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 | College of the Ozarks | 7900 | 47200 | 0.8331 | 1,454 | 1135 | 0.1199 | |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 8200 | 43500 | 0.8122 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 3 | California State University-Northridge | 9300 | 36500 | 0.7454 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10200 | 27800 | 0.632 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 5 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 31800 | 0.6544 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | Southern Utah University | 12500 | 44000 | 0.7155 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 8 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 10 | Florida Atlantic University | 12700 | 25800 | 0.5084 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 12 | Eastern Illinois University | 13000 | 24300 | 0.4645 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 12 | West Virginia University | 13000 | 57700 | 0.7745 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 14 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 39600 | 0.6693 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 15 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 13200 | 54500 | 0.7577 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 15 | University of North Alabama | 13200 | 30800 | 0.5707 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 18 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13300 | 20300 | 0.344 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 19 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 20 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.6058 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 21 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.6617 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 22 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13900 | 25000 | 0.4455 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 22 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 24 | Arkansas Tech University | 14100 | 35900 | 0.6065 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 24 | University of South Florida | 14100 | 17100 | 0.1753 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 26 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14400 | 32200 | 0.5534 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14400 | 28000 | 0.4854 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 28 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4865 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 29 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 30 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4446 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 31 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 14900 | 37800 | 0.6066 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 32 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4169 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 33 | Troy University | 15200 | 26700 | 0.4306 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 34 | Colorado Mesa University | 15400 | 24800 | 0.3766 | 9,473 | 1090 | 0.9829 | |
| 34 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 36 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 37 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 27900 | 0.4416 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 37 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 39 | California State University-Long Beach | 15800 | 25800 | 0.3877 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 40 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 41 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16400 | 31300 | 0.4766 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 41 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16400 | 42600 | 0.6153 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 43 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16500 | 23100 | 0.2857 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 44 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 44 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 16600 | 30100 | 0.4491 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 46 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 47 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 48 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 17100 | 24300 | 0.2965 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 49 | Husson University | 17200 | 48100 | 0.6418 | 2,762 | 1060 | 0.8095 | |
| 50 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 17300 | 34000 | 0.4908 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 51 | Central Connecticut State University | 17400 | 34000 | 0.488 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 51 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 53 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 53 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17500 | 44900 | 0.6098 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 53 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 56 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 57 | California State University-East Bay | 17900 | 45100 | 0.6034 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 58 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 59 | Bay Path University | 18300 | 55400 | 0.6695 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 60 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 60 | Stockton University | 18400 | 32100 | 0.4266 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 62 | College of Charleston | 18700 | 33900 | 0.4489 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 62 | Madonna University | 18700 | 58300 | 0.6796 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.5226 | |
| 62 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 65 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19000 | 34400 | 0.4471 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 66 | North Carolina Central University | 19100 | 40000 | 0.5223 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 67 | Salem State University | 19400 | 35100 | 0.4471 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 67 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 69 | College of Coastal Georgia | 19500 | 42100 | 0.5362 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 70 | Davis & Elkins College | 20000 | 48300 | 0.5868 | 683 | 902 | 0.5823 | |
| 71 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 71 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 73 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 20300 | 40900 | 0.5042 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 74 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20500 | 46300 | 0.5571 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 75 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20600 | 31100 | 0.3359 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 75 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38200 | 0.4606 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 77 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1841 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 78 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 78 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 80 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21900 | 25400 | 0.1388 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 81 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4911 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 81 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 81 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 84 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 85 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 86 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 87 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 87 | San Francisco State University | 22700 | 55400 | 0.5903 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 89 | Montana State University | 23100 | 31500 | 0.2667 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 89 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3733 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 89 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1023 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 92 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5986 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 93 | New York University | 23600 | 91800 | 0.7427 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 94 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 95 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 96 | Northern Arizona University | 24100 | 43700 | 0.4489 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 96 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 38000 | 0.3658 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 98 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 99 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 26900 | 0.0445 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 100 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 101 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.541 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 102 | Flagler College | 26100 | 61100 | 0.5727 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 102 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5486 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 104 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 105 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 106 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 107 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 27100 | 41500 | 0.3468 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 108 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 109 | Bellevue University | 28200 | 32400 | 0.1278 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 109 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4441 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 111 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.322 | 1,817 | 1094 | 0.8078 | |
| 112 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 113 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4003 | 2,605 | 995 | 0.9427 | |
| 114 | Kansas State University | 29200 | 31400 | 0.0722 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 115 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 116 | Montclair State University | 29500 | 36300 | 0.1874 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 117 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 117 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 119 | Framingham State University | 30000 | 38100 | 0.2126 | 2,817 | 1165 | 0.8491 | |
| 119 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 121 | Culinary Institute of America | 30400 | 74600 | 0.5922 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 122 | Meredith College | 30500 | 64200 | 0.5251 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 123 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78100 | 0.6056 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 124 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3272 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 125 | New Jersey City University | 31600 | 39800 | 0.2062 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 126 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 126 | Liberty University | 32000 | 44300 | 0.2777 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 128 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 128 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 128 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 131 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32900 | 52800 | 0.377 | 2,615 | 965 | 0.8443 | |
| 132 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 133 | San Diego State University | 35200 | 36100 | 0.0249 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 134 | Virginia State University | 35300 | 42200 | 0.1636 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 135 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 136 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4205 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 137 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 137 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 35700 | 42800 | 0.165 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 139 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 140 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 140 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 142 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66500 | 0.4373 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 143 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 144 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 144 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 146 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 40200 | 92400 | 0.5648 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 147 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3865 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 148 | Temple University | 40600 | 55300 | 0.266 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 149 | Washington State University | 40700 | 56300 | 0.2775 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 149 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.082 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 151 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 151 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 153 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3601 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 154 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 154 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 156 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 157 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2745 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 158 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 159 | High Point University | 45700 | 72900 | 0.373 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 160 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 161 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 162 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1357 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 163 | Lynn University | 51500 | 66000 | 0.2197 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 164 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 165 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 166 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 167 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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