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 | 6600 | 38400 | 0.8291 | 1,454 | 1135 | 0.1199 | |
| 2 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10100 | 27800 | 0.6356 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 3 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic University | 11800 | 25800 | 0.5433 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 6 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 22600 | 0.433 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 7 | Boston University | 12900 | 92800 | 0.8612 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | University of South Florida | 12900 | 17100 | 0.2454 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 9 | Western Kentucky University | 13000 | 27000 | 0.5169 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 10 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 22800 | 0.4248 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 11 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 13 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 15 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 15 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14400 | 20300 | 0.29 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 17 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14600 | 29600 | 0.5075 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 18 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 19 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 19 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3945 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 19 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 22 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 22 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 16100 | 24300 | 0.3376 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 24 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 25 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5436 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 25 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 27 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.358 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 28 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 29 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 30 | Central Connecticut State University | 17600 | 34000 | 0.4818 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 30 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 32 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 18100 | 25300 | 0.285 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 33 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 33 | North Carolina Central University | 18400 | 27600 | 0.3331 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 33 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 36 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45000 | 0.5849 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 37 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 37 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 39 | Cleary University | 19000 | 56600 | 0.664 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 40 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 19200 | 26700 | 0.2813 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 40 | Virginia State University | 19200 | 29500 | 0.3488 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 42 | University of South Alabama | 19300 | 22400 | 0.1387 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 43 | Madonna University | 19500 | 49200 | 0.604 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 43 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 45 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 46 | University of New Orleans | 19900 | 30600 | 0.3502 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 47 | Davis & Elkins College | 20000 | 48300 | 0.5862 | 661 | 902 | 0.9433 | |
| 48 | Bay Path University | 20100 | 55400 | 0.637 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 48 | Iowa State University | 20100 | 24200 | 0.1714 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 50 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4449 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 50 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 50 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 53 | Eastern Illinois University | 20400 | 28100 | 0.274 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 54 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 55 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 55 | Washington State University | 21300 | 36200 | 0.4119 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 57 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.502 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 58 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1231 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 59 | Montana State University | 22300 | 27100 | 0.1769 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 60 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 60 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 60 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 63 | New York University | 22700 | 91800 | 0.7524 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 64 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 65 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3725 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 65 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1012 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 65 | University of Southern Mississippi | 23100 | 23100 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 68 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5998 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 69 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 70 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 71 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 72 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24500 | 36300 | 0.3247 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 73 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 74 | Saint Leo University | 25300 | 50000 | 0.4938 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 75 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 76 | Northern Arizona University | 25600 | 43200 | 0.4075 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 77 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 25700 | 39700 | 0.3527 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 78 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5407 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 78 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 80 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 80 | Southeast Missouri State University | 26500 | 28600 | 0.0735 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 82 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 36000 | 0.2612 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 83 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 83 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 83 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 26800 | 31800 | 0.1573 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 86 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 87 | California State University-Northridge | 27000 | 36500 | 0.2602 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 88 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 89 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 89 | University of North Alabama | 27800 | 37300 | 0.2547 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 91 | North Dakota State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0825 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 91 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27900 | 30000 | 0.0702 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 93 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 93 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.4455 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 95 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3222 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 96 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 97 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2151 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 98 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.214 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 99 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 100 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 100 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29400 | 34000 | 0.1352 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 102 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 103 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 104 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30500 | 39200 | 0.2222 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 104 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 106 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 107 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 107 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 109 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3266 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 110 | San Diego State University | 31400 | 36100 | 0.1301 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 111 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 112 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5356 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 112 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 114 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 114 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 116 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 117 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1525 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 117 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1742 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 119 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 120 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 121 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 122 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 123 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 124 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 125 | Stockton University | 35200 | 44500 | 0.2091 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 126 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4202 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 127 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 127 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35600 | 64400 | 0.4475 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 129 | New Jersey City University | 35700 | 39800 | 0.1031 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 130 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 130 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 132 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 37100 | 37600 | 0.0133 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 133 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 135 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 136 | Southern Connecticut State University | 38500 | 52900 | 0.2723 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 137 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53100 | 0.2711 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 138 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 139 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 140 | Endicott College | 40300 | 64200 | 0.3722 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 141 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3863 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 142 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.0813 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 143 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 143 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 145 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46600 | 0.0966 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 146 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 147 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 148 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4468 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 149 | Campbell University | 44100 | 68700 | 0.3579 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 150 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 151 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 152 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 153 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 154 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 155 | University of Delaware | 48400 | 61300 | 0.211 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 156 | University of Georgia | 48800 | 51600 | 0.0542 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 157 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83900 | 0.4172 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 158 | University of Kentucky | 49200 | 58000 | 0.1524 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 159 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 160 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53800 | 62800 | 0.1433 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 160 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 162 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 164 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 165 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 166 | College of Charleston | 61200 | 61200 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 167 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61900 | 64200 | 0.0358 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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