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 | 8200 | 43500 | 0.8122 | 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 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12600 | 54500 | 0.7688 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 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 | University of West Florida | 12900 | 21500 | 0.3995 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 13 | 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 | 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 | |
| 17 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13300 | 20300 | 0.344 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 17 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13300 | 23200 | 0.4267 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 17 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13300 | 25700 | 0.4825 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 20 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 21 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.662 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 21 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 23 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 24 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 25 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14400 | 32200 | 0.5534 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 26 | Framingham State University | 14500 | 31000 | 0.5324 | 2,817 | 1165 | 0.8491 | |
| 26 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4867 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 28 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 29 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4447 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 30 | Troy University | 15200 | 26700 | 0.4306 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 31 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 45200 | 0.6609 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 32 | Colorado Mesa University | 15400 | 24800 | 0.3767 | 9,473 | 1090 | 0.9829 | |
| 32 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 34 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 35 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 22700 | 0.3124 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 36 | James Madison University | 15900 | 28900 | 0.4502 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 37 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 38 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16400 | 31600 | 0.4816 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 38 | Eastern Illinois University | 16400 | 27500 | 0.4027 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 38 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16400 | 42600 | 0.6153 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 41 | Appalachian State University | 16500 | 19500 | 0.1541 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 42 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4799 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 43 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 44 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 45 | Husson University | 17200 | 48100 | 0.6418 | 2,762 | 1060 | 0.8095 | |
| 46 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 47 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 47 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 49 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17700 | 26700 | 0.3376 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 50 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 50 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17800 | 44900 | 0.6031 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 52 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 52 | San Francisco State University | 18100 | 55400 | 0.6733 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 52 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 18100 | 46600 | 0.6122 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 55 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 18200 | 41200 | 0.5589 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 55 | Salem State University | 18200 | 28500 | 0.3614 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 57 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 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 | University of Mississippi | 18900 | 45000 | 0.5806 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 62 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19000 | 34400 | 0.4471 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 63 | North Carolina Central University | 19100 | 40000 | 0.5223 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 63 | Stockton University | 19100 | 44500 | 0.5711 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 65 | San Diego State University | 19600 | 28900 | 0.3219 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 66 | San Jose State University | 19800 | 33600 | 0.4104 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 67 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 68 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 68 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 70 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20300 | 45200 | 0.5514 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 71 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20500 | 46300 | 0.5571 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 72 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20600 | 31100 | 0.3364 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 72 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38200 | 0.4606 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 74 | South Dakota State University | 20700 | 25200 | 0.1804 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 75 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 76 | North Dakota State University | 21100 | 25700 | 0.1808 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 77 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 77 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 79 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22000 | 25400 | 0.1341 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 80 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4903 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 80 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 82 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 83 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 84 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32500 | 0.3046 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 85 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 86 | Montana State University | 23100 | 31500 | 0.2667 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 87 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23200 | 25800 | 0.099 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 88 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5988 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 89 | The University of Alabama | 23400 | 31000 | 0.245 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 90 | Saint Cloud State University | 23500 | 26300 | 0.1065 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 91 | New York University | 23800 | 91800 | 0.7405 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 91 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23800 | 26300 | 0.0952 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 93 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3366 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 94 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 95 | University of Southern Mississippi | 24400 | 26500 | 0.0792 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 96 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 97 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 98 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5401 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 99 | Flagler College | 26100 | 61100 | 0.5727 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 99 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5484 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 101 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 101 | Iowa State University | 26300 | 42800 | 0.3858 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 103 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 104 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 42100 | 0.3678 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 105 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 106 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4444 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 107 | Bellevue University | 28300 | 32400 | 0.1252 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 108 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 109 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.3995 | 2,605 | 995 | 0.9427 | |
| 110 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2136 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 111 | Kansas State University | 29200 | 31400 | 0.0719 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 112 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 29300 | 38500 | 0.2391 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 113 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 114 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29900 | 45800 | 0.3474 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 115 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 116 | Belmont University | 30300 | 67800 | 0.5527 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 116 | Culinary Institute of America | 30300 | 74600 | 0.5935 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 118 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 119 | Meredith College | 30600 | 64200 | 0.5235 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 120 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30900 | 78100 | 0.6043 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 121 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3254 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 122 | New Jersey City University | 31700 | 39800 | 0.2037 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 123 | Liberty University | 31900 | 44300 | 0.2799 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 124 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 125 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 126 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32600 | 35100 | 0.0713 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 127 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32900 | 52800 | 0.377 | 2,615 | 965 | 0.8443 | |
| 128 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 129 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0678 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 129 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 131 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 131 | Virginia State University | 35400 | 42200 | 0.1613 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 133 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4198 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 134 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 134 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 35700 | 42800 | 0.1649 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 136 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 137 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 138 | Lasell University | 37200 | 48500 | 0.2328 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 139 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 140 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 140 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 142 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.386 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 143 | Temple University | 40700 | 55300 | 0.2642 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 144 | Webber International University | 40800 | 44400 | 0.08 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 145 | Washington State University | 41100 | 56300 | 0.2706 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 146 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 147 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41500 | 57000 | 0.2721 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 148 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3588 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 149 | Montclair State University | 42200 | 46200 | 0.0866 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 150 | Bay Path University | 42900 | 55400 | 0.2256 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 151 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 152 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 153 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 154 | High Point University | 45800 | 72900 | 0.3717 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 155 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 61300 | 0.223 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 156 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83800 | 0.4164 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 157 | Lynn University | 51600 | 66000 | 0.2181 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 158 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 159 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53800 | 64200 | 0.1619 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 160 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 161 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 162 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61400 | 64200 | 0.0436 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 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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