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 Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 11400 | 31400 | 0.637 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 9 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 10 | Louisiana Tech University | 12300 | 42900 | 0.7132 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 31100 | 0.6022 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 12 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12900 | 26500 | 0.5126 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 14 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 13900 | 26800 | 0.482 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 15 | Texas Woman's University | 14000 | 28200 | 0.5036 | 9,962 | 1010 | 0.9658 | |
| 16 | California State University-San Bernardino | 14400 | 32700 | 0.5594 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 17 | California State University-San Marcos | 14600 | 24700 | 0.4097 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 18 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 18 | Sonoma State University | 14900 | 26700 | 0.442 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 20 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 21 | University of Maine | 15100 | 29300 | 0.4849 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 22 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 15200 | 26000 | 0.4149 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 23 | Greensboro College | 16000 | 38300 | 0.5817 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 24 | Alcorn State University | 16100 | 22200 | 0.2742 | 2,469 | 905 | 0.3675 | |
| 25 | Indiana State University | 16400 | 32400 | 0.494 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 26 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 16500 | 26500 | 0.3761 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 26 | Texas Tech University | 16500 | 27100 | 0.391 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 28 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 29 | Montclair State University | 17100 | 36000 | 0.5256 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 30 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4925 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 31 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 17500 | 44100 | 0.6035 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 32 | State University of New York at Oswego | 17600 | 27700 | 0.3645 | 5,293 | 1179 | 0.7989 | |
| 33 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17800 | 44000 | 0.5951 | 586 | 1140 | 0.9577 | |
| 34 | University of Central Oklahoma | 18500 | 27500 | 0.3275 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 35 | Columbia College | 18600 | 60700 | 0.6931 | 1,566 | 950 | 0.966 | |
| 36 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 18700 | 48900 | 0.6172 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 37 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 38 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18900 | 54000 | 0.6497 | 3,991 | 1010 | 0.9654 | |
| 39 | Stephens College | 19200 | 70100 | 0.726 | 392 | 1045 | 0.7709 | |
| 40 | Connecticut College | 19300 | 93000 | 0.7922 | 1,953 | 1284 | 0.3923 | |
| 41 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 42 | Stockton University | 19800 | 32100 | 0.383 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 43 | University of Houston | 19900 | 28400 | 0.2996 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 44 | University of Rhode Island | 20000 | 47400 | 0.5782 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 45 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 46 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 46 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1898 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 48 | Syracuse University | 20600 | 83600 | 0.7536 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 49 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.3258 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 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 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22100 | 25900 | 0.1446 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 54 | Florida State University | 22400 | 32100 | 0.302 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 54 | Rockford University | 22400 | 80100 | 0.7205 | 983 | 975 | 0.9289 | |
| 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 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 24900 | 36800 | 0.3235 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 64 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 65 | Westminster College | 25800 | 57600 | 0.552 | 1,110 | 1145 | 0.9167 | |
| 66 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 26100 | 49600 | 0.4735 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 67 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4024 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 68 | University of Mount Union | 27100 | 56300 | 0.5183 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 69 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 38800 | 0.2963 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 70 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0884 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 71 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 72 | Houston Christian University | 29600 | 60500 | 0.511 | 3,277 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 73 | Mississippi State University | 30100 | 34400 | 0.1245 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 74 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3122 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 75 | Kent State University at Kent | 31200 | 37500 | 0.1676 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 76 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31400 | 47100 | 0.3348 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 77 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 77 | Southern Nazarene University | 32000 | 48400 | 0.3384 | 1,473 | 1055 | 1 | |
| 79 | Anderson University | 32300 | 54700 | 0.4098 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 80 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 81 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 32700 | 44700 | 0.2684 | 3,219 | 1226 | 0.5836 | |
| 82 | Baylor University | 33500 | 70400 | 0.5244 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 83 | Bridgewater College | 34200 | 42500 | 0.1952 | 1,412 | 1115 | 0.903 | |
| 84 | University of Vermont | 34500 | 66300 | 0.4799 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 85 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 86 | University of Idaho | 34800 | 48700 | 0.2854 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 87 | University of Nevada-Reno | 35000 | 45800 | 0.2359 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 88 | Temple University | 35800 | 57200 | 0.3739 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 89 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 54000 | 0.326 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 90 | University of Connecticut | 37200 | 66200 | 0.4384 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 91 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 92 | Washington State University | 37800 | 53600 | 0.2946 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 93 | Hope International University | 38300 | 58600 | 0.3462 | 649 | 995 | 0.6253 | |
| 94 | Oakwood University | 38500 | 43300 | 0.1106 | 1,184 | 1005 | 0.4563 | |
| 95 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38800 | 38800 | 0 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 96 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1167 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 97 | Kansas State University | 40900 | 41900 | 0.0239 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 98 | Lesley University | 42600 | 57500 | 0.2592 | 1,230 | 1115 | 0.9687 | |
| 98 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 63300 | 0.3271 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 100 | University of Arizona | 42800 | 48600 | 0.1193 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 101 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4478 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 102 | George Mason University | 43700 | 61400 | 0.2884 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 103 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1077 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 104 | University of California-San Diego | 48800 | 79600 | 0.3868 | 35,442 | 1375 | 0.2856 | |
| 105 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 106 | University of Utah | 51400 | 53700 | 0.0425 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 107 | University of Georgia | 52100 | 52100 | 0 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 108 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 58000 | 0.0741 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 109 | Howard University | 55000 | 88500 | 0.3787 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 110 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 111 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60800 | 63600 | 0.044 | 1,078 | 1217 | 0.9646 | |
| 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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