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 | 0.9419 | |
| 3 | California State University-Northridge | 9300 | 36500 | 0.7442 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10000 | 22900 | 0.5643 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 5 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10300 | 27800 | 0.6285 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 6 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 27400 | 0.5982 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 7 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 8 | Saint Xavier University | 12200 | 53300 | 0.77 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 9 | Southern Utah University | 12500 | 44000 | 0.7155 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 10 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12600 | 54500 | 0.7688 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 12 | West Virginia University | 12800 | 57700 | 0.778 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 13 | Eastern Illinois University | 12900 | 24300 | 0.4679 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 13 | University of West Florida | 12900 | 21500 | 0.3995 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 15 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 39600 | 0.6693 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5436 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13300 | 20300 | 0.344 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 17 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13300 | 23200 | 0.4267 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 19 | University of North Alabama | 13400 | 37300 | 0.6409 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 20 | Fort Hays State University | 13600 | 40700 | 0.6655 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 20 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.6051 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 22 | Youngstown State University | 13700 | 26800 | 0.4884 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 23 | Southeast Missouri State University | 13800 | 28200 | 0.5116 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14100 | 35900 | 0.6065 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 25 | University of South Florida | 14100 | 17100 | 0.1753 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 27 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14300 | 32200 | 0.5566 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 28 | Framingham State University | 14400 | 31000 | 0.5357 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8361 | |
| 28 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14400 | 31000 | 0.5351 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 30 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14500 | 26500 | 0.455 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 31 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 32 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 14900 | 37800 | 0.6066 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 33 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4169 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 34 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 35 | Colorado Mesa University | 15300 | 40000 | 0.6166 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 35 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 37 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 924 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 38 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 38 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15500 | 45200 | 0.6565 | 2,476 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 40 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 22700 | 0.3124 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 41 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 15900 | 67400 | 0.7646 | 5,690 | 1055 | 0.9071 | |
| 42 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16400 | 42600 | 0.6153 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 43 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16500 | 23100 | 0.2857 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 44 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16600 | 31300 | 0.4702 | 4,891 | 1095 | 0.9205 | |
| 45 | Eastern Michigan University | 16800 | 39700 | 0.5785 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 46 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 47 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 17200 | 34000 | 0.4937 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 48 | Georgia State University | 17400 | 45500 | 0.617 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 48 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 50 | Central Connecticut State University | 17600 | 34000 | 0.4821 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 51 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17700 | 44900 | 0.6053 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 52 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 53 | California State University-East Bay | 17900 | 45100 | 0.6034 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 54 | San Francisco State University | 18100 | 55400 | 0.6733 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 55 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 18200 | 41200 | 0.5589 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.7517 | |
| 55 | Salem State University | 18200 | 28500 | 0.3614 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 57 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 57 | Saint Leo University | 18400 | 50000 | 0.6318 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 59 | Madonna University | 18500 | 58300 | 0.683 | 1,828 | 980 | 0.6339 | |
| 60 | Bay Path University | 18600 | 55400 | 0.664 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 60 | Husson University | 18600 | 48100 | 0.6127 | 2,763 | 1174 | 0.8095 | |
| 60 | North Carolina Central University | 18600 | 27600 | 0.3259 | 6,595 | 1060 | 0.8696 | |
| 63 | College of Charleston | 18700 | 33900 | 0.4489 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 63 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 65 | University of Mississippi | 18900 | 45000 | 0.5806 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 66 | Stockton University | 19100 | 44500 | 0.5711 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 67 | College of Coastal Georgia | 19500 | 42100 | 0.5362 | 3,468 | 1005 | 0.9813 | |
| 68 | San Diego State University | 19600 | 28900 | 0.3219 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 69 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20100 | 46300 | 0.5657 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 69 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 71 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20700 | 31100 | 0.3344 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 72 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 73 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1824 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 74 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 75 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5016 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 75 | Montana State University | 21600 | 27100 | 0.2027 | 15,046 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 77 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1225 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 77 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 53100 | 0.584 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 79 | Bradley University | 22300 | 48500 | 0.5395 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 79 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 769 | 1060 | 0.6754 | |
| 81 | Keystone College | 22500 | 35100 | 0.3595 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 82 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32500 | 0.3046 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 83 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 84 | San Jose State University | 22800 | 41100 | 0.4454 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 85 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.372 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 86 | Northern Arizona University | 23200 | 43700 | 0.4698 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 86 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5995 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 86 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23200 | 25800 | 0.1006 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 89 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 89 | New York University | 23700 | 91800 | 0.7416 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 91 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3848 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 92 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3376 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 93 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 94 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 95 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 25000 | 42700 | 0.4146 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 96 | Northwood University | 25100 | 54500 | 0.5399 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 97 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 26900 | 0.0446 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 98 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5405 | 2,411 | 1015 | 0.8628 | |
| 99 | Ashland University | 26100 | 56600 | 0.5393 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 99 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26100 | 79400 | 0.6715 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9519 | |
| 101 | Flagler College | 26200 | 61100 | 0.571 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 101 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3867 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 103 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0709 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 104 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 105 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4452 | 926 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 106 | Bellevue University | 28300 | 32400 | 0.1264 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 107 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57800 | 0.5075 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 107 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 109 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.3999 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 110 | Kansas State University | 29200 | 31400 | 0.0718 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 111 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 29300 | 38500 | 0.2391 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 111 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 113 | Montclair State University | 29500 | 36300 | 0.1874 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 114 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 114 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 116 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 117 | Culinary Institute of America | 30400 | 74600 | 0.5922 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.9115 | |
| 118 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6094 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 119 | Meredith College | 30600 | 64200 | 0.5235 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 120 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3262 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 121 | Lasell University | 31500 | 48500 | 0.3503 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 122 | New Jersey City University | 31700 | 39800 | 0.2037 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 123 | DePaul University | 31900 | 67100 | 0.5246 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 124 | Liberty University | 32300 | 44300 | 0.2709 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 125 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5355 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 125 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 127 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32900 | 52800 | 0.377 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 128 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 129 | University of Denver | 34800 | 76800 | 0.5466 | 6,614 | 1347 | 0.7781 | |
| 130 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0689 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 131 | Western Kentucky University | 35300 | 42300 | 0.1655 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 132 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 133 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4201 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 134 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66700 | 0.4664 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 134 | Virginia State University | 35600 | 42200 | 0.1565 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 136 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 136 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66500 | 0.4373 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 138 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 139 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 139 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 141 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3862 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 142 | Mercyhurst University | 40800 | 66400 | 0.3857 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 142 | Webber International University | 40800 | 44400 | 0.0809 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 144 | Endicott College | 41000 | 64200 | 0.3613 | 3,194 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 145 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 146 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3594 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 147 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 57700 | 0.2615 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 148 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 148 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4466 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 150 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,876 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 151 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2743 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 152 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 153 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 154 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 155 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 156 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83800 | 0.4164 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 157 | Lynn University | 51700 | 66000 | 0.2166 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 158 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 159 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53700 | 64200 | 0.1635 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 160 | Dallas Baptist University | 56100 | 71900 | 0.2196 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 161 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 162 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 163 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61400 | 64200 | 0.0436 | 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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