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 | Washington University in St Louis | 9200 | 102300 | 0.9104 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 2 | University of Richmond | 9400 | 88400 | 0.8938 | 3,055 | 1484 | 0.222 | |
| 3 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 4 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 31200 | 0.6315 | 6,952 | 995 | 0.9075 | |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 6 | Texas Woman's University | 12100 | 28200 | 0.571 | 10,039 | 1035 | 0.9612 | |
| 7 | Lamar University | 12400 | 22900 | 0.458 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 12700 | 19300 | 0.342 | 10,084 | 1055 | 0.8572 | |
| 9 | University of Michigan-Flint | 13000 | 46300 | 0.719 | 5,011 | 1109 | 0.7046 | |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 13500 | 19400 | 0.304 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 10 | Trinity University | 13500 | 69600 | 0.8064 | 2,518 | 1423 | 0.2592 | |
| 10 | University of Delaware | 13500 | 34500 | 0.6079 | 20,026 | 1294 | 0.706 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 14 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 22900 | 0.381 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 16 | Dickinson State University | 14300 | 25000 | 0.4271 | 1,339 | 990 | 0.3702 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 18 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 19 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 20 | Georgia Southwestern State University | 14900 | 41300 | 0.6386 | 3,024 | 1000 | 0.7517 | |
| 21 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 29000 | 0.4808 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 22 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 23 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 23 | Trinity Washington University | 15600 | 45900 | 0.6595 | 1,658 | 0 | 0.9952 | |
| 25 | Western Michigan University | 15700 | 31200 | 0.4963 | 13,027 | 1115 | 0.846 | |
| 26 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 27 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28 | Emporia State University | 16100 | 22900 | 0.2971 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 29 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 29 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 31 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16600 | 64800 | 0.7438 | 20,885 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 32 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 32 | Winona State University | 17000 | 23000 | 0.2595 | 5,317 | 1115 | 0.7549 | |
| 34 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 35 | University of Memphis | 17500 | 26400 | 0.3378 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 36 | Avila University | 17700 | 64100 | 0.7236 | 1,331 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 36 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 38 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 17800 | 38700 | 0.5395 | 3,781 | 1100 | 0.7568 | |
| 39 | University of St Francis | 18200 | 57200 | 0.6816 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 40 | Carlow University | 19500 | 57800 | 0.6627 | 1,355 | 1065 | 0.8695 | |
| 41 | University of Arizona | 19600 | 30900 | 0.3663 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 42 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6438 | 937 | 1059 | 0.7819 | |
| 42 | Wichita State University | 19700 | 29800 | 0.3383 | 13,313 | 1073 | 0.9395 | |
| 44 | La Sierra University | 19800 | 65900 | 0.6992 | 1,226 | 1025 | 0.915 | |
| 45 | Iowa State University | 19900 | 24200 | 0.1786 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 46 | Youngstown State University | 20000 | 34000 | 0.4118 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 47 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 20100 | 32300 | 0.3775 | 15,375 | 1103 | 0.866 | |
| 47 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 20100 | 22800 | 0.1184 | 10,632 | 1075 | 0.8859 | |
| 49 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4442 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 49 | Lindenwood University | 20200 | 35800 | 0.4361 | 4,663 | 1209 | 0.5684 | |
| 51 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20600 | 57800 | 0.6431 | 1,932 | 1193 | 0.9278 | |
| 51 | University of Dubuque | 20600 | 60700 | 0.6603 | 1,440 | 1090 | 0.8863 | |
| 53 | Stetson University | 20700 | 79100 | 0.7387 | 2,349 | 1179 | 0.716 | |
| 53 | University of Northern Iowa | 20700 | 24000 | 0.1366 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 53 | Western Illinois University | 20700 | 31000 | 0.3332 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 56 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 20900 | 27600 | 0.2431 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 57 | North Central College | 21100 | 63700 | 0.6692 | 2,454 | 1203 | 0.7733 | |
| 58 | Culver-Stockton College | 21300 | 50600 | 0.5789 | 861 | 1025 | 0.991 | |
| 58 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 60 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 61 | Le Moyne College | 21900 | 58100 | 0.6226 | 2,529 | 1255 | 0.8298 | |
| 62 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22200 | 30100 | 0.2629 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 62 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.467 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 64 | Brenau University | 22800 | 51700 | 0.5587 | 1,273 | 1060 | 0.8778 | |
| 64 | Juniata College | 22800 | 73800 | 0.6909 | 1,242 | 1229 | 0.7891 | |
| 66 | Concordia University-Chicago | 23100 | 54900 | 0.5787 | 1,368 | 1100 | 0.9279 | |
| 66 | Faulkner University | 23100 | 40600 | 0.4315 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 68 | Houghton University | 23200 | 44300 | 0.4763 | 1,162 | 1277 | 0.8866 | |
| 69 | Saint Norbert College | 23800 | 63800 | 0.6267 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 70 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,356 | 1222 | 0.7091 | |
| 71 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 24200 | 56000 | 0.568 | 1,359 | 1109 | 0.8415 | |
| 71 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 71 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4786 | 1,523 | 1159 | 0.7074 | |
| 74 | Miami University-Oxford | 24300 | 27500 | 0.1165 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 75 | Maryville College | 24400 | 58400 | 0.5832 | 1,132 | 1167 | 0.6092 | |
| 75 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 77 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24500 | 36300 | 0.3247 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.8901 | |
| 77 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 24500 | 45300 | 0.4593 | 918 | 1075 | 0.6885 | |
| 79 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 80 | Point Park University | 25200 | 57000 | 0.5582 | 2,337 | 1140 | 0.9691 | |
| 81 | Saint Leo University | 25400 | 50000 | 0.4918 | 7,516 | 1110 | 0.784 | |
| 82 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 83 | Tiffin University | 25600 | 48000 | 0.4671 | 2,842 | 980 | 0.8005 | |
| 84 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 84 | Westminster College | 25800 | 57600 | 0.5521 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 86 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 87 | Dordt University | 26200 | 52500 | 0.5007 | 1,716 | 1205 | 0.6847 | |
| 88 | Columbia College | 26400 | 46900 | 0.4372 | 5,207 | 1145 | 0.4714 | |
| 88 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4753 | 1,260 | 1143 | 0.7905 | |
| 88 | University of Mount Union | 26400 | 50900 | 0.4812 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 91 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 92 | University of Idaho | 26800 | 45200 | 0.4067 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 93 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27000 | 31800 | 0.1505 | 8,426 | 1235 | 0.8875 | |
| 93 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 95 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2788 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 96 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 97 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6335 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 97 | Kent State University at Kent | 27400 | 28400 | 0.0352 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 97 | Rowan University | 27400 | 41300 | 0.3369 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 100 | Oakland University | 27900 | 39300 | 0.2899 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 100 | Thomas College | 27900 | 55800 | 0.5003 | 1,526 | 905 | 0.963 | |
| 102 | Colorado Christian University | 28000 | 64000 | 0.5624 | 8,200 | 1110 | 0.9764 | |
| 103 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28300 | 46000 | 0.3849 | 3,424 | 1209 | 0.7887 | |
| 104 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 104 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28500 | 32300 | 0.1176 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 106 | Wayland Baptist University | 28700 | 37300 | 0.2308 | 2,087 | 1010 | 0.5596 | |
| 107 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 108 | Regis University | 29200 | 67200 | 0.5651 | 2,689 | 1222 | 0.8646 | |
| 109 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 29300 | 56200 | 0.4781 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 109 | University of Toledo | 29300 | 32600 | 0.1006 | 11,013 | 1229 | 0.9202 | |
| 111 | William Penn University | 29500 | 48000 | 0.3868 | 1,348 | 1000 | 0.5188 | |
| 112 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4089 | 722 | 1180 | 0.9425 | |
| 113 | Portland State University | 30800 | 43100 | 0.2848 | 15,414 | 1094 | 0.9087 | |
| 113 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 115 | University of North Dakota | 31000 | 33700 | 0.0824 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 116 | Grand View University | 31800 | 58100 | 0.4525 | 1,500 | 1020 | 0.9909 | |
| 117 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 117 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3896 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 119 | Central Baptist College | 32100 | 35900 | 0.1053 | 547 | 1035 | 0.6346 | |
| 120 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5891 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 121 | State University of New York at Oswego | 33000 | 40200 | 0.1792 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 122 | Auburn University at Montgomery | 33300 | 34800 | 0.0432 | 3,325 | 1085 | 0.9157 | |
| 122 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 124 | Immaculata University | 33600 | 47900 | 0.2987 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8576 | |
| 125 | John Carroll University | 33700 | 73100 | 0.5393 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 126 | Fisher College | 33800 | 65300 | 0.4818 | 1,536 | 961 | 0.7068 | |
| 126 | Rhode Island College | 33800 | 45100 | 0.2505 | 5,154 | 995 | 0.9182 | |
| 128 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 129 | Thomas Jefferson University | 34000 | 68100 | 0.501 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8097 | |
| 130 | Ottawa University-Surprise | 34100 | 67500 | 0.4951 | 837 | 995 | 0.7815 | |
| 131 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2948 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 131 | DeSales University | 34200 | 68500 | 0.5006 | 2,166 | 1185 | 0.7709 | |
| 131 | University of St Thomas | 34200 | 70300 | 0.5138 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8536 | |
| 134 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 135 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 136 | Seton Hill University | 35200 | 65000 | 0.4584 | 1,501 | 1134 | 0.7953 | |
| 137 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.4216 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 137 | Temple University | 35400 | 56400 | 0.3724 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 139 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66100 | 0.4616 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 140 | Davenport University | 36000 | 44400 | 0.1892 | 3,741 | 0 | 0.9784 | |
| 141 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 142 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37100 | 57000 | 0.3489 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 142 | Goldey-Beacom College | 37100 | 40200 | 0.0778 | 697 | 0 | 0.8451 | |
| 144 | Bloomfield College of Montclair State University | 37500 | 38500 | 0.026 | 799 | 865 | 0.6974 | |
| 145 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38400 | 53100 | 0.2767 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 146 | Alvernia University | 38700 | 69400 | 0.4422 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 146 | Western New England University | 38700 | 69200 | 0.4409 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 148 | Concordia University Texas | 39200 | 45800 | 0.1446 | 1,188 | 990 | 0.9125 | |
| 149 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 150 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 151 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1166 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 152 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.3874 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 153 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 153 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40700 | 52100 | 0.2189 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 155 | Loyola University Chicago | 41000 | 70600 | 0.4192 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 156 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41200 | 57000 | 0.2773 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 156 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 41200 | 42300 | 0.026 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 158 | Oglethorpe University | 41800 | 68600 | 0.3906 | 1,396 | 1216 | 0.8845 | |
| 159 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 41900 | 53200 | 0.2124 | 5,731 | 1174 | 0.9064 | |
| 160 | University of Mount Olive | 42100 | 50400 | 0.1643 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 161 | Anderson University | 42200 | 53600 | 0.2127 | 3,683 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 162 | Bryant University | 42300 | 75900 | 0.4425 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 163 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 164 | Rutgers University-Camden | 44600 | 60700 | 0.2652 | 3,857 | 1168 | 0.6629 | |
| 165 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 166 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59700 | 0.2122 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 167 | Menlo College | 48500 | 86800 | 0.4412 | 764 | 1045 | 0.6847 | |
| 168 | Mercer University | 48900 | 63700 | 0.2324 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 169 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1291 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 170 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | 53300 | 63600 | 0.1617 | 1,204 | 1040 | 0.788 | |
| 171 | Elon University | 56300 | 68900 | 0.183 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 172 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 173 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 61000 | 63200 | 0.0348 | 40,684 | 1331 | 0.3915 | |
| 174 | St. John Fisher University | 62500 | 62500 | 0 | 2,571 | 1215 | 0.664 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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