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 | Utah State University | 9700 | 26700 | 0.6361 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 3 | Kentucky State University | 10100 | 17400 | 0.4184 | 1,793 | 865 | 0.9608 | |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego | 11500 | 39700 | 0.7102 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 6 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 7 | Lamar University | 12400 | 22900 | 0.458 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 9 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13500 | 25700 | 0.4747 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 11 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 47300 | 0.7099 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 13 | Texas Woman's University | 14100 | 23200 | 0.3916 | 10,039 | 1035 | 0.9612 | |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 15 | California State University-San Marcos | 14600 | 24700 | 0.4097 | 14,977 | 1040 | 0.951 | |
| 15 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14600 | 29600 | 0.5075 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 15 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4513 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 15 | Sonoma State University | 14600 | 26700 | 0.4532 | 5,272 | 1050 | 0.9343 | |
| 19 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 20 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 21 | University of Central Missouri | 15700 | 26600 | 0.4094 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 22 | Kansas State University | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3962 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 22 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15800 | 38500 | 0.5888 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 22 | 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 | |
| 26 | Connecticut College | 16600 | 95300 | 0.8254 | 1,990 | 1421 | 0.3704 | |
| 27 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 28 | Houston Christian University | 16900 | 56800 | 0.7024 | 2,899 | 1090 | 0.8444 | |
| 29 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17200 | 43500 | 0.6041 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 30 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 31 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18200 | 28600 | 0.3634 | 4,218 | 1030 | 0.9489 | |
| 32 | Benedict College | 18300 | 33000 | 0.445 | 1,628 | 915 | 0.957 | |
| 33 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 34 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 18900 | 31400 | 0.3981 | 13,921 | 1119 | 0.7468 | |
| 35 | Stephens College | 19200 | 49900 | 0.6155 | 392 | 1045 | 0.7722 | |
| 36 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 19400 | 36900 | 0.4748 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 37 | Gallaudet University | 19600 | 44600 | 0.5604 | 875 | 895 | 0.5806 | |
| 37 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 37 | University of Arizona | 19600 | 30900 | 0.3663 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 40 | Columbia College | 19800 | 35800 | 0.447 | 1,391 | 950 | 0.9393 | |
| 41 | Iowa State University | 19900 | 24200 | 0.1786 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 42 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45200 | 0.5559 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 43 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 43 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 45 | University of Wyoming | 20600 | 27900 | 0.264 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 46 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.326 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 47 | Southern Virginia University | 21000 | 46700 | 0.5503 | 936 | 1094 | 0.9642 | |
| 48 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 49 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 50 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22400 | 43200 | 0.4816 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 51 | Florida State University | 22500 | 32400 | 0.306 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 52 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 53 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 23700 | 34400 | 0.311 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 54 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 55 | Indiana State University | 24200 | 32400 | 0.2532 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 56 | Abilene Christian University | 24300 | 59000 | 0.5877 | 3,263 | 1189 | 0.6603 | |
| 57 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 25800 | 37500 | 0.3124 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 57 | Seattle Pacific University | 25800 | 70000 | 0.6314 | 1,776 | 1180 | 0.834 | |
| 59 | Rockford University | 25900 | 58500 | 0.5577 | 983 | 975 | 0.9291 | |
| 59 | Westminster College | 25900 | 57600 | 0.5504 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 61 | University of Mount Union | 26400 | 50900 | 0.4812 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 62 | Southern University at New Orleans | 26500 | 42300 | 0.3733 | 2,179 | 950 | 0.789 | |
| 63 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 64 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 26800 | 48100 | 0.4432 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 64 | University of Idaho | 26800 | 45200 | 0.4067 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 66 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27200 | 29500 | 0.0773 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 67 | California State University-San Bernardino | 27400 | 39100 | 0.2991 | 15,365 | 990 | 0.9374 | |
| 68 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0882 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 69 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6653 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 70 | Texas State University | 28000 | 28000 | 0 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 71 | Mississippi State University | 28100 | 32300 | 0.1323 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 72 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28300 | 46000 | 0.3849 | 3,424 | 1209 | 0.7887 | |
| 73 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 37000 | 0.2106 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 74 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 74 | Montclair State University | 29400 | 36300 | 0.1902 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 76 | Rivier University | 29700 | 65700 | 0.5479 | 1,252 | 1120 | 0.8259 | |
| 77 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 78 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 79 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30500 | 39200 | 0.2222 | 12,507 | 1010 | 0.8897 | |
| 80 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 80 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3121 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 82 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31400 | 47100 | 0.3347 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 83 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 84 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 32200 | 40900 | 0.2127 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 85 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 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 | State University of New York at Oswego | 33000 | 40200 | 0.1792 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 90 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 91 | Hope International University | 34200 | 60500 | 0.435 | 564 | 1027 | 0.3298 | |
| 92 | University of Vermont | 34500 | 66300 | 0.4799 | 12,276 | 1379 | 0.653 | |
| 93 | Temple University | 35400 | 56400 | 0.3724 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 94 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 95 | Lesley University | 36800 | 54700 | 0.3274 | 1,229 | 1115 | 0.9687 | |
| 96 | Southern Nazarene University | 38000 | 48400 | 0.2144 | 1,456 | 0 | 0 | |
| 96 | University of Nevada-Reno | 38000 | 45800 | 0.1704 | 19,117 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 98 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 99 | Oakwood University | 38500 | 43300 | 0.1105 | 1,177 | 1005 | 0.4522 | |
| 100 | University of Maine | 39900 | 45200 | 0.1173 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 101 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 102 | Washington State University | 40600 | 56300 | 0.28 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 103 | Anderson University | 42200 | 53600 | 0.2127 | 3,683 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 104 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 56200 | 0.2421 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 105 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 106 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1076 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 107 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2752 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 108 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 109 | Binghamton University | 50500 | 52800 | 0.0432 | 14,669 | 1415 | 0.3861 | |
| 110 | University of Utah | 51400 | 53700 | 0.0425 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 111 | George Mason University | 53500 | 61000 | 0.123 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 112 | Howard University | 55000 | 66500 | 0.173 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 113 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 114 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 115 | Berea College | 68700 | 69000 | 0.0043 | 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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