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 | Old Dominion University | 0 | 32400 | 1 | 17,504 | 1205 | 0.9135 | |
| 2 | Utah State University | 9700 | 26700 | 0.6361 | 26,629 | 1168 | 0.9212 | |
| 3 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 10300 | 10300 | 0 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 4 | California State University-Fresno | 11400 | 19600 | 0.4221 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 4 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 6 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5865 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 7 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5879 | 7,640 | 1045 | 0.8526 | |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 11800 | 20500 | 0.4247 | 5,063 | 1069 | 0.8756 | |
| 9 | University of Pennsylvania | 12000 | 92900 | 0.8708 | 9,989 | 1535 | 0.0492 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 11 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 12600 | 25700 | 0.5097 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 12700 | 19300 | 0.342 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 13 | Western Kentucky University | 13000 | 27000 | 0.5169 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 14 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 13600 | 19400 | 0.2988 | 23,007 | 1281 | 0.6909 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 17 | Virginia Union University | 14500 | 39400 | 0.6315 | 1,205 | 870 | 0.9802 | |
| 18 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | 14700 | 28200 | 0.4786 | 3,153 | 1035 | 0.7012 | |
| 19 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 15500 | 25800 | 0.3992 | 5,386 | 995 | 0.9092 | |
| 20 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 21 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3962 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 22 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 16300 | 28200 | 0.4215 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 24 | Arkansas State University | 16500 | 28100 | 0.413 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 25 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 26 | West Virginia University | 16800 | 40900 | 0.589 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 27 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 17200 | 29800 | 0.4223 | 6,790 | 965 | 0.9447 | |
| 28 | Central Connecticut State University | 17400 | 34000 | 0.4877 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 29 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 30 | Avila University | 17700 | 64100 | 0.7236 | 1,538 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 30 | Tabor College | 17700 | 54400 | 0.675 | 539 | 965 | 0.6458 | |
| 30 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 33 | Lycoming College | 18100 | 65800 | 0.7252 | 1,014 | 1150 | 0.7702 | |
| 33 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 25200 | 0.2812 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 33 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18100 | 28600 | 0.3669 | 3,991 | 1010 | 0.9654 | |
| 36 | Ursuline College | 18300 | 61900 | 0.7039 | 677 | 1115 | 0.7479 | |
| 37 | Rosemont College | 18400 | 38100 | 0.5177 | 504 | 1085 | 0.7634 | |
| 38 | Delaware State University | 18700 | 42200 | 0.5563 | 4,581 | 930 | 0.4658 | |
| 38 | SUNY Old Westbury | 18700 | 24400 | 0.2339 | 4,474 | 1110 | 0.8352 | |
| 40 | Carlow University | 19600 | 82500 | 0.7625 | 2,303 | 1084 | 0.8768 | |
| 40 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,425 | 1154 | 0.7138 | |
| 40 | Norwich University | 19600 | 73800 | 0.7342 | 2,626 | 1186 | 0.7444 | |
| 43 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6439 | 1,008 | 1059 | 0.7494 | |
| 43 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19700 | 72100 | 0.7266 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 43 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19700 | 79300 | 0.7523 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 43 | University of Saint Mary | 19700 | 53700 | 0.6331 | 1,044 | 1083 | 0.8229 | |
| 47 | Johnson C Smith University | 19800 | 40800 | 0.5148 | 1,252 | 885 | 0.4521 | |
| 47 | McMurry University | 19800 | 51900 | 0.618 | 4,133 | 1104 | 0.8984 | |
| 49 | Coker University | 20100 | 47800 | 0.5798 | 1,220 | 1050 | 0.9396 | |
| 50 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,347 | 1095 | 0.7457 | |
| 50 | Ohio Dominican University | 20200 | 55400 | 0.6354 | 787 | 1385 | 0.9387 | |
| 52 | Albright College | 20400 | 49300 | 0.5861 | 1,210 | 1079 | 0.9408 | |
| 52 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.19 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 54 | University of Northern Iowa | 20500 | 24800 | 0.1733 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 55 | Hiram College | 20600 | 48700 | 0.5767 | 991 | 1075 | 0.9748 | |
| 56 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21000 | 48900 | 0.5702 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 57 | North Central College | 21100 | 63700 | 0.6692 | 2,567 | 1203 | 0.8377 | |
| 58 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 21400 | 35300 | 0.3934 | 5,986 | 1110 | 0.8916 | |
| 59 | Davis & Elkins College | 21600 | 51200 | 0.5784 | 663 | 902 | 0.9433 | |
| 59 | University of Lynchburg | 21600 | 54900 | 0.6069 | 1,424 | 1099 | 0.6108 | |
| 61 | Niagara University | 21800 | 57400 | 0.62 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 62 | Le Moyne College | 21900 | 58100 | 0.6226 | 2,494 | 1250 | 0.6782 | |
| 63 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 22100 | 29100 | 0.241 | 3,929 | 1095 | 0.949 | |
| 64 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4671 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 65 | Cottey College | 22300 | 37300 | 0.4026 | 261 | 991 | 0.7023 | |
| 66 | Buena Vista University | 22400 | 59100 | 0.6212 | 836 | 1075 | 0.6497 | |
| 67 | Manchester University | 22800 | 54100 | 0.5787 | 988 | 1044 | 0.7106 | |
| 68 | Nebraska Wesleyan University | 22900 | 70000 | 0.6728 | 1,391 | 1200 | 0.7243 | |
| 69 | Concordia University-Chicago | 23100 | 54900 | 0.5787 | 1,295 | 1100 | 0.9298 | |
| 70 | Drury University | 23200 | 52900 | 0.5613 | 1,453 | 1209 | 0.6575 | |
| 71 | Hastings College | 23300 | 63000 | 0.6301 | 936 | 1116 | 0.654 | |
| 72 | Hamline University | 23500 | 56500 | 0.5836 | 1,852 | 1175 | 0.9013 | |
| 73 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23600 | 90700 | 0.7398 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 74 | Millikin University | 23800 | 43700 | 0.4549 | 1,427 | 1065 | 0.765 | |
| 75 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 76 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5723 | 2,642 | 1005 | 0.8879 | |
| 77 | Maryville College | 24300 | 58400 | 0.5834 | 1,144 | 1140 | 0.6885 | |
| 78 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 79 | University at Buffalo | 24700 | 34000 | 0.2736 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 80 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 24800 | 37900 | 0.3454 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 81 | University of St Thomas | 25300 | 50900 | 0.5031 | 3,466 | 1095 | 0.8355 | |
| 82 | Mary Baldwin University | 25500 | 48600 | 0.4757 | 1,152 | 1089 | 0.6954 | |
| 83 | Heidelberg University | 25700 | 48600 | 0.4713 | 1,002 | 1025 | 0.82 | |
| 84 | Otterbein University | 25800 | 57300 | 0.5497 | 2,292 | 1126 | 0.8388 | |
| 85 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5426 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8652 | |
| 85 | Rockford University | 25900 | 58500 | 0.5577 | 983 | 975 | 0.9289 | |
| 87 | University of Mobile | 26200 | 48300 | 0.4572 | 1,313 | 1209 | 0.7789 | |
| 88 | St Bonaventure University | 26300 | 61200 | 0.5702 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 88 | St. Mary's University | 26300 | 59800 | 0.5604 | 2,330 | 1060 | 0.9508 | |
| 90 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4755 | 1,299 | 1167 | 0.9556 | |
| 91 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 92 | University of La Verne | 26600 | 67300 | 0.6044 | 3,052 | 1109 | 0.7117 | |
| 93 | University of Idaho | 26700 | 45200 | 0.4089 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 94 | University of Central Arkansas | 26900 | 31200 | 0.1373 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 95 | Capital University | 27100 | 62400 | 0.5656 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 96 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27300 | 31300 | 0.1274 | 8,706 | 1230 | 0.8906 | |
| 96 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 98 | Eastern Connecticut State University | 27400 | 37900 | 0.2778 | 4,573 | 1165 | 0.853 | |
| 98 | Randolph-Macon College | 27400 | 69200 | 0.6037 | 1,800 | 1128 | 0.9105 | |
| 100 | Pacific Lutheran University | 27600 | 71200 | 0.6116 | 2,396 | 1159 | 0.866 | |
| 101 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27700 | 30000 | 0.0763 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 102 | Florida Southern College | 27800 | 63200 | 0.56 | 2,682 | 1264 | 0.6442 | |
| 102 | Mount St. Mary's University | 27800 | 61400 | 0.5468 | 1,804 | 1159 | 0.7258 | |
| 102 | University of Missouri-St Louis | 27800 | 38200 | 0.2722 | 12,798 | 1157 | 0.1421 | |
| 102 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 106 | California State University-San Marcos | 28000 | 38300 | 0.2689 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 107 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9631 | |
| 108 | University of Hartford | 28500 | 70100 | 0.5933 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9579 | |
| 108 | Webster University | 28500 | 54700 | 0.4792 | 1,898 | 1120 | 0.8618 | |
| 110 | Flagler College | 28700 | 61200 | 0.5309 | 2,359 | 1175 | 0.787 | |
| 110 | University of Utah | 28700 | 32000 | 0.1028 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 112 | Cedar Crest College | 28800 | 66000 | 0.5633 | 870 | 1115 | 0.8407 | |
| 113 | Regis University | 29200 | 67200 | 0.5651 | 2,505 | 1225 | 0.8461 | |
| 114 | Huntington University | 29300 | 44300 | 0.3384 | 1,512 | 1065 | 0.7518 | |
| 115 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 29400 | 59400 | 0.505 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 115 | William Penn University | 29400 | 48000 | 0.387 | 1,366 | 1035 | 0.7311 | |
| 117 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.409 | 778 | 1150 | 0.8633 | |
| 118 | Baker University | 30100 | 54800 | 0.452 | 1,317 | 1035 | 0.9771 | |
| 118 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 120 | Oklahoma Baptist University | 30400 | 54700 | 0.4445 | 1,427 | 1025 | 0.4941 | |
| 121 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 31000 | 77600 | 0.6003 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 122 | Saint Michael's College | 31200 | 68500 | 0.5448 | 1,051 | 1280 | 0.8976 | |
| 123 | Lebanon Valley College | 31300 | 72400 | 0.5679 | 1,834 | 1260 | 0.808 | |
| 124 | Mount Saint Mary College | 31400 | 68600 | 0.5423 | 2,749 | 1153 | 0.892 | |
| 124 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31400 | 47100 | 0.3349 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 126 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 127 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | 31700 | 39200 | 0.1899 | 10,594 | 1193 | 0.6493 | |
| 128 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3654 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 129 | Marquette University | 32700 | 66500 | 0.5082 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 129 | North Carolina State University | 32700 | 54800 | 0.4033 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 131 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 132 | Lander University | 33400 | 37700 | 0.1142 | 3,776 | 1055 | 0.8131 | |
| 132 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 134 | Cleveland State University | 33500 | 37300 | 0.1019 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 134 | Fort Lewis College | 33500 | 41400 | 0.191 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 136 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33600 | 38200 | 0.1201 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 137 | Emmanuel College | 33700 | 71400 | 0.528 | 1,948 | 1245 | 0.7677 | |
| 138 | University of Rhode Island | 34200 | 46400 | 0.2627 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 138 | University of St Thomas | 34200 | 70300 | 0.5138 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 140 | Assumption University | 34400 | 74400 | 0.5374 | 1,737 | 1085 | 0.8455 | |
| 140 | Siena University | 34400 | 65100 | 0.4717 | 3,149 | 1301 | 0.8464 | |
| 142 | Chatham University | 34900 | 63300 | 0.449 | 1,555 | 1197 | 0.6196 | |
| 142 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 144 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 145 | University of New England | 35100 | 68000 | 0.4841 | 4,631 | 1145 | 0.9203 | |
| 146 | Barry University | 35200 | 56400 | 0.3757 | 4,654 | 1005 | 0.9663 | |
| 146 | California Lutheran University | 35200 | 70000 | 0.4973 | 2,160 | 1218 | 0.7631 | |
| 148 | The University of Tampa | 35500 | 56900 | 0.3758 | 10,710 | 1250 | 0.4363 | |
| 149 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 150 | Hofstra University | 36400 | 76900 | 0.5266 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 151 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36600 | 39900 | 0.0825 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 152 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 153 | Benedictine College | 37700 | 50800 | 0.2579 | 2,404 | 1241 | 0.9812 | |
| 154 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 155 | Washington State University | 38100 | 53900 | 0.2932 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 156 | Howard Payne University | 38200 | 54500 | 0.2988 | 751 | 1043 | 0.6737 | |
| 157 | LeTourneau University | 38400 | 54800 | 0.2995 | 2,903 | 1242 | 0.4879 | |
| 158 | Crown College | 38600 | 53200 | 0.2734 | 1,523 | 1060 | 0.2278 | |
| 159 | Bloomfield College of Montclair State University | 38800 | 46600 | 0.1673 | 799 | 865 | 0.6974 | |
| 159 | Pacific University | 38800 | 74900 | 0.4817 | 1,465 | 1019 | 0.8986 | |
| 159 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 162 | Manhattan University | 38900 | 74100 | 0.4749 | 2,378 | 1174 | 0.8216 | |
| 163 | Mississippi State University | 39100 | 53400 | 0.2675 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 164 | Concordia University Texas | 39200 | 45800 | 0.1448 | 1,189 | 990 | 0.9125 | |
| 164 | University of Denver | 39200 | 76900 | 0.4905 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 166 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4513 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 166 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3916 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 168 | Saint Anselm College | 39800 | 73700 | 0.4599 | 2,094 | 1195 | 0.7805 | |
| 168 | The University of Montana | 39800 | 45000 | 0.1155 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 170 | Fresno Pacific University | 39900 | 52200 | 0.2354 | 1,615 | 1075 | 0.6396 | |
| 171 | Dominican University of California | 40500 | 69200 | 0.415 | 1,058 | 0 | 0.521 | |
| 172 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40800 | 53600 | 0.2389 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 173 | Champlain College | 41100 | 76000 | 0.4595 | 1,514 | 1273 | 0.873 | |
| 174 | Butler University | 41400 | 67900 | 0.3905 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 175 | Mount Saint Mary's University | 42900 | 80700 | 0.4683 | 1,733 | 1015 | 0.7313 | |
| 176 | University of Maryland-College Park | 43000 | 53600 | 0.1979 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 177 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45700 | 0.057 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 178 | Union University | 43800 | 66000 | 0.3375 | 1,856 | 1242 | 0.5857 | |
| 179 | Mercer University | 45700 | 65400 | 0.3015 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 180 | Drexel University | 47700 | 83900 | 0.4315 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 180 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 61300 | 0.2231 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 182 | University of Iowa | 52100 | 54400 | 0.0421 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 183 | Mount St. Joseph University | 53900 | 54300 | 0.0074 | 1,268 | 1105 | 0.9128 | |
| 184 | The University of Alabama | 55700 | 58500 | 0.0478 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 185 | Clemson University | 61400 | 63700 | 0.036 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 186 | St. John Fisher University | 62500 | 62500 | 0 | 2,583 | 1214 | 0.6607 | |
| 187 | Stonehill College | 68500 | 70600 | 0.0297 | 2,569 | 1150 | 0.6628 | |
| 188 | Gonzaga University | 70800 | 76600 | 0.0757 | 4,976 | 1328 | 0.7962 | |
| 189 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75600 | 0.0476 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 | |
| 190 | The Catholic University of America | 82500 | 82500 | 0 | 3,294 | 1229 | 0.7328 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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