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 | Northern Arizona University | 11600 | 27900 | 0.5827 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic University | 11800 | 25800 | 0.5433 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 6 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 21500 | 0.4413 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 8 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 22600 | 0.433 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 8 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12800 | 26500 | 0.5164 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 10 | Boston University | 12900 | 92800 | 0.8612 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 11 | Western Kentucky University | 13000 | 27000 | 0.5169 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 12 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 22800 | 0.4248 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 13 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 16 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 37400 | 0.6144 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 18 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 27400 | 0.4711 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 19 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 26500 | 0.4465 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 20 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 20 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14800 | 22500 | 0.3418 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 22 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 23 | California State University-East Bay | 15500 | 30100 | 0.4857 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 24 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3945 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 25 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5463 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 25 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 27 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 28 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 29 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 29 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 31 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17600 | 27400 | 0.3575 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 32 | College of Charleston | 18000 | 33900 | 0.4696 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 33 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 34 | Framingham State University | 18800 | 31000 | 0.3937 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 35 | Cleary University | 19000 | 56600 | 0.664 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 36 | University of New Orleans | 19200 | 27200 | 0.2941 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 37 | University of South Alabama | 19300 | 22400 | 0.1387 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 38 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 39 | Madonna University | 19500 | 49200 | 0.604 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 39 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 41 | Central Connecticut State University | 19800 | 29500 | 0.3286 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 41 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 43 | Bay Path University | 20100 | 55400 | 0.637 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 44 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4449 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 44 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 44 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 47 | Eastern Illinois University | 20400 | 28100 | 0.274 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 48 | Husson University | 20600 | 42900 | 0.5203 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 49 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 50 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 50 | Washington State University | 21300 | 36200 | 0.4119 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 52 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.502 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 53 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1231 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 54 | Montana State University | 22300 | 27100 | 0.1769 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 55 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22400 | 43200 | 0.4816 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 56 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 56 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 58 | New York University | 22700 | 91800 | 0.7524 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 59 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 22800 | 31300 | 0.2719 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 60 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 61 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3725 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 61 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1012 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 63 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5998 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 64 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 65 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 66 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23600 | 24900 | 0.0522 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 67 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23700 | 67400 | 0.6488 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 67 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 69 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36400 | 0.3441 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 70 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 71 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 72 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24500 | 36300 | 0.3247 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 73 | Saint Leo University | 25400 | 50000 | 0.4918 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 74 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 75 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 25700 | 39700 | 0.3527 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 76 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5407 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 76 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 76 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 26000 | 34900 | 0.2549 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 79 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3871 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 80 | Flagler College | 26500 | 61200 | 0.5668 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 80 | Southeast Missouri State University | 26500 | 28600 | 0.0735 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 80 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 83 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 36000 | 0.2612 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 84 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 85 | Keystone College | 26800 | 36000 | 0.2556 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 85 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 87 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 88 | California State University-Northridge | 27000 | 36500 | 0.2602 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 89 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 90 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 90 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 27800 | 36700 | 0.2427 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 90 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 27800 | 31100 | 0.1064 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 90 | University of North Alabama | 27800 | 37300 | 0.2547 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 94 | North Dakota State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0825 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 94 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27900 | 30000 | 0.0702 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 96 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69300 | 0.5943 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 96 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.4455 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 98 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 99 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2151 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 100 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.214 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 100 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 102 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 103 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 104 | North Carolina Central University | 30300 | 40000 | 0.2424 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 105 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 106 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 107 | California State University-Long Beach | 31000 | 38900 | 0.2032 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 108 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3266 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 109 | San Diego State University | 31400 | 36100 | 0.1301 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 110 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 31500 | 41200 | 0.2357 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 111 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5356 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 111 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 57800 | 0.4371 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 113 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 114 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 115 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 116 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1524 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 117 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 118 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 119 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 120 | University of Denver | 34900 | 76900 | 0.5465 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 121 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 121 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 123 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 124 | Stockton University | 35200 | 44500 | 0.2091 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 125 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4202 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 126 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 126 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35600 | 64400 | 0.4475 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 126 | Temple University | 35600 | 56400 | 0.3689 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 129 | New Jersey City University | 35700 | 39800 | 0.1031 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 130 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 131 | Virginia State University | 36800 | 42200 | 0.1281 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 132 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 42700 | 0.1313 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 132 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 37100 | 37600 | 0.0133 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 134 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 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 | 38700 | 53100 | 0.2711 | 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 | |
| 142 | Endicott College | 40300 | 64200 | 0.3722 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 142 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 40300 | 44100 | 0.0862 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 144 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3863 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 145 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 146 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.0813 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 147 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 148 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46600 | 0.0966 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 149 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4468 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 150 | Campbell University | 44100 | 68700 | 0.3579 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 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 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 156 | University of Delaware | 48400 | 61300 | 0.211 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 157 | University of Georgia | 48800 | 51600 | 0.0542 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 158 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83900 | 0.4172 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 159 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 160 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53800 | 62800 | 0.1433 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 160 | University of San Francisco | 53800 | 84800 | 0.3655 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 162 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 163 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 164 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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