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 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5864 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic University | 11800 | 25800 | 0.5433 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 4 | University of Central Florida | 12000 | 25300 | 0.525 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 4 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 21500 | 0.4413 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 12300 | 92800 | 0.8676 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 9 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 10 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 26100 | 0.499 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 11 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4862 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 12 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 13 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13500 | 25700 | 0.4747 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 13 | University of Delaware | 13500 | 34500 | 0.6079 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 16 | University of Georgia | 13700 | 26600 | 0.4854 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 16 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13700 | 25000 | 0.4513 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 19 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 19 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14400 | 20300 | 0.29 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 19 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 37400 | 0.6144 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 22 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 27400 | 0.4711 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 23 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4513 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 24 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 25 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 26900 | 0.4309 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 26 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 27 | California State University-East Bay | 15500 | 30100 | 0.4857 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 28 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 28 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3962 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 30 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5456 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 31 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 33 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 34 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3571 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 35 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 35 | West Virginia University | 17000 | 40900 | 0.5841 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 37 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 38 | Colorado Mesa University | 17400 | 28600 | 0.3917 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 39 | Salem State University | 17500 | 28500 | 0.3859 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 40 | Central Connecticut State University | 17600 | 34000 | 0.4818 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 41 | College of Charleston | 18000 | 33900 | 0.4696 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 42 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 43 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 43 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 45 | Cleary University | 19000 | 56600 | 0.664 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 46 | University of New Orleans | 19200 | 27200 | 0.2941 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 47 | University of South Alabama | 19300 | 22400 | 0.1387 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 48 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 49 | Madonna University | 19500 | 49200 | 0.604 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 49 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 49 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19500 | 30600 | 0.3614 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 52 | Bay Path University | 19700 | 55400 | 0.6442 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 52 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 54 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 54 | Davis & Elkins College | 19800 | 48300 | 0.5898 | 661 | 902 | 0.9433 | |
| 56 | Georgia State University | 20100 | 26000 | 0.2271 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 56 | San Diego State University | 20100 | 28900 | 0.3046 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 56 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45200 | 0.5559 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 59 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4442 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 59 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 61 | Eastern Illinois University | 20400 | 28100 | 0.2731 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 61 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 63 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 64 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 65 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 66 | Belhaven University | 21500 | 43300 | 0.5037 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 67 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21700 | 25400 | 0.1468 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 68 | Montana State University | 22300 | 27100 | 0.1769 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 69 | New York University | 22400 | 91800 | 0.7556 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 70 | Florida State University | 22500 | 32400 | 0.306 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 71 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 71 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 73 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 22800 | 31300 | 0.2719 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 74 | Saint Cloud State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3772 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 75 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 75 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23000 | 36800 | 0.3747 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 75 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23000 | 25800 | 0.1079 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 78 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.6011 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 79 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 79 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 81 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23600 | 24900 | 0.0522 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 82 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 82 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 82 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.348 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 85 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 86 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24500 | 36300 | 0.3247 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 87 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 88 | Saint Leo University | 25400 | 50000 | 0.4918 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 89 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 89 | Eastern Kentucky University | 25500 | 38400 | 0.3363 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 91 | Fort Hays State University | 25900 | 36100 | 0.2844 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 91 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5425 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 91 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 94 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 94 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 26000 | 34900 | 0.2549 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 96 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 96 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 98 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 36000 | 0.2612 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 99 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 100 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 100 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 100 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 26800 | 31800 | 0.1573 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 103 | California State University-Northridge | 27100 | 36500 | 0.2595 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 104 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 105 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0882 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 106 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 107 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 108 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.445 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 109 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3222 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 110 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 111 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 112 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 113 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29400 | 34000 | 0.1352 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 113 | Montclair State University | 29400 | 36300 | 0.1902 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 115 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 116 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 117 | North Carolina Central University | 30300 | 40000 | 0.2424 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 117 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78100 | 0.6118 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 119 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30500 | 39200 | 0.2222 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 120 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 120 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 122 | Siena Heights University | 31000 | 46300 | 0.3303 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 123 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 124 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 125 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 126 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 126 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 128 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 129 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 130 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 131 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 132 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 133 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 133 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 135 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 136 | Stockton University | 35200 | 44500 | 0.2091 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 137 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.4216 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 137 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4506 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 139 | Virginia State University | 35500 | 42200 | 0.1589 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 140 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 140 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 142 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 143 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 144 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 37900 | 38500 | 0.0156 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 145 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 146 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 147 | Endicott College | 40300 | 64200 | 0.3722 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 148 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.3874 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 149 | Washington State University | 40600 | 56300 | 0.28 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 149 | Webber International University | 40600 | 44400 | 0.0852 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 151 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41200 | 57000 | 0.2773 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 152 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 153 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 154 | Campbell University | 44000 | 68700 | 0.3604 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 155 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 156 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 157 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 158 | High Point University | 45400 | 72900 | 0.3771 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 159 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 160 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 161 | Lynn University | 51500 | 66000 | 0.2197 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 162 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53600 | 62800 | 0.1465 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 163 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 164 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 165 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 166 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 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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