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 | Cornell University | 10300 | 92000 | 0.8877 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 11300 | 34400 | 0.6706 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 4 | Southern Utah University | 11800 | 21100 | 0.44 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 5 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12200 | 29900 | 0.5919 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 27200 | 0.5443 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 8 | Bacone College | 12500 | 36800 | 0.6605 | 106 | 875 | 0.545 | |
| 9 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 12900 | 37100 | 0.6518 | 4,218 | 1020 | 0.9307 | |
| 10 | Utah State University | 13000 | 30000 | 0.5659 | 25,920 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 11 | Texas State University | 13200 | 23200 | 0.4313 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 12 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 13 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 14 | Texas Woman's University | 14300 | 23200 | 0.3833 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.9613 | |
| 14 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 17 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 18 | California State University-San Marcos | 15200 | 24700 | 0.3853 | 14,977 | 970 | 0.951 | |
| 19 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23100 | 0.3246 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 20 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 15900 | 28800 | 0.4478 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 21 | Alcorn State University | 16000 | 24400 | 0.3446 | 2,532 | 925 | 0.4533 | |
| 22 | Lamar University | 16100 | 22900 | 0.2966 | 8,206 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 23 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3574 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 24 | University of Vermont | 18300 | 37800 | 0.5164 | 12,276 | 1379 | 0.653 | |
| 25 | SUNY Oneonta | 18400 | 29300 | 0.372 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 26 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27500 | 0.3235 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 27 | Benedict College | 18900 | 38300 | 0.5071 | 1,694 | 935 | 0.673 | |
| 28 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.395 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 29 | Gallaudet University | 19200 | 44200 | 0.565 | 919 | 875 | 0.6094 | |
| 30 | Kentucky State University | 19300 | 27600 | 0.3012 | 1,546 | 925 | 0.9251 | |
| 31 | University of Nevada-Reno | 19500 | 28200 | 0.3085 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 32 | Davis & Elkins College | 19900 | 48300 | 0.5883 | 683 | 1025 | 0.5823 | |
| 33 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1755 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 33 | The University of Texas at Austin | 20000 | 26900 | 0.2564 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 35 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 43700 | 0.5405 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 36 | George Mason University | 20500 | 33500 | 0.3882 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 36 | South Dakota State University | 20500 | 25200 | 0.1866 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 36 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20500 | 30000 | 0.3172 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 39 | Houston Christian University | 22000 | 56800 | 0.6126 | 2,899 | 1090 | 0.8458 | |
| 40 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 41 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 42 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 43 | The University of Alabama | 23400 | 29900 | 0.2177 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 44 | Eastern Kentucky University | 23500 | 38000 | 0.3811 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 44 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 44 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 47 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 23800 | 24500 | 0.0285 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 48 | Southern Virginia University | 24300 | 38200 | 0.3641 | 967 | 1070 | 0.9973 | |
| 49 | Stephens College | 24700 | 58600 | 0.5781 | 354 | 1185 | 0.9185 | |
| 50 | Rockford University | 24900 | 59000 | 0.5771 | 968 | 1045 | 0.5704 | |
| 50 | Temple University | 24900 | 36300 | 0.3143 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 52 | Illinois State University | 25000 | 35200 | 0.2914 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 53 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 54 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 55 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 26300 | 48900 | 0.4619 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 56 | University of Mount Union | 26400 | 50900 | 0.4805 | 1,927 | 1105 | 0.8013 | |
| 57 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 57 | University of Arizona | 26500 | 35200 | 0.247 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 59 | California State University-San Bernardino | 26800 | 38000 | 0.2945 | 14,993 | 920 | 0.9318 | |
| 60 | Indiana State University | 26900 | 30900 | 0.1296 | 6,224 | 1140 | 0.8077 | |
| 61 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0748 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 62 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 27600 | 41900 | 0.3412 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 63 | Seattle Pacific University | 27700 | 62600 | 0.5576 | 1,776 | 1188 | 0.8339 | |
| 63 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 27700 | 31400 | 0.1178 | 14,019 | 1159 | 0.7781 | |
| 65 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0858 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 66 | California State University-Long Beach | 28000 | 38400 | 0.2712 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 67 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28100 | 45700 | 0.3852 | 3,361 | 1160 | 0.7887 | |
| 68 | Connecticut College | 28400 | 83300 | 0.6595 | 1,990 | 1287 | 0.3704 | |
| 68 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 70 | Westminster College | 29400 | 57500 | 0.4884 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 71 | Montclair State University | 29500 | 36300 | 0.1874 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 72 | California State University-East Bay | 29900 | 43000 | 0.3044 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 72 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29900 | 34000 | 0.1205 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 74 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 75 | Sonoma State University | 30200 | 40200 | 0.2489 | 5,412 | 1095 | 0.9473 | |
| 76 | Southern Wesleyan University | 30500 | 46200 | 0.34 | 887 | 1090 | 1 | |
| 77 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 78 | Oklahoma Christian University | 31000 | 45000 | 0.3105 | 2,012 | 1159 | 0.9707 | |
| 79 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 80 | Samford University | 31800 | 65200 | 0.5122 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 81 | Southern Nazarene University | 32100 | 48400 | 0.3367 | 1,465 | 1055 | 0.7703 | |
| 81 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 83 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 32700 | 44700 | 0.2684 | 2,978 | 1222 | 0.7223 | |
| 84 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 85 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 32900 | 44100 | 0.2539 | 581 | 1129 | 0.9821 | |
| 86 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 0 | 0.5256 | |
| 87 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 33400 | 40900 | 0.1835 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 88 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 89 | Hope International University | 34200 | 56700 | 0.3971 | 564 | 1070 | 0.3298 | |
| 90 | Nova Southeastern University | 34300 | 56300 | 0.3905 | 7,307 | 1165 | 0.7324 | |
| 91 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 92 | Abilene Christian University | 35700 | 60700 | 0.4115 | 3,233 | 1129 | 0.6604 | |
| 93 | University of Maine | 36100 | 45100 | 0.1996 | 591 | 1199 | 0.9684 | |
| 94 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2815 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 95 | Warner Pacific University | 36400 | 41600 | 0.1252 | 350 | 945 | 0.5855 | |
| 96 | University of Central Oklahoma | 37600 | 38500 | 0.0234 | 10,454 | 1095 | 0.8176 | |
| 96 | University of Connecticut | 37600 | 41800 | 0.1005 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 98 | Lesley University | 37700 | 54600 | 0.3093 | 1,342 | 1140 | 0.9442 | |
| 99 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 100 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38600 | 44600 | 0.1345 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 101 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38800 | 52900 | 0.2664 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 102 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 103 | University of California-San Diego | 40300 | 61100 | 0.3405 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2677 | |
| 103 | University of Georgia | 40300 | 46000 | 0.1242 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 105 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 106 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 41500 | 45200 | 0.0819 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9808 | |
| 107 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 42500 | 52100 | 0.1843 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 108 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0693 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 109 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 43500 | 50300 | 0.1352 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 109 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4481 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 111 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 112 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 54000 | 59200 | 0.0879 | 24,457 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 113 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 114 | University of California-Davis | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 115 | Berea College | 70100 | 70100 | 0 | 1,527 | 1235 | 0.1934 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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