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 | Boston University | 5700 | 88800 | 0.9363 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 2 | North Carolina Central University | 7000 | 27000 | 0.7416 | 6,595 | 971 | 0.8697 | |
| 3 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 4 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11700 | 41000 | 0.7142 | 724 | 965 | 0.7913 | |
| 5 | New York University | 12000 | 91800 | 0.869 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | University of the Virgin Islands | 12400 | 23900 | 0.4819 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 7 | University of West Florida | 12400 | 21500 | 0.4227 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 9 | Florida Atlantic University | 12600 | 24800 | 0.491 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 11 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 12800 | 27100 | 0.5269 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 12 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 13 | University of North Alabama | 13600 | 28200 | 0.518 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13700 | 19400 | 0.2939 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 15 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13800 | 25000 | 0.4483 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 16 | Northern Arizona University | 14000 | 25400 | 0.4509 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 17 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14200 | 26500 | 0.463 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 19 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 14600 | 31600 | 0.5381 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 20 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 21 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 21 | Western Carolina University | 15200 | 16500 | 0.0787 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 23 | California State University-Long Beach | 15400 | 25800 | 0.4032 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 24 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 15500 | 32300 | 0.5208 | 2,836 | 1170 | 0.3787 | |
| 24 | Stephen F Austin State University | 15500 | 22600 | 0.3137 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 26 | James Madison University | 15600 | 28600 | 0.4538 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 26 | Livingstone College | 15600 | 29900 | 0.4788 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 28 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 15900 | 28800 | 0.4478 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 28 | Troy University | 15900 | 26700 | 0.4044 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 30 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16400 | 30700 | 0.4662 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 30 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16400 | 31300 | 0.4766 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 32 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.453 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 33 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 34 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16900 | 23100 | 0.2682 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 35 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17100 | 27400 | 0.3757 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 36 | Eastern Illinois University | 17400 | 27700 | 0.3709 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 37 | San Francisco State University | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4714 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 38 | Husson University | 17800 | 48100 | 0.6293 | 2,762 | 1115 | 0.8095 | |
| 38 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 22400 | 0.2057 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 40 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 17900 | 32100 | 0.443 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 41 | Colorado Mesa University | 18100 | 24800 | 0.2705 | 9,473 | 1050 | 0.9829 | |
| 42 | Delaware State University | 18300 | 33100 | 0.4474 | 4,941 | 960 | 0.6167 | |
| 42 | University of New Orleans | 18300 | 29500 | 0.3797 | 5,476 | 1125 | 0.6677 | |
| 44 | College of Coastal Georgia | 18600 | 32900 | 0.4352 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 45 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4826 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 46 | Saint Cloud State University | 18900 | 24500 | 0.2306 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 47 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.3956 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 48 | San Jose State University | 19200 | 29900 | 0.3576 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 49 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 50 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 51 | Davis & Elkins College | 19900 | 48300 | 0.5883 | 683 | 1025 | 0.5823 | |
| 52 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 27600 | 0.2756 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 52 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1755 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 54 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 55 | South Dakota State University | 20500 | 25200 | 0.1866 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 55 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20500 | 30000 | 0.3172 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 57 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 58 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 59 | Montana State University | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2285 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 60 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 61 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21800 | 25400 | 0.1427 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 62 | Madonna University | 21900 | 50400 | 0.5655 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.9293 | |
| 63 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 63 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 22200 | 33900 | 0.3449 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 65 | Cleary University | 22300 | 47200 | 0.5279 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 65 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22300 | 52500 | 0.5758 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 67 | Ball State University | 22400 | 22400 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 67 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 22400 | 32000 | 0.2999 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 69 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 69 | Florida State University | 22600 | 25000 | 0.0962 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 71 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 22900 | 22900 | 0 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 72 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5998 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 73 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 74 | Bellevue University | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0858 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 74 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 76 | Keystone College | 23900 | 42900 | 0.4426 | 894 | 1035 | 0.848 | |
| 77 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 78 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 79 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 24400 | 76300 | 0.6804 | 7,703 | 1105 | 0.9556 | |
| 80 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24600 | 32900 | 0.2523 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 81 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 24700 | 42300 | 0.4158 | 1,905 | 965 | 0.5754 | |
| 82 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 83 | Flagler College | 25100 | 37800 | 0.3362 | 2,409 | 785 | 0.8076 | |
| 83 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 85 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 86 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5417 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 86 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 88 | California State University-Northridge | 26000 | 36600 | 0.2897 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.9219 | |
| 89 | Fort Hays State University | 26200 | 35200 | 0.2562 | 10,206 | 1120 | 0.9177 | |
| 90 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 26400 | 39000 | 0.323 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 91 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 92 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 27100 | 55200 | 0.5088 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 93 | Southern Utah University | 27400 | 35600 | 0.2301 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 94 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 94 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 96 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0858 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 97 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.4455 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 98 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 99 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5055 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 99 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.401 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 101 | Framingham State University | 28700 | 38100 | 0.247 | 2,817 | 1125 | 0.8491 | |
| 101 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 103 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 28900 | 31100 | 0.071 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 104 | Montclair State University | 29500 | 36300 | 0.1874 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 104 | Salem State University | 29500 | 38900 | 0.2414 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 106 | California State University-East Bay | 29800 | 43000 | 0.3067 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 107 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 108 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 109 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 30600 | 43700 | 0.2995 | 1,002 | 1115 | 0.8898 | |
| 110 | Culinary Institute of America | 30700 | 69500 | 0.558 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 111 | Georgia State University | 30800 | 44400 | 0.306 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 112 | Siena Heights University | 31000 | 46300 | 0.3287 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 113 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 31100 | 63700 | 0.5114 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 114 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 31300 | 38500 | 0.1871 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 115 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 32200 | 39200 | 0.1788 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 116 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 34700 | 0.0691 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 117 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32400 | 47600 | 0.3192 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 118 | Widener University | 32500 | 75300 | 0.5682 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 119 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 119 | Southeastern University | 32700 | 60500 | 0.4592 | 10,351 | 1130 | 0.6165 | |
| 121 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 122 | Virginia State University | 33300 | 42200 | 0.2111 | 4,829 | 935 | 0.891 | |
| 123 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 124 | Appalachian State University | 33500 | 35800 | 0.0642 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 124 | Lasell University | 33500 | 47000 | 0.287 | 1,293 | 1139 | 0.927 | |
| 124 | Stockton University | 33500 | 44500 | 0.2473 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 127 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 128 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 129 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 130 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 131 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35300 | 64400 | 0.4522 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 132 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 133 | Western Kentucky University | 36100 | 41900 | 0.1385 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 134 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36200 | 53300 | 0.3207 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 135 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5259 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 136 | Ashland University | 36500 | 52700 | 0.3072 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 137 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 138 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 139 | Washington State University | 38500 | 53900 | 0.2859 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 140 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 140 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 39600 | 53700 | 0.2627 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 142 | San Diego State University | 40100 | 40500 | 0.0099 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 143 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 144 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 40300 | 40300 | 0 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 144 | University of Georgia | 40300 | 46000 | 0.1242 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 146 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.387 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 147 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 148 | Webber International University | 40600 | 44400 | 0.0835 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 149 | Endicott College | 40800 | 63200 | 0.3544 | 3,176 | 1215 | 0.7229 | |
| 150 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41200 | 53900 | 0.2356 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 151 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 152 | Campbell University | 41600 | 65100 | 0.3611 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 153 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 154 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 155 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 156 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 157 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4481 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 158 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 159 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 160 | University of Delaware | 47200 | 53200 | 0.1127 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 161 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 162 | College of Charleston | 49600 | 59000 | 0.1594 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 163 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 164 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 165 | Lynn University | 51500 | 64200 | 0.1979 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 166 | University of San Francisco | 53500 | 83200 | 0.3568 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 167 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 168 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 56100 | 0.0036 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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