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 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 7100 | 41500 | 0.8299 | 38,572 | 1455 | 0.3659 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22200 | 0.6405 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 3 | California State University-East Bay | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6887 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 4 | Kentucky State University | 9500 | 27400 | 0.6532 | 1,793 | 865 | 0.9608 | |
| 5 | Berea College | 9600 | 69400 | 0.8617 | 1,529 | 1209 | 0.1567 | |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10900 | 27300 | 0.6018 | 13,448 | 1075 | 0.9683 | |
| 6 | Southern Utah University | 10900 | 51400 | 0.7879 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 31100 | 0.6022 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13100 | 19400 | 0.3248 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 10 | Louisiana Tech University | 13300 | 42900 | 0.6899 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 10 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 12 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 13900 | 26800 | 0.482 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 13 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 14100 | 31000 | 0.5458 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 14 | Texas Woman's University | 14200 | 23200 | 0.3873 | 9,962 | 1010 | 0.9658 | |
| 15 | California State University-San Bernardino | 14400 | 32700 | 0.5594 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 16 | California State University-San Marcos | 14600 | 24700 | 0.4097 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 17 | Sonoma State University | 14800 | 41200 | 0.6408 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 18 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 19 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 19 | University of Nevada-Reno | 15000 | 28200 | 0.4677 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 21 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23000 | 0.322 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 22 | Greensboro College | 16000 | 38300 | 0.5817 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 23 | Alcorn State University | 16100 | 22200 | 0.2742 | 2,469 | 905 | 0.3675 | |
| 24 | Indiana State University | 16400 | 32400 | 0.494 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 25 | Texas Tech University | 16500 | 27100 | 0.391 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 26 | California State University-Long Beach | 16600 | 25800 | 0.3567 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 26 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 28 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4925 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 29 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17800 | 44000 | 0.5951 | 586 | 1140 | 0.9577 | |
| 30 | Columbia College | 18600 | 60700 | 0.6931 | 1,566 | 950 | 0.966 | |
| 31 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 18700 | 48900 | 0.6172 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 32 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 33 | Stephens College | 19200 | 70100 | 0.726 | 392 | 1045 | 0.7709 | |
| 33 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 19200 | 54000 | 0.6441 | 3,991 | 1010 | 0.9654 | |
| 35 | Connecticut College | 19300 | 93000 | 0.7922 | 1,953 | 1284 | 0.3923 | |
| 36 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 19600 | 40900 | 0.5213 | 1,078 | 1217 | 0.9646 | |
| 37 | State University of New York at Oswego | 19800 | 40200 | 0.5076 | 5,293 | 1179 | 0.7989 | |
| 37 | Stockton University | 19800 | 32100 | 0.383 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 39 | University of Houston | 19900 | 28400 | 0.2996 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 40 | University of Rhode Island | 20000 | 47400 | 0.5782 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 41 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 42 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 42 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1898 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 44 | SUNY Oneonta | 20600 | 55300 | 0.6281 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 44 | Syracuse University | 20600 | 83600 | 0.7536 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 44 | University of Wyoming | 20600 | 27900 | 0.2642 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 47 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 48 | North Dakota State University | 20800 | 25700 | 0.19 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 48 | Washington State University | 20800 | 35900 | 0.4198 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 50 | Southern Virginia University | 20900 | 53200 | 0.6076 | 936 | 1094 | 0.9659 | |
| 51 | Iowa State University | 21400 | 25700 | 0.1685 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 52 | Utah State University | 21800 | 38800 | 0.4382 | 26,629 | 1168 | 0.9212 | |
| 53 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22400 | 26000 | 0.1383 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 53 | Rockford University | 22400 | 80100 | 0.7205 | 983 | 975 | 0.9289 | |
| 53 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 22400 | 42500 | 0.4729 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 56 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 57 | Seattle Pacific University | 22900 | 98900 | 0.7688 | 1,657 | 1174 | 0.9301 | |
| 58 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 23200 | 44800 | 0.4818 | 3,604 | 1069 | 0.9761 | |
| 59 | Lamar University | 23500 | 37700 | 0.3765 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 60 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 61 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 24000 | 47900 | 0.4985 | 2,280 | 1224 | 0.9675 | |
| 62 | Abilene Christian University | 24600 | 58800 | 0.5818 | 5,101 | 1149 | 0.6615 | |
| 63 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 64 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 24900 | 36800 | 0.3235 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 65 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 25400 | 39400 | 0.3555 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 66 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 67 | Westminster College | 25800 | 57600 | 0.552 | 1,110 | 1145 | 0.9167 | |
| 68 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 26100 | 49600 | 0.4735 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 69 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 40600 | 0.3497 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 70 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4024 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 71 | University of Mount Union | 27100 | 56300 | 0.5183 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 72 | University of Central Oklahoma | 27600 | 33800 | 0.1833 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 73 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27700 | 30000 | 0.0762 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 74 | University of Utah | 28700 | 32000 | 0.1027 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 75 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 76 | Houston Christian University | 29600 | 60500 | 0.511 | 3,277 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 77 | Mississippi State University | 30100 | 34400 | 0.1245 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 78 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3122 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 79 | Kent State University at Kent | 31200 | 37500 | 0.1676 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 80 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31400 | 47100 | 0.3348 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 81 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 81 | Southern Nazarene University | 32000 | 48400 | 0.3384 | 1,473 | 1055 | 1 | |
| 83 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32200 | 35200 | 0.0853 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 84 | Anderson University | 32300 | 54700 | 0.4098 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 85 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 32400 | 38400 | 0.1562 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 86 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 87 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 32700 | 44700 | 0.2684 | 3,219 | 1226 | 0.5836 | |
| 87 | University of Illinois Chicago | 32700 | 51300 | 0.3625 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 89 | Baylor University | 33500 | 70400 | 0.5244 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 90 | Bridgewater College | 34200 | 42500 | 0.1952 | 1,412 | 1115 | 0.903 | |
| 91 | University of Vermont | 34500 | 66300 | 0.4799 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 92 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 93 | University of Idaho | 34800 | 48700 | 0.2854 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 94 | University of Connecticut | 37200 | 66200 | 0.4384 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 95 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 96 | Hope International University | 38300 | 58600 | 0.3462 | 649 | 995 | 0.6253 | |
| 97 | Oakwood University | 38500 | 43300 | 0.1106 | 1,184 | 1005 | 0.4563 | |
| 98 | University of Maine | 40300 | 42800 | 0.0585 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 99 | Kansas State University | 40900 | 41900 | 0.0239 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 100 | Lesley University | 42600 | 57500 | 0.2592 | 1,230 | 1115 | 0.9687 | |
| 101 | University of Arizona | 42800 | 48600 | 0.1193 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 102 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4478 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 103 | George Mason University | 43700 | 61400 | 0.2884 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 104 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1077 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 105 | Montclair State University | 44600 | 47000 | 0.0511 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 106 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0544 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 107 | University of California-San Diego | 48800 | 79600 | 0.3868 | 35,442 | 1375 | 0.2856 | |
| 108 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 109 | University of Georgia | 52100 | 52100 | 0 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 110 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 58000 | 0.0741 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 111 | Howard University | 55000 | 88500 | 0.3787 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 112 | University of California-Davis | 68400 | 69900 | 0.0215 | 31,695 | 1290 | 0.4435 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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