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 | Southern Utah University | 10300 | 22200 | 0.5371 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 3 | Northern Arizona University | 11600 | 27900 | 0.5837 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic University | 11800 | 25800 | 0.5433 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 5 | University of Central Florida | 12000 | 25300 | 0.525 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 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 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 22600 | 0.435 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 8 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12800 | 26500 | 0.5164 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 10 | University of South Florida | 12900 | 17100 | 0.2454 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 11 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 12 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 26100 | 0.499 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 13 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4862 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 14 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 15 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.606 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 17 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 17 | 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 | |
| 20 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14600 | 29600 | 0.5075 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 21 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 22 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 22 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14800 | 22500 | 0.3418 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 24 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 26900 | 0.4309 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 25 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 27 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 28 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3949 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 29 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 29 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 16100 | 24300 | 0.3376 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5448 | 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 | 0.3559 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 34 | West Virginia University | 16900 | 40900 | 0.5865 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 36 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 37 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 38 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 38 | North Carolina Central University | 18400 | 27600 | 0.3331 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 40 | University of Mississippi | 18600 | 45000 | 0.5871 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 41 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 42 | Cleary University | 19000 | 56600 | 0.664 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 43 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 19200 | 26700 | 0.2813 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 44 | University of South Alabama | 19300 | 22400 | 0.1387 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 45 | Madonna University | 19500 | 49200 | 0.604 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 45 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 47 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19600 | 30600 | 0.3606 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 48 | Central Connecticut State University | 19800 | 29500 | 0.3286 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 48 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 50 | University of New Orleans | 19900 | 30600 | 0.3502 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 50 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 52 | Bay Path University | 20100 | 55400 | 0.637 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 52 | San Diego State University | 20100 | 28900 | 0.3046 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 54 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 54 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 54 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 57 | Bellevue University | 20300 | 36400 | 0.4434 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 58 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 59 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 60 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1847 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 61 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 62 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5018 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 63 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21900 | 25400 | 0.1396 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 64 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1249 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 65 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 65 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 65 | New York University | 22600 | 91800 | 0.7535 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 68 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 69 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3737 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 69 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1029 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 69 | University of Southern Mississippi | 23100 | 23100 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 72 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5988 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 73 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 74 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23600 | 24900 | 0.0522 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 75 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 76 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36400 | 0.3448 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 77 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 78 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24500 | 36300 | 0.3247 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 79 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 80 | Saint Leo University | 25300 | 50000 | 0.4938 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 81 | Eastern Kentucky University | 25400 | 38400 | 0.3389 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 82 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5412 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 82 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 84 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 84 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 26000 | 34900 | 0.2549 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 86 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3881 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 87 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 88 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 36000 | 0.2612 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 89 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 90 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 90 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 90 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 26800 | 31800 | 0.1573 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 93 | California State University-Northridge | 27100 | 36500 | 0.2586 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 94 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 95 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 95 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 27800 | 36700 | 0.2427 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 97 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 98 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4444 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 99 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4005 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 100 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2143 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 100 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 102 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 103 | Montana State University | 29600 | 31900 | 0.072 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 104 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 105 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 106 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 107 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 108 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3275 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 109 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 110 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.536 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 111 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 111 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 113 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 113 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 115 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 116 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1525 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 116 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1742 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 118 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 119 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 120 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 121 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 121 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34900 | 37600 | 0.0705 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 123 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 124 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 125 | Stockton University | 35200 | 44500 | 0.2091 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 126 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4206 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 126 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35500 | 64400 | 0.4491 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 126 | Virginia State University | 35500 | 42200 | 0.1589 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 129 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 129 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 131 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 131 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 133 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 134 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 135 | Southern Connecticut State University | 38500 | 52900 | 0.2723 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 136 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 137 | Endicott College | 40300 | 64200 | 0.3722 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 137 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 40300 | 44100 | 0.0862 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 139 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3866 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 140 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 141 | Washington State University | 40700 | 56300 | 0.2777 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 141 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.0823 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 143 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 143 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 145 | Montclair State University | 42000 | 46600 | 0.0987 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 146 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 147 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 148 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 149 | Campbell University | 44100 | 68700 | 0.3586 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 150 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 151 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 152 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 153 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 154 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 155 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83900 | 0.4184 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 155 | University of Georgia | 48800 | 51600 | 0.0542 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 157 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 158 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53700 | 62800 | 0.1449 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 159 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 160 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 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 | College of Charleston | 61200 | 61200 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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