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 | 0.7458 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10300 | 27800 | 0.6285 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 5 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 27400 | 0.5982 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | Southern Utah University | 12000 | 44000 | 0.7268 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 8 | University of North Alabama | 12300 | 28200 | 0.5642 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 9 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 12 | Eastern Illinois University | 13000 | 24300 | 0.4649 | 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 Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5115 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5437 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 18 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13300 | 23200 | 0.4267 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 19 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 20 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.6046 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 21 | Kansas State University | 13700 | 26100 | 0.4756 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 22 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13800 | 22500 | 0.3862 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 22 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.662 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 24 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 27 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14500 | 32200 | 0.5503 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 27 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14500 | 26500 | 0.4539 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 27 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4867 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 30 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 31 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4447 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 32 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 14900 | 37800 | 0.6066 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 33 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 34 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 45200 | 0.6609 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 35 | Colorado Mesa University | 15400 | 24800 | 0.3767 | 9,473 | 1090 | 0.9829 | |
| 35 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 37 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 38 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 22700 | 0.3124 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 38 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 40 | James Madison University | 15900 | 28900 | 0.4502 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 40 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 15900 | 42600 | 0.627 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 42 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 42 | University of South Alabama | 16200 | 22400 | 0.2773 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 44 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16500 | 31300 | 0.4734 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 44 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16500 | 23100 | 0.2857 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 46 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4799 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 47 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 48 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 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 | Georgia State University | 17400 | 45500 | 0.617 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 51 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17400 | 26300 | 0.3369 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 53 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17800 | 44900 | 0.6031 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 53 | Virginia State University | 17800 | 29500 | 0.3963 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 55 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 56 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 56 | Stockton University | 18400 | 32100 | 0.4266 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 58 | California State University-East Bay | 18700 | 30100 | 0.3793 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 58 | Madonna University | 18700 | 58300 | 0.6796 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.5226 | |
| 58 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 61 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19000 | 34400 | 0.4471 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 62 | North Carolina Central University | 19100 | 40000 | 0.5223 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 63 | Salem State University | 19300 | 35100 | 0.4499 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 64 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 65 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 66 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 66 | Iowa State University | 20100 | 24200 | 0.1691 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 66 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20100 | 46300 | 0.5657 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 66 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 70 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 20300 | 40900 | 0.5042 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 71 | South Dakota State University | 20700 | 25200 | 0.1804 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 72 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 72 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 74 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4903 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 75 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 76 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 77 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 77 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22500 | 59600 | 0.6225 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 79 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 79 | San Francisco State University | 22700 | 55400 | 0.5903 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 81 | Montana State University | 23100 | 31500 | 0.2667 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 82 | Saint Cloud State University | 23200 | 36800 | 0.371 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 82 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23200 | 25800 | 0.099 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 84 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5988 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 85 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 23500 | 50000 | 0.5298 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 86 | New York University | 23800 | 91800 | 0.7405 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 87 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 88 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 89 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 26900 | 0.0446 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 90 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 91 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5401 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 92 | Flagler College | 26100 | 61100 | 0.5727 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 92 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5483 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 94 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 95 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 96 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 42100 | 0.3678 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 97 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0695 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 98 | North Dakota State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0807 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 99 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 100 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4444 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 101 | Bellevue University | 28300 | 32400 | 0.1252 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 102 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 103 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.3995 | 2,605 | 995 | 0.9427 | |
| 104 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2136 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 105 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 29300 | 38500 | 0.2391 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 105 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 107 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 108 | Framingham State University | 29900 | 38100 | 0.2152 | 2,817 | 1165 | 0.8491 | |
| 108 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29900 | 45800 | 0.3474 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 110 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 111 | Belmont University | 30300 | 67800 | 0.5527 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 111 | Culinary Institute of America | 30300 | 74600 | 0.5935 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 113 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 114 | Meredith College | 30600 | 64200 | 0.5235 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 115 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30900 | 78100 | 0.6043 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 116 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3254 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 117 | New Jersey City University | 31700 | 39800 | 0.2037 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 118 | Liberty University | 31900 | 44300 | 0.2799 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 119 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 120 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 121 | Southern New Hampshire University | 33000 | 52800 | 0.3751 | 2,615 | 965 | 0.8443 | |
| 122 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 123 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0678 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 123 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 125 | San Diego State University | 35300 | 36100 | 0.0221 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 126 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 127 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4198 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 128 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 129 | Auburn University | 36400 | 38000 | 0.0421 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 129 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 131 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 132 | Western Kentucky University | 36600 | 42300 | 0.1348 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 133 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 134 | Lasell University | 37200 | 48500 | 0.2328 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 135 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 135 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66500 | 0.4373 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 137 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 138 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38800 | 53400 | 0.2735 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 139 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 139 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 141 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.386 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 142 | Webber International University | 40800 | 44400 | 0.08 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 143 | Washington State University | 41100 | 56300 | 0.2706 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 144 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 145 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41500 | 57000 | 0.2721 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 146 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3588 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 147 | Montclair State University | 42200 | 46200 | 0.0866 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 147 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 149 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 57700 | 0.2615 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 150 | Bay Path University | 42800 | 55400 | 0.2274 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 151 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 152 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 153 | Mercyhurst University | 43900 | 66400 | 0.339 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 154 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 155 | High Point University | 45800 | 72900 | 0.3717 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 156 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83800 | 0.4164 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 156 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1355 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 158 | Lynn University | 51600 | 66000 | 0.2181 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 159 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 160 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53800 | 64200 | 0.1619 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 161 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 162 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 164 | College of Charleston | 61600 | 61600 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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