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 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Kentucky State University | 10100 | 17400 | 0.4184 | 1,793 | 865 | 0.9608 | |
| 3 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 6 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 7 | Texas Woman's University | 12100 | 28200 | 0.571 | 10,039 | 1035 | 0.9612 | |
| 8 | Lamar University | 12400 | 22900 | 0.458 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 10 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13400 | 25700 | 0.4786 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 12 | University of Georgia | 13700 | 26600 | 0.485 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 50700 | 0.7294 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 14 | Utah State University | 13800 | 20800 | 0.3369 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 15 | University of Idaho | 14100 | 25800 | 0.4543 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 37400 | 0.6144 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 18 | California State University-San Marcos | 14600 | 24700 | 0.4097 | 14,977 | 1040 | 0.951 | |
| 18 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4478 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 18 | Sonoma State University | 14600 | 26700 | 0.4532 | 5,272 | 1050 | 0.9343 | |
| 21 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 22 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 23 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 24 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 25 | Alcorn State University | 16100 | 25900 | 0.3783 | 2,532 | 925 | 0.4533 | |
| 25 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 27 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 16500 | 40600 | 0.593 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 28 | Southern University at New Orleans | 16600 | 31000 | 0.4639 | 2,179 | 950 | 0.789 | |
| 29 | Connecticut College | 16700 | 95300 | 0.8244 | 1,990 | 1421 | 0.3704 | |
| 29 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 31 | Houston Christian University | 17600 | 56800 | 0.6901 | 2,899 | 1090 | 0.8444 | |
| 32 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 33 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 33 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18200 | 27700 | 0.3428 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 33 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18200 | 28600 | 0.3634 | 4,218 | 1030 | 0.9489 | |
| 36 | Benedict College | 18300 | 33000 | 0.445 | 1,628 | 915 | 0.957 | |
| 36 | Texas Tech University | 18300 | 27100 | 0.3253 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 38 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 38 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 40 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 18900 | 31400 | 0.3981 | 13,921 | 1119 | 0.7468 | |
| 41 | Stephens College | 19200 | 49900 | 0.6155 | 392 | 1045 | 0.7722 | |
| 42 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 19400 | 36900 | 0.4748 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 43 | Gallaudet University | 19600 | 44600 | 0.5604 | 875 | 895 | 0.5806 | |
| 44 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 45 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1732 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 46 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20500 | 23200 | 0.1164 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 47 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.326 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 48 | Southern Virginia University | 21000 | 46700 | 0.5503 | 936 | 1094 | 0.9642 | |
| 49 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 50 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 51 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1249 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 52 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3029 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 52 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 54 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 23500 | 38200 | 0.3846 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 55 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3863 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 56 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 57 | Abilene Christian University | 24300 | 59000 | 0.5877 | 3,263 | 1189 | 0.6603 | |
| 57 | Miami University-Oxford | 24300 | 27500 | 0.1165 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 59 | University of Central Missouri | 24400 | 35800 | 0.3185 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 60 | Illinois State University | 25200 | 36400 | 0.3079 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 61 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 25800 | 37500 | 0.3124 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 61 | Seattle Pacific University | 25800 | 70000 | 0.6314 | 1,776 | 1180 | 0.834 | |
| 63 | Rockford University | 25900 | 58500 | 0.5577 | 983 | 975 | 0.9291 | |
| 64 | Westminster College | 26000 | 57600 | 0.5486 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 65 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 36800 | 0.2828 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 66 | University of Mount Union | 26500 | 50900 | 0.4799 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 67 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 28900 | 0.0745 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 68 | Kansas State University | 27000 | 31400 | 0.1414 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 69 | University of Arizona | 27100 | 38100 | 0.2888 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 70 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0729 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 71 | California State University-San Bernardino | 27400 | 39100 | 0.2991 | 15,365 | 990 | 0.9374 | |
| 72 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.084 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 72 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6653 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 74 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28400 | 46000 | 0.3828 | 3,424 | 1209 | 0.7887 | |
| 75 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 39500 | 0.2608 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 76 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 76 | Montclair State University | 29400 | 36300 | 0.1902 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 78 | Rivier University | 29700 | 65700 | 0.5479 | 1,252 | 1120 | 0.8259 | |
| 79 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 80 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 81 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30500 | 39200 | 0.2222 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 82 | Oklahoma Christian University | 31100 | 45000 | 0.3092 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 83 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31500 | 47100 | 0.332 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 84 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 85 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 32200 | 40900 | 0.2127 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 86 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 87 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 32700 | 44700 | 0.2684 | 3,219 | 1226 | 0.5836 | |
| 88 | University of Rhode Island | 32900 | 46400 | 0.2907 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 89 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 90 | Hope International University | 34200 | 60500 | 0.435 | 564 | 1027 | 0.3298 | |
| 91 | University of Vermont | 34500 | 66300 | 0.4788 | 12,276 | 1379 | 0.653 | |
| 92 | Temple University | 35600 | 56400 | 0.3689 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 93 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2804 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 94 | Lesley University | 36800 | 54700 | 0.3274 | 1,229 | 1115 | 0.9687 | |
| 95 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 96 | University of Nevada-Reno | 38000 | 45800 | 0.1704 | 19,117 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 97 | Southern Nazarene University | 38200 | 48400 | 0.2117 | 1,456 | 0 | 0 | |
| 98 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 99 | Oakwood University | 38600 | 43300 | 0.1074 | 1,177 | 1005 | 0.4522 | |
| 99 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38600 | 53100 | 0.2729 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 101 | University of Maine | 39900 | 45200 | 0.1173 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 102 | University of Wyoming | 40100 | 45300 | 0.1137 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 103 | SUNY Oneonta | 41700 | 41700 | 0 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 104 | Anderson University | 42200 | 53600 | 0.2127 | 3,683 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 105 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 106 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 107 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2746 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 108 | University of California-San Diego | 45900 | 75300 | 0.3902 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 109 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 49800 | 62200 | 0.1995 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 110 | Binghamton University | 50700 | 52800 | 0.0407 | 14,669 | 1415 | 0.3861 | |
| 111 | University of Utah | 51600 | 53700 | 0.04 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 112 | George Mason University | 53600 | 61000 | 0.1213 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 113 | Howard University | 55000 | 66500 | 0.173 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 114 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 115 | Berea College | 68900 | 69000 | 0.0014 | 1,527 | 1235 | 0.1934 | |
| 116 | University of California-Davis | 69800 | 69800 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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