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 | Southern Utah University | 10300 | 22200 | 0.5371 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois University | 12600 | 24300 | 0.4831 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 7 | Boston University | 12700 | 92800 | 0.8633 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 8 | University of South Florida | 12900 | 17100 | 0.2454 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 9 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 22800 | 0.4248 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 10 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4862 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 11 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 12 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13400 | 25700 | 0.4786 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 13 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.606 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 15 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 17 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 37400 | 0.6144 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 19 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4478 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 20 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 21 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14900 | 22500 | 0.3374 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 22 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 26900 | 0.4309 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 22 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 24 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 25 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 26 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3949 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 26 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 28 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 28 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 16100 | 24300 | 0.3376 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 30 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.542 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 32 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 32 | West Virginia University | 17000 | 40900 | 0.5841 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 34 | Central Connecticut State University | 17600 | 34000 | 0.4818 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 35 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 35 | North Carolina Central University | 18400 | 27600 | 0.3331 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 35 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 38 | University of Mississippi | 18600 | 45000 | 0.5871 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 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 | University of New Orleans | 19200 | 27200 | 0.2941 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 40 | Virginia State University | 19200 | 29500 | 0.3488 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 43 | University of South Alabama | 19300 | 22400 | 0.1387 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 44 | Madonna University | 19500 | 49200 | 0.604 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 44 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 44 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19500 | 30600 | 0.3622 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 44 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 19500 | 30400 | 0.3584 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 48 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 49 | Davis & Elkins College | 19900 | 48300 | 0.5871 | 661 | 902 | 0.9433 | |
| 50 | Bay Path University | 20000 | 55400 | 0.6388 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 51 | Georgia State University | 20100 | 26000 | 0.2271 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 52 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 52 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 52 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 55 | Bellevue University | 20300 | 36400 | 0.4434 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 56 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 56 | South Dakota State University | 20600 | 25200 | 0.1844 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 58 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 59 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 60 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5018 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 61 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22300 | 43200 | 0.4839 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 62 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22500 | 25400 | 0.1143 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 63 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 63 | New York University | 22600 | 91800 | 0.7535 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 63 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 66 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 66 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23000 | 36800 | 0.3747 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 68 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3737 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 68 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1029 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 70 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5988 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 71 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 72 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 72 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 74 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 74 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 39300 | 0.3873 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 76 | Saint Leo University | 25400 | 50000 | 0.4918 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 77 | Northern Arizona University | 25600 | 43200 | 0.4082 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 78 | Fort Hays State University | 25900 | 36100 | 0.2836 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 78 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5412 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 78 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 81 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 81 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 26000 | 34900 | 0.2549 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 83 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3881 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 84 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 84 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 86 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 36000 | 0.2612 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 87 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 88 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 88 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 88 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 26800 | 31800 | 0.1573 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 91 | California State University-Northridge | 27100 | 36500 | 0.2586 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 92 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0729 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 93 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 94 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 94 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.084 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 94 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 27800 | 31100 | 0.1046 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 94 | University of North Alabama | 27800 | 37300 | 0.2547 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 98 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28200 | 69300 | 0.5929 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 98 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4444 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 100 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3222 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 101 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4005 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 102 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2143 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 103 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 104 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 105 | Montana State University | 29600 | 31900 | 0.072 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 106 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 107 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30400 | 39200 | 0.2248 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 108 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 109 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 110 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 110 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 112 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3275 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 113 | San Diego State University | 31400 | 36100 | 0.1301 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 114 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 115 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.536 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 116 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 116 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 118 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 118 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 120 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 121 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1524 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 122 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 123 | Southeastern University | 34500 | 60500 | 0.4295 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 124 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 125 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 125 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34900 | 37600 | 0.0705 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 127 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 128 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 129 | Stockton University | 35200 | 44500 | 0.2091 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 130 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4206 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 130 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35500 | 64400 | 0.4491 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 132 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 132 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 132 | Temple University | 35600 | 56400 | 0.3689 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 135 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 136 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 137 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 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 | |
| 140 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 40300 | 44100 | 0.0862 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 142 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3866 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 143 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 144 | Washington State University | 40700 | 56300 | 0.2777 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 144 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.0823 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 146 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 146 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 148 | Montclair State University | 42000 | 46600 | 0.0987 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 149 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 150 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 151 | Campbell University | 44100 | 68700 | 0.3586 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 152 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 153 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 154 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 155 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 156 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 157 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 158 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83900 | 0.4184 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 158 | University of Georgia | 48800 | 51600 | 0.0542 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 160 | University of Kentucky | 49100 | 58000 | 0.1539 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 161 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 162 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 163 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 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 | 62000 | 64200 | 0.0343 | 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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