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 | Northern Arizona University | 11600 | 27900 | 0.5832 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 5 | Florida Atlantic University | 11800 | 25800 | 0.5433 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 7 | California State University-Northridge | 12000 | 22000 | 0.4519 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 7 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 21500 | 0.4413 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 10 | Eastern Illinois University | 12600 | 24300 | 0.4832 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 11 | Boston University | 12800 | 92800 | 0.8622 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 11 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 22600 | 0.4341 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 11 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12800 | 26500 | 0.5164 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 14 | University of South Florida | 12900 | 17100 | 0.2454 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 15 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 26100 | 0.499 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 16 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 18 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13900 | 25000 | 0.4453 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 19 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 20 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 20 | 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 | 14700 | 26500 | 0.4472 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 24 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14800 | 22500 | 0.3418 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 25 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 26 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 26 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3947 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 26 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 29 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 30 | Eastern Michigan University | 16300 | 36100 | 0.547 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 31 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 32 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 33 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 17000 | 40900 | 0.5841 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 35 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 35 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 37 | Salem State University | 17500 | 28500 | 0.3859 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 38 | Central Connecticut State University | 17600 | 34000 | 0.4818 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 38 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17600 | 27400 | 0.3575 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 40 | College of Charleston | 18000 | 33900 | 0.4696 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 41 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 18100 | 25300 | 0.285 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 42 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 42 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 44 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45000 | 0.5849 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 45 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 45 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 47 | Cleary University | 19000 | 56600 | 0.664 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 48 | University of New Orleans | 19200 | 27200 | 0.2941 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 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 | |
| 49 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 19500 | 30400 | 0.3584 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 53 | Bay Path University | 19700 | 55400 | 0.6442 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 53 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 55 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 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 | |
| 58 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 58 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 60 | Bellevue University | 20300 | 36400 | 0.4429 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 61 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 62 | College of Coastal Georgia | 20800 | 29400 | 0.2925 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 63 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1839 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 64 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 65 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5025 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 66 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1241 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 67 | Montana State University | 22300 | 27100 | 0.1769 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 68 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 68 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 68 | New York University | 22600 | 91800 | 0.7535 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 68 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 72 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 22800 | 31300 | 0.2719 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 73 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 74 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3731 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 74 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1021 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 74 | University of Southern Mississippi | 23100 | 23100 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 77 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5985 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 78 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 79 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 79 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 81 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3858 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 82 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36400 | 0.3447 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 83 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 84 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 84 | Stockton University | 24100 | 32100 | 0.2491 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 84 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 39300 | 0.3873 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 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 | |
| 90 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 25700 | 39700 | 0.3527 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 91 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5409 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 91 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 93 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3877 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 94 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 95 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 96 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 96 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 98 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 98 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0722 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 100 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 100 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 27800 | 31100 | 0.104 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 100 | University of North Alabama | 27800 | 37300 | 0.2547 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 103 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 103 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.446 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 105 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4003 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 106 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2151 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 107 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2142 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 108 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 109 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 109 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29400 | 34000 | 0.1352 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 111 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 112 | North Carolina Central University | 30300 | 40000 | 0.2424 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 113 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 114 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 115 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3271 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 116 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 117 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 117 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 119 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 119 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 121 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 122 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1524 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 123 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 124 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 125 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 126 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 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 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4506 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 130 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4204 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 130 | Virginia State University | 35500 | 42200 | 0.1589 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 132 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 133 | New Jersey City University | 35700 | 39800 | 0.1031 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 134 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 135 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 136 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 37900 | 38500 | 0.0156 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 137 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 138 | Southern Connecticut State University | 38500 | 52900 | 0.2723 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 139 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38600 | 53100 | 0.2729 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 140 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 141 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 141 | University of South Alabama | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 143 | Endicott College | 40300 | 64200 | 0.3722 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 144 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3865 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 145 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.0818 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 146 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 147 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.36 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 148 | Montclair State University | 42000 | 46600 | 0.0987 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 149 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 150 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4471 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 151 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 152 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 153 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 154 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 155 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 156 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 157 | University of Delaware | 48400 | 61300 | 0.211 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 158 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83900 | 0.4184 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 159 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 160 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 161 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 162 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 163 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 164 | 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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