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 | 8300 | 27100 | 0.6927 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 3 | California State University-Northridge | 9300 | 36500 | 0.7454 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 4 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 27400 | 0.5982 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 5 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 6 | Southern Utah University | 12500 | 44000 | 0.7155 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 7 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 10 | West Virginia University | 12800 | 57700 | 0.778 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 11 | Eastern Illinois University | 13000 | 24300 | 0.4645 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 12 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 39600 | 0.6693 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 13 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 13200 | 54500 | 0.7577 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 13 | Northern Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5135 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 13 | University of North Alabama | 13200 | 30800 | 0.5707 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 17 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13300 | 25700 | 0.4825 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 18 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13400 | 23200 | 0.4223 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 18 | 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 | |
| 21 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 23 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13900 | 22500 | 0.3818 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 23 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14100 | 35900 | 0.6065 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 26 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14400 | 32200 | 0.5534 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 26 | Framingham State University | 14400 | 31000 | 0.5357 | 2,817 | 1165 | 0.8491 | |
| 26 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14400 | 26500 | 0.4563 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14400 | 28000 | 0.4854 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 30 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4865 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 31 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 31 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14600 | 22600 | 0.3536 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 33 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 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 | |
| 34 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15400 | 45200 | 0.6587 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 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 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 39 | University of South Alabama | 16200 | 22400 | 0.2773 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 41 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16400 | 31600 | 0.4816 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 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 | |
| 45 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 46 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 47 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 17100 | 24300 | 0.2965 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 48 | Husson University | 17200 | 48100 | 0.6418 | 2,762 | 1060 | 0.8095 | |
| 49 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17400 | 26300 | 0.3363 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 50 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 50 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17500 | 44900 | 0.6098 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 50 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 53 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17700 | 26700 | 0.3376 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 54 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 54 | Virginia State University | 17800 | 29500 | 0.3963 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 56 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 57 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 18200 | 46600 | 0.6101 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 58 | Bay Path University | 18300 | 55400 | 0.6695 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 59 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 59 | Stockton University | 18400 | 32100 | 0.4266 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 61 | California State University-East Bay | 18700 | 30100 | 0.3793 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 61 | College of Charleston | 18700 | 33900 | 0.4489 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 61 | Madonna University | 18700 | 58300 | 0.6796 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.5226 | |
| 61 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 65 | University of Mississippi | 18800 | 45000 | 0.5828 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 66 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19000 | 34400 | 0.4471 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 67 | North Carolina Central University | 19100 | 40000 | 0.5223 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 68 | Salem State University | 19400 | 35100 | 0.4471 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 69 | San Diego State University | 19600 | 28900 | 0.3219 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 70 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 70 | Davis & Elkins College | 20000 | 48300 | 0.5868 | 683 | 902 | 0.5823 | |
| 72 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 72 | Iowa State University | 20100 | 24200 | 0.1726 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 72 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 75 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20500 | 46300 | 0.5571 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 76 | South Dakota State University | 20600 | 25200 | 0.1838 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 76 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38200 | 0.4606 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 78 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 79 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1841 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 80 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 80 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 82 | Montana State University | 21600 | 27100 | 0.2027 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 83 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4911 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 83 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 85 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 86 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 87 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 88 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 88 | San Francisco State University | 22700 | 55400 | 0.5903 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 90 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3733 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 90 | 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 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23800 | 26300 | 0.0952 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 94 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3859 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 96 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3383 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 97 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 98 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 99 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 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 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 105 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 106 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 42100 | 0.3678 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 107 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0724 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 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 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 115 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 117 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 118 | Culinary Institute of America | 30400 | 74600 | 0.5922 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 119 | Meredith College | 30500 | 64200 | 0.5251 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 119 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 121 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78100 | 0.6056 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 122 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3272 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 123 | New Jersey City University | 31600 | 39800 | 0.2062 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 124 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 124 | Liberty University | 32000 | 44300 | 0.2777 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 126 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 126 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 126 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 129 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32900 | 52800 | 0.377 | 2,615 | 965 | 0.8443 | |
| 130 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 131 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0701 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 131 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 133 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 134 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4205 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 135 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 136 | Auburn University | 36400 | 38000 | 0.0421 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 136 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 138 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 139 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 140 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 140 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66500 | 0.4373 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 142 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 142 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 144 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 40200 | 92400 | 0.5648 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 145 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3865 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 146 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.082 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 147 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 147 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 149 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3601 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 150 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46200 | 0.0888 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 151 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 152 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 152 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 154 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 155 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 156 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2745 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 157 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 158 | High Point University | 45700 | 72900 | 0.373 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 159 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 160 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 161 | Lynn University | 51500 | 66000 | 0.2197 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 162 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 163 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53700 | 64200 | 0.1635 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 164 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 165 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 166 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 167 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61300 | 64200 | 0.0452 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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