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 Michigan-Flint | 5000 | 43700 | 0.8861 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 2 | University of Richmond | 7000 | 92700 | 0.9241 | 3,052 | 1472 | 0.2224 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 7600 | 102300 | 0.9256 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 4 | Trinity Washington University | 8500 | 63000 | 0.8648 | 1,658 | 0 | 0.9947 | |
| 5 | Lamar University | 9100 | 22900 | 0.6019 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 6 | Portland State University | 10000 | 43300 | 0.7695 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 7 | Indiana State University | 10100 | 25900 | 0.611 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10200 | 41500 | 0.7543 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 9 | University of St Francis | 10700 | 83800 | 0.8723 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 10 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5879 | 7,640 | 1045 | 0.8526 | |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 11800 | 19300 | 0.3886 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 12 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 22200 | 0.459 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 13 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 15 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 16 | Trinity University | 13500 | 67000 | 0.7982 | 2,423 | 1408 | 0.2488 | |
| 17 | Auburn University at Montgomery | 13700 | 30900 | 0.5568 | 3,650 | 1070 | 0.9854 | |
| 17 | University of North Alabama | 13700 | 28200 | 0.5145 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 61700 | 0.7774 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 20 | Texas Woman's University | 14000 | 28200 | 0.5036 | 9,962 | 1010 | 0.9658 | |
| 20 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 14000 | 19600 | 0.2856 | 10,995 | 1090 | 0.7476 | |
| 22 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 23 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 24 | Georgia Southwestern State University | 14300 | 54000 | 0.7354 | 3,024 | 1000 | 0.7517 | |
| 25 | University of Memphis | 14400 | 26400 | 0.4554 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 26 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 23900 | 0.389 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 27 | Dickinson State University | 14800 | 23400 | 0.3668 | 1,298 | 1025 | 0.5939 | |
| 28 | Ball State University | 15000 | 22400 | 0.3305 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 28 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 15000 | 54400 | 0.7248 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 30 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 15200 | 26000 | 0.4149 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 30 | Northern Michigan University | 15200 | 33100 | 0.5408 | 6,650 | 1100 | 0.8505 | |
| 32 | Avila University | 15400 | 81100 | 0.81 | 1,538 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 32 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 34 | Ursuline College | 15500 | 83000 | 0.8135 | 677 | 1115 | 0.7479 | |
| 35 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 36 | Grand Valley State University | 15800 | 28300 | 0.441 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 36 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 15800 | 28500 | 0.4463 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 38 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 15900 | 24700 | 0.3557 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 39 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16300 | 23400 | 0.3038 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 40 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4058 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 41 | Emporia State University | 16600 | 30900 | 0.463 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 41 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16600 | 64800 | 0.7439 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 43 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 30300 | 0.4452 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 44 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17000 | 36500 | 0.5346 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 45 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 17200 | 19400 | 0.1133 | 23,007 | 1281 | 0.6909 | |
| 46 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 47 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 18100 | 37200 | 0.5132 | 5,986 | 1110 | 0.8916 | |
| 48 | North Central College | 18200 | 64300 | 0.7168 | 2,567 | 1203 | 0.8377 | |
| 48 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 18200 | 37500 | 0.5147 | 3,758 | 0 | 0.7236 | |
| 50 | Bellevue University | 18300 | 41000 | 0.5537 | 11,037 | 0 | 1 | |
| 51 | University of Central Oklahoma | 18500 | 27500 | 0.3275 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 52 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 18700 | 48900 | 0.6172 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 53 | Lindenwood University | 19300 | 36000 | 0.4645 | 4,422 | 1193 | 0.5996 | |
| 54 | Carlow University | 19700 | 53900 | 0.6343 | 2,303 | 1084 | 0.8768 | |
| 54 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6438 | 1,008 | 1059 | 0.7494 | |
| 56 | State University of New York at Oswego | 19800 | 40200 | 0.5076 | 5,293 | 1179 | 0.7989 | |
| 57 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20000 | 55300 | 0.6381 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.89 | |
| 57 | Winona State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3229 | 5,317 | 1115 | 0.7549 | |
| 59 | Regis University | 20100 | 67400 | 0.7017 | 2,505 | 1225 | 0.8461 | |
| 60 | Rowan University | 20300 | 41300 | 0.5088 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 60 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20300 | 40600 | 0.5016 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 62 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 62 | Lake Erie College | 20500 | 81700 | 0.7492 | 941 | 1075 | 0.7036 | |
| 64 | Saint Leo University | 20600 | 50000 | 0.5878 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 64 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20600 | 57800 | 0.6432 | 1,109 | 1175 | 0.9088 | |
| 66 | La Sierra University | 20900 | 51200 | 0.5923 | 1,266 | 1124 | 0.9069 | |
| 67 | Ferris State University | 21000 | 31000 | 0.3231 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 68 | Daemen University | 21300 | 56700 | 0.6241 | 1,656 | 1050 | 0.7375 | |
| 69 | Western Illinois University | 21400 | 31800 | 0.3257 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 70 | University of Northern Iowa | 21500 | 24800 | 0.1327 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 71 | Grand Canyon University | 21700 | 34000 | 0.3613 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 72 | Stetson University | 21800 | 81100 | 0.7315 | 2,414 | 1089 | 0.7167 | |
| 73 | University of the Incarnate Word | 22000 | 58000 | 0.6205 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 74 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4671 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 75 | Faulkner University | 22500 | 60900 | 0.631 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 75 | Meredith College | 22500 | 67400 | 0.666 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 75 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 78 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 22600 | 56000 | 0.5966 | 1,592 | 1109 | 0.8415 | |
| 79 | Houghton University | 22700 | 51300 | 0.5576 | 958 | 1277 | 0.89 | |
| 80 | Calvin University | 22900 | 55500 | 0.5871 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 81 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 23200 | 44800 | 0.4818 | 3,604 | 1069 | 0.9761 | |
| 82 | Point Park University | 23300 | 54300 | 0.5707 | 2,498 | 1144 | 0.984 | |
| 83 | Columbia College | 23600 | 40200 | 0.413 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 84 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 84 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 23700 | 34500 | 0.3133 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 86 | Campbellsville University | 24200 | 45100 | 0.4631 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 87 | Maryville College | 24400 | 58400 | 0.5833 | 1,144 | 1140 | 0.6885 | |
| 87 | Miami University-Oxford | 24400 | 28300 | 0.1378 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 89 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 24500 | 45300 | 0.4593 | 918 | 1075 | 0.6885 | |
| 90 | Tiffin University | 25000 | 48000 | 0.4796 | 2,842 | 985 | 0.8007 | |
| 91 | Kent State University at Kent | 25200 | 28400 | 0.1155 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 92 | Le Moyne College | 25300 | 58200 | 0.5656 | 2,494 | 1250 | 0.6782 | |
| 93 | Westminster College | 25700 | 57600 | 0.5538 | 1,110 | 1145 | 0.9167 | |
| 94 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0975 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 95 | Dordt University | 26000 | 52500 | 0.5045 | 1,716 | 1205 | 0.6847 | |
| 96 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 26100 | 49600 | 0.4735 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 96 | University of Akron Main Campus | 26100 | 28000 | 0.0677 | 11,691 | 1074 | 0.7722 | |
| 98 | Saint Norbert College | 26200 | 63000 | 0.5837 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 99 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 26300 | 43400 | 0.3937 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 100 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4754 | 1,299 | 1167 | 0.9556 | |
| 101 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39600 | 0.3258 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 101 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4024 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 101 | Wayland Baptist University | 26700 | 36500 | 0.2683 | 1,894 | 1045 | 0.5477 | |
| 104 | University of Mount Union | 27100 | 56300 | 0.5183 | 2,207 | 1089 | 0.782 | |
| 104 | William Peace University | 27100 | 50200 | 0.461 | 778 | 1150 | 0.8633 | |
| 106 | University of Southern Mississippi | 27200 | 27200 | 0 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 106 | Weber State University | 27200 | 31500 | 0.1367 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 108 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6336 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 109 | Thomas College | 27900 | 55800 | 0.5003 | 1,526 | 905 | 0.963 | |
| 110 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 28400 | 69700 | 0.5925 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 111 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 112 | Iowa State University | 28900 | 45200 | 0.3601 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 113 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 29000 | 32000 | 0.0949 | 8,706 | 1230 | 0.8906 | |
| 114 | Alvernia University | 29100 | 69400 | 0.5805 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 115 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 29300 | 112100 | 0.7385 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 115 | University of Toledo | 29300 | 32600 | 0.1007 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 117 | William Penn University | 29400 | 48000 | 0.3869 | 1,366 | 1035 | 0.7311 | |
| 118 | Southern Adventist University | 29700 | 46900 | 0.3666 | 2,946 | 1142 | 0.7163 | |
| 119 | Thomas Jefferson University | 29800 | 70000 | 0.5738 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 120 | Brenau University | 30800 | 53000 | 0.4193 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 121 | Ottawa University-Surprise | 31200 | 89100 | 0.6496 | 837 | 995 | 0.7815 | |
| 121 | Western Michigan University | 31200 | 31200 | 0 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 123 | Marquette University | 31400 | 75900 | 0.5862 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 124 | DeSales University | 31500 | 100800 | 0.6874 | 2,172 | 1185 | 0.7709 | |
| 125 | Friends University | 31600 | 58000 | 0.4563 | 1,084 | 1020 | 0.5174 | |
| 126 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3653 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 127 | Elon University | 32000 | 69900 | 0.5426 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 128 | Anderson University | 32300 | 54700 | 0.4098 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 128 | Grand View University | 32300 | 58100 | 0.4439 | 1,500 | 1020 | 0.9909 | |
| 130 | University of Scranton | 32400 | 78700 | 0.5879 | 3,689 | 1245 | 0.8006 | |
| 131 | McKendree University | 32500 | 52900 | 0.3847 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 132 | Wichita State University | 32800 | 42200 | 0.2226 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 133 | Seton Hill University | 33100 | 63700 | 0.4805 | 1,502 | 1134 | 0.7953 | |
| 134 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 135 | Rutgers University-Camden | 33400 | 40100 | 0.1671 | 3,857 | 1168 | 0.6629 | |
| 136 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5227 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 136 | Baylor University | 33500 | 70400 | 0.5244 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 138 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33600 | 38200 | 0.1199 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 139 | Siena University | 33700 | 66300 | 0.4917 | 3,149 | 1301 | 0.8464 | |
| 140 | Fisher College | 33800 | 65300 | 0.4818 | 1,544 | 961 | 0.8263 | |
| 140 | Pace University | 33800 | 75700 | 0.5538 | 5,520 | 1273 | 0.7827 | |
| 142 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2949 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 143 | University of Idaho | 34800 | 48700 | 0.2854 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 144 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 35000 | 46400 | 0.2454 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 145 | Southern New Hampshire University | 35300 | 64600 | 0.4536 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 146 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.4216 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8248 | |
| 147 | John Carroll University | 35600 | 73100 | 0.5133 | 2,408 | 1285 | 0.7732 | |
| 148 | Western New England University | 35700 | 70600 | 0.4941 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 149 | Temple University | 35800 | 57200 | 0.3739 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 150 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 54000 | 0.326 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 151 | Davenport University | 37000 | 44400 | 0.1665 | 12,066 | 0 | 0.9781 | |
| 152 | Goldey-Beacom College | 37100 | 40200 | 0.0779 | 701 | 0 | 0.8451 | |
| 153 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37200 | 53600 | 0.3061 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 154 | University of St Thomas | 38000 | 74800 | 0.492 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 155 | University of Dubuque | 38200 | 65900 | 0.4213 | 1,395 | 1074 | 0.8731 | |
| 156 | Reinhardt University | 38700 | 49300 | 0.2138 | 1,129 | 1070 | 0.6154 | |
| 157 | Loyola University Chicago | 38800 | 73100 | 0.469 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 158 | Baldwin Wallace University | 39000 | 69800 | 0.4415 | 2,532 | 1210 | 0.7739 | |
| 159 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 160 | Immaculata University | 40000 | 48600 | 0.177 | 1,889 | 1264 | 0.8656 | |
| 160 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1167 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 162 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.3875 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 163 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41200 | 58700 | 0.2983 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 164 | Oglethorpe University | 41800 | 68600 | 0.3907 | 1,338 | 1205 | 0.898 | |
| 165 | University of Mount Olive | 42100 | 50400 | 0.1644 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 166 | Bryant University | 42500 | 78500 | 0.4587 | 3,511 | 1255 | 0.6484 | |
| 167 | Central Christian College of Kansas | 42900 | 45200 | 0.0506 | 454 | 1020 | 0.528 | |
| 168 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43500 | 68700 | 0.3678 | 4,279 | 1234 | 0.5796 | |
| 168 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4478 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 170 | Colorado Christian University | 45600 | 63600 | 0.2832 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 171 | Mercer University | 45700 | 65400 | 0.3014 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 172 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 62400 | 0.2365 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 173 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 49100 | 67600 | 0.2737 | 40,996 | 1399 | 0.4175 | |
| 174 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 175 | Quinnipiac University | 49300 | 79700 | 0.3816 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 176 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 177 | Menlo College | 52700 | 91000 | 0.4209 | 764 | 1045 | 0.6847 | |
| 178 | Tulane University of Louisiana | 54100 | 96100 | 0.4369 | 6,839 | 1469 | 0.1446 | |
| 179 | Mercyhurst University | 61200 | 68000 | 0.1 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.