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