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 | California State University-Los Angeles | 5300 | 69100 | 0.9237 | 22,077 | 965 | 0.9124 | |
| 4 | Brigham Young University | 8100 | 22300 | 0.6382 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 5 | Rhode Island College | 9100 | 63300 | 0.8562 | 5,695 | 995 | 0.8557 | |
| 6 | Colgate University | 9200 | 95800 | 0.9039 | 3,193 | 1488 | 0.1388 | |
| 7 | Indiana State University | 10000 | 32400 | 0.6916 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 7 | Portland State University | 10000 | 43300 | 0.7696 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 9 | University of Nevada-Reno | 10100 | 45800 | 0.7802 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 9 | Worcester State University | 10100 | 34900 | 0.7101 | 4,485 | 1090 | 0.8799 | |
| 11 | Southern Utah University | 10500 | 51400 | 0.7957 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 10800 | 21100 | 0.4888 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 13 | California State University-Stanislaus | 11100 | 31200 | 0.6448 | 8,494 | 950 | 0.9558 | |
| 13 | Middlebury College | 11100 | 94500 | 0.8829 | 2,640 | 1499 | 0.1277 | |
| 15 | Marshall University | 11200 | 39800 | 0.7184 | 9,960 | 1070 | 0.9663 | |
| 16 | California State University-Fresno | 11300 | 44000 | 0.7434 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 16 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 11300 | 87500 | 0.8707 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 18 | Fayetteville State University | 11400 | 18200 | 0.3734 | 6,542 | 900 | 0.689 | |
| 19 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 11500 | 27800 | 0.5858 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 20 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | 11600 | 56000 | 0.7928 | 2,304 | 990 | 0.8351 | |
| 21 | Eastern Illinois University | 11800 | 24300 | 0.5138 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 22 | Vassar College | 12000 | 93100 | 0.8712 | 2,514 | 1488 | 0.2093 | |
| 23 | Fitchburg State University | 12400 | 33800 | 0.6327 | 3,000 | 1090 | 0.8885 | |
| 23 | Mount Holyoke College | 12400 | 89900 | 0.8621 | 2,135 | 1419 | 0.3841 | |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 31100 | 0.6022 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 26 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 27 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 12900 | 26600 | 0.5151 | 9,040 | 1119 | 0.9666 | |
| 28 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 13300 | 38300 | 0.6521 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 28 | Louisiana Tech University | 13300 | 42900 | 0.6899 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 28 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32200 | 0.5857 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 31 | Aquinas College | 13700 | 86000 | 0.8407 | 1,103 | 1035 | 0.9726 | |
| 32 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 13900 | 19000 | 0.2686 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 33 | Bridgewater State University | 14000 | 28800 | 0.515 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 34 | University of Arizona | 14100 | 32100 | 0.5606 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 34 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 36 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5805 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 36 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 36 | San Francisco State University | 14200 | 47700 | 0.7025 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 39 | California State University-San Marcos | 14300 | 38300 | 0.6265 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 39 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 14300 | 26600 | 0.4624 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 41 | California State University-San Bernardino | 14400 | 32700 | 0.5594 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 42 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 31400 | 0.5374 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 43 | University of North Alabama | 14600 | 37300 | 0.6087 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 44 | Sonoma State University | 14900 | 26700 | 0.442 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 44 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 14900 | 56900 | 0.7381 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 46 | Wayne State College | 15000 | 30500 | 0.509 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 46 | West Virginia University | 15000 | 73100 | 0.7945 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 48 | California State University-Chico | 15400 | 41000 | 0.6249 | 13,599 | 1054 | 0.9107 | |
| 49 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 50 | Jacksonville State University | 15700 | 27000 | 0.4192 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 50 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | 15700 | 20600 | 0.2377 | 3,207 | 1084 | 0.9751 | |
| 52 | University of West Georgia | 15900 | 57700 | 0.7251 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 15900 | 24700 | 0.3557 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 54 | University of Northern Colorado | 16300 | 39100 | 0.5833 | 6,598 | 1080 | 0.945 | |
| 55 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 16600 | 25600 | 0.3515 | 3,943 | 1275 | 0.3333 | |
| 56 | Georgia Southern University | 16800 | 20100 | 0.1638 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 57 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 16900 | 26600 | 0.365 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 58 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 58 | University of Louisville | 17000 | 29100 | 0.4162 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 58 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17000 | 26300 | 0.3538 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 61 | Montclair State University | 17100 | 36000 | 0.5252 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 61 | Weber State University | 17100 | 20300 | 0.1579 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 63 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4174 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 64 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 17600 | 35600 | 0.5063 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 64 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 66 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 17700 | 29300 | 0.3953 | 6,229 | 1174 | 0.8942 | |
| 67 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 40200 | 0.5578 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 68 | California State University-East Bay | 17900 | 33300 | 0.4621 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 69 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 69 | The University of Texas at Austin | 18100 | 28200 | 0.3585 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 71 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 71 | Texas State University | 18200 | 26100 | 0.3026 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 73 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 74 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 27900 | 0.341 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 74 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 18400 | 30600 | 0.3971 | 38,463 | 1324 | 0.7589 | |
| 76 | San Diego State University | 18500 | 28900 | 0.3599 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 76 | University of Central Oklahoma | 18500 | 31100 | 0.4056 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 78 | Emory & Henry University | 19600 | 52400 | 0.6253 | 1,084 | 1145 | 0.8365 | |
| 78 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 80 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1787 | 5,063 | 1069 | 0.8756 | |
| 81 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 82 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20300 | 57800 | 0.6485 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 83 | Syracuse University | 20400 | 83600 | 0.756 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 83 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 20400 | 26100 | 0.2181 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 83 | University of Wyoming | 20400 | 27900 | 0.2682 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 86 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 20700 | 40100 | 0.4839 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 87 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 20900 | 24900 | 0.1606 | 5,823 | 1115 | 0.8619 | |
| 88 | University of Mary Washington | 21300 | 47400 | 0.5516 | 3,531 | 1279 | 0.7413 | |
| 89 | University of Northern Iowa | 21400 | 24800 | 0.1371 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 90 | Rocky Mountain College | 21500 | 52000 | 0.5863 | 779 | 1055 | 0.7775 | |
| 91 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 21800 | 37300 | 0.4156 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 92 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36600 | 0.4014 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 93 | Florida State University | 22300 | 32600 | 0.3161 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 94 | California State University-Northridge | 22400 | 36500 | 0.3858 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 95 | Indiana University-Southeast | 22500 | 25900 | 0.131 | 3,200 | 1095 | 0.842 | |
| 95 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 97 | Concordia University-Nebraska | 22700 | 85400 | 0.7344 | 3,007 | 1135 | 0.8572 | |
| 98 | Saint Cloud State University | 22800 | 36800 | 0.3803 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 99 | Pennsylvania Western University | 23000 | 34400 | 0.3311 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 99 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 23000 | 34900 | 0.3414 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 101 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 23400 | 23500 | 0.0043 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 102 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 23800 | 35700 | 0.333 | 6,113 | 1279 | 0.6267 | |
| 102 | University of North Texas | 23800 | 37400 | 0.3634 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 104 | Elmhurst University | 24000 | 67000 | 0.642 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 104 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24000 | 38500 | 0.3764 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 106 | University of Southern Mississippi | 24100 | 27200 | 0.114 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 107 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6612 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 107 | University of South Florida | 24700 | 36500 | 0.3229 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 109 | Temple University | 24900 | 36100 | 0.3105 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 110 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25000 | 36900 | 0.3228 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 110 | Illinois State University | 25000 | 36400 | 0.3147 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 112 | Ball State University | 25400 | 26200 | 0.0305 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 113 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 114 | Gustavus Adolphus College | 26200 | 75500 | 0.6529 | 1,906 | 1273 | 0.6099 | |
| 115 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 116 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44500 | 0.3996 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 117 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 27500 | 43800 | 0.3725 | 18,028 | 1059 | 0.7996 | |
| 118 | Central Connecticut State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0823 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 119 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 29300 | 33000 | 0.112 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 120 | California State University-Long Beach | 30600 | 38800 | 0.2113 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 121 | George Mason University | 30800 | 35700 | 0.1371 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 121 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30800 | 33200 | 0.0722 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 123 | University of North Dakota | 30900 | 33700 | 0.0858 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 124 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31000 | 75700 | 0.5902 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 124 | Pittsburg State University | 31000 | 37100 | 0.1645 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 126 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 127 | Villanova University | 32200 | 92900 | 0.6537 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 128 | Liberty University | 32400 | 44700 | 0.275 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 129 | California State University-Sacramento | 32900 | 33400 | 0.015 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 130 | The University of Montana | 33400 | 56800 | 0.4123 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 131 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33500 | 38200 | 0.1228 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 132 | University of Idaho | 33900 | 48700 | 0.3041 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 133 | Western Michigan University | 34000 | 36400 | 0.0664 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 34200 | 69400 | 0.5069 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 135 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 34300 | 59100 | 0.4194 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 136 | George Washington University | 34400 | 81800 | 0.5796 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 136 | University of Vermont | 34400 | 66300 | 0.4808 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 138 | Salisbury University | 34500 | 41800 | 0.1748 | 6,477 | 1245 | 0.8826 | |
| 139 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 140 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 141 | California State University-Fullerton | 35200 | 37600 | 0.0636 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 141 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 35200 | 37600 | 0.0637 | 13,433 | 1145 | 0.8844 | |
| 143 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 35300 | 46500 | 0.2409 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 144 | Carthage College | 35800 | 61800 | 0.4207 | 2,914 | 1125 | 0.8445 | |
| 145 | Framingham State University | 36100 | 38100 | 0.0525 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 145 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 36100 | 36100 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 147 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36200 | 54400 | 0.3346 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 148 | Rowan University | 36600 | 53600 | 0.317 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 149 | University of Connecticut | 37000 | 66200 | 0.4414 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 150 | University of Maine at Farmington | 37100 | 40800 | 0.0908 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 151 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 152 | Frostburg State University | 37500 | 42500 | 0.1176 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 152 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 154 | University of Central Arkansas | 37900 | 40200 | 0.0595 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 155 | University of St Thomas | 38000 | 74800 | 0.492 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 156 | University of Illinois Chicago | 38300 | 51400 | 0.2551 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 157 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 158 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39300 | 40300 | 0.0248 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 159 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 39500 | 42800 | 0.0772 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 160 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 81800 | 0.5061 | 33,534 | 1399 | 0.0941 | |
| 161 | Kansas State University | 40900 | 41900 | 0.0238 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 162 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42500 | 63300 | 0.3285 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 163 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45000 | 0.0333 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 164 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4933 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 164 | University at Albany | 44300 | 48900 | 0.0941 | 12,889 | 1245 | 0.7044 | |
| 166 | Appalachian State University | 44500 | 46500 | 0.043 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 167 | Towson University | 45900 | 46600 | 0.015 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 168 | University at Buffalo | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 169 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 61500 | 0.234 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 170 | Calvin University | 47600 | 57400 | 0.1706 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 171 | University of Georgia | 48400 | 52300 | 0.0746 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 172 | University of Kentucky | 48500 | 59900 | 0.1909 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 173 | University of Iowa | 52000 | 54400 | 0.044 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 174 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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