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 Air Force Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,114 | 1335 | 0.1409 | |
| 1 | United States Military Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,507 | 1335 | 0.1161 | |
| 3 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 4 | Mount Holyoke College | 9500 | 89900 | 0.8946 | 2,135 | 1419 | 0.3841 | |
| 5 | Southern Utah University | 10300 | 22200 | 0.5371 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 6 | Colgate University | 10600 | 95800 | 0.889 | 3,193 | 1488 | 0.1388 | |
| 7 | Fayetteville State University | 11300 | 20300 | 0.4428 | 6,542 | 900 | 0.689 | |
| 8 | California State University-Fresno | 11400 | 19600 | 0.4221 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 9 | California State University-Stanislaus | 11800 | 28500 | 0.5859 | 8,494 | 950 | 0.9558 | |
| 9 | Marshall University | 11800 | 36600 | 0.6773 | 9,960 | 1070 | 0.9663 | |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 11800 | 20500 | 0.4247 | 5,063 | 1069 | 0.8756 | |
| 12 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | 11900 | 33200 | 0.6407 | 2,304 | 990 | 0.8351 | |
| 13 | California State University-Northridge | 12100 | 22000 | 0.4501 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 13 | Vassar College | 12100 | 92400 | 0.8693 | 2,514 | 1488 | 0.2093 | |
| 15 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12200 | 25000 | 0.5113 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 16 | Eastern Illinois University | 12700 | 24300 | 0.4766 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 17 | University of South Florida | 12900 | 17100 | 0.2454 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 57800 | 0.7626 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 20 | Middlebury College | 13900 | 89900 | 0.8454 | 2,640 | 1499 | 0.1277 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 14000 | 19000 | 0.2634 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 22 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 23 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 24 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 27400 | 0.4711 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 25 | Salisbury University | 14600 | 28700 | 0.4916 | 6,477 | 1245 | 0.8826 | |
| 25 | Sonoma State University | 14600 | 26700 | 0.4532 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 27 | Wayne State College | 15100 | 20300 | 0.2561 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 28 | California State University-Chico | 15200 | 23500 | 0.3528 | 13,599 | 1054 | 0.9107 | |
| 28 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 30 | Western Michigan University | 15300 | 26500 | 0.423 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 31 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 32 | James Madison University | 15600 | 28900 | 0.4608 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 32 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 34 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 34 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 36 | Worcester State University | 15900 | 31700 | 0.4978 | 4,485 | 1090 | 0.8799 | |
| 37 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 37 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 39 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 40 | California State University-Sacramento | 16200 | 27600 | 0.4134 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 40 | Frostburg State University | 16200 | 26600 | 0.3907 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 42 | University of Southern Maine | 16300 | 23000 | 0.291 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 43 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 44 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 16500 | 26400 | 0.3744 | 3,943 | 1275 | 0.3333 | |
| 44 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 46 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16600 | 64800 | 0.7439 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 47 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27000 | 0.3705 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 48 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17100 | 17100 | 0 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 49 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 50 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4173 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 51 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 17700 | 23500 | 0.2472 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 53 | Bridgewater State University | 18000 | 25400 | 0.291 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 53 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5381 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 55 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 25200 | 0.2812 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 56 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 56 | Towson University | 18200 | 29900 | 0.3909 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 58 | University of Vermont | 18300 | 37800 | 0.5164 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 59 | The University of Montana | 18900 | 25200 | 0.2497 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 60 | University of Northern Colorado | 19000 | 30500 | 0.377 | 6,598 | 1080 | 0.945 | |
| 61 | University of Nevada-Reno | 19200 | 28200 | 0.3189 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 61 | University of South Alabama | 19200 | 22400 | 0.1431 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 63 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19500 | 33700 | 0.4216 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 64 | Emory & Henry University | 19600 | 52400 | 0.6257 | 1,084 | 1145 | 0.8365 | |
| 64 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 66 | California State University-Los Angeles | 19700 | 38000 | 0.4816 | 22,077 | 965 | 0.9124 | |
| 66 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 29000 | 0.3212 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 68 | Central Connecticut State University | 19800 | 29500 | 0.3286 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 69 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 70 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20100 | 39900 | 0.4965 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 70 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 20100 | 32300 | 0.3775 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 70 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45200 | 0.5559 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 73 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 74 | University of Northern Iowa | 20500 | 24800 | 0.1733 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 74 | University of Wyoming | 20500 | 27900 | 0.2644 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 76 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 76 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | 20700 | 24300 | 0.1476 | 3,207 | 1084 | 0.9751 | |
| 78 | Louisiana Tech University | 21300 | 26100 | 0.1841 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 79 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 21400 | 26300 | 0.1865 | 6,113 | 1279 | 0.6267 | |
| 79 | University of Mary Washington | 21400 | 47100 | 0.5464 | 3,531 | 1279 | 0.7413 | |
| 81 | Rocky Mountain College | 21500 | 52000 | 0.5863 | 779 | 1055 | 0.7775 | |
| 82 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 21800 | 37300 | 0.4156 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 83 | Florida State University | 22400 | 32400 | 0.3091 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 84 | Concordia University-Nebraska | 22800 | 61100 | 0.6267 | 3,007 | 1135 | 0.8572 | |
| 84 | Fitchburg State University | 22800 | 33700 | 0.3235 | 3,000 | 1090 | 0.8885 | |
| 86 | Saint Cloud State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3775 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 86 | San Jose State University | 22900 | 41100 | 0.4429 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 88 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 23000 | 27500 | 0.1618 | 18,028 | 1059 | 0.7996 | |
| 88 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23000 | 29000 | 0.2067 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 90 | Aquinas College | 23400 | 53400 | 0.5622 | 1,103 | 1035 | 0.9726 | |
| 90 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 92 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3479 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 93 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 94 | Indiana State University | 24200 | 32400 | 0.2532 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 95 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 95 | University of Arizona | 24400 | 38100 | 0.3597 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 95 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 98 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6602 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 98 | University at Buffalo | 24700 | 34000 | 0.2736 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 98 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 24700 | 24700 | 0 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 101 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 24800 | 37900 | 0.3454 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 101 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 103 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 25200 | 31100 | 0.1896 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 104 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 105 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 25600 | 34900 | 0.2668 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 106 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 106 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0977 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 108 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 109 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26100 | 28400 | 0.0805 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 110 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26300 | 36800 | 0.2855 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 110 | Gustavus Adolphus College | 26300 | 75500 | 0.6519 | 1,906 | 1273 | 0.6099 | |
| 112 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 113 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26800 | 0.0112 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 113 | Indiana University-Southeast | 26500 | 29800 | 0.1105 | 3,200 | 1095 | 0.842 | |
| 113 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 116 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.0793 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 117 | University of Idaho | 26700 | 45200 | 0.4089 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 118 | Kansas State University | 27000 | 31400 | 0.1412 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 119 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 120 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 120 | University of North Alabama | 27400 | 37300 | 0.2655 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 122 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 123 | California State University-San Bernardino | 27900 | 39100 | 0.2863 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 123 | Syracuse University | 27900 | 83100 | 0.6641 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 125 | California State University-San Marcos | 28000 | 38300 | 0.2689 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 126 | Elmhurst University | 28200 | 67000 | 0.5793 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 127 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29000 | 34000 | 0.1472 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 128 | Jacksonville State University | 29100 | 38200 | 0.2381 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 128 | Pittsburg State University | 29100 | 36200 | 0.1959 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 130 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 130 | Montclair State University | 29400 | 36300 | 0.1902 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 132 | University of Iowa | 29800 | 32100 | 0.0714 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 133 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 134 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 30800 | 35900 | 0.1422 | 6,229 | 1174 | 0.8942 | |
| 134 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 136 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31000 | 59100 | 0.4752 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 137 | University of Louisville | 31200 | 42000 | 0.257 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 138 | San Diego State University | 31300 | 36100 | 0.1329 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 139 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 140 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5823 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 141 | Portland State University | 32300 | 43100 | 0.2502 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 142 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 143 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 143 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 143 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 33200 | 37200 | 0.1075 | 5,823 | 1115 | 0.8619 | |
| 146 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 147 | Rhode Island College | 33800 | 45100 | 0.2505 | 5,695 | 995 | 0.8557 | |
| 148 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 34200 | 41600 | 0.1779 | 9,040 | 1119 | 0.9666 | |
| 148 | University of St Thomas | 34200 | 70300 | 0.5138 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 150 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 151 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 35300 | 37600 | 0.0609 | 13,433 | 1145 | 0.8844 | |
| 152 | Carthage College | 35800 | 61800 | 0.4207 | 2,914 | 1125 | 0.8445 | |
| 153 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 35900 | 47500 | 0.2444 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 154 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36300 | 53100 | 0.3162 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 155 | Hofstra University | 36400 | 76900 | 0.5266 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 156 | University of Connecticut | 37100 | 53600 | 0.3081 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 157 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 158 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0569 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 159 | California State University-Fullerton | 38600 | 41500 | 0.0697 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 160 | University of Denver | 39200 | 76900 | 0.4905 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 161 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 39600 | 42500 | 0.0683 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 162 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 81800 | 0.5061 | 33,534 | 1399 | 0.0941 | |
| 163 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1078 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 164 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 165 | Georgia College & State University | 45000 | 52400 | 0.1412 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 166 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 46400 | 46600 | 0.0043 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 167 | University at Albany | 48900 | 48900 | 0 | 12,889 | 1245 | 0.7044 | |
| 168 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49700 | 59400 | 0.1633 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 168 | University of Georgia | 49700 | 51600 | 0.0368 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 170 | George Mason University | 53400 | 61000 | 0.1246 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 171 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 171 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53600 | 62800 | 0.1465 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 173 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 55900 | 63800 | 0.1237 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 174 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 60700 | 63000 | 0.0364 | 38,463 | 1324 | 0.7589 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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