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 | 96200 | 0.904 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11100 | 27200 | 0.5927 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 3 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5884 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 4 | University of Richmond | 12100 | 87400 | 0.862 | 3,055 | 1484 | 0.222 | |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 6 | Indiana State University | 13600 | 25900 | 0.4757 | 6,224 | 1140 | 0.8077 | |
| 6 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 32500 | 0.5829 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 9 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 10 | Georgia Southwestern State University | 14500 | 23100 | 0.3716 | 2,760 | 1055 | 0.7716 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 12 | Northwest Missouri State University | 14600 | 27900 | 0.476 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 12 | Trinity University | 14600 | 64800 | 0.7748 | 2,518 | 1402 | 0.2592 | |
| 14 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 15 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 16 | Dickinson State University | 15400 | 21600 | 0.2878 | 1,339 | 1005 | 0.3695 | |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 15400 | 19300 | 0.2021 | 10,090 | 1075 | 0.9368 | |
| 18 | Stephen F Austin State University | 15500 | 22600 | 0.3137 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 19 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 15700 | 23400 | 0.3295 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 20 | Lamar University | 16100 | 22900 | 0.2966 | 8,206 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 20 | University of Arizona | 16100 | 30900 | 0.4797 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 22 | Auburn University at Montgomery | 16500 | 25100 | 0.3424 | 3,326 | 1085 | 0.9157 | |
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16700 | 64800 | 0.7426 | 21,075 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 24 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 25 | Avila University | 16900 | 67600 | 0.7506 | 1,335 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 25 | Weber State University | 16900 | 22100 | 0.2355 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 27 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 17100 | 26000 | 0.3426 | 3,525 | 1070 | 0.8175 | |
| 27 | Winona State University | 17100 | 23000 | 0.2585 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 29 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 17800 | 28800 | 0.3822 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 30 | Trinity Washington University | 18000 | 44200 | 0.5934 | 1,604 | 0 | 0.9919 | |
| 31 | Portland State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2918 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 32 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27500 | 0.3235 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 33 | Illinois College | 18900 | 52300 | 0.6391 | 940 | 1054 | 0.7819 | |
| 34 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 35 | Lindenwood University | 19500 | 35800 | 0.4557 | 4,663 | 1170 | 0.5684 | |
| 36 | Culver-Stockton College | 19700 | 46600 | 0.5769 | 861 | 0 | 0.6518 | |
| 37 | University of Southern Mississippi | 19800 | 26300 | 0.2468 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 38 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1755 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 39 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 36200 | 0.445 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 39 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20100 | 28600 | 0.2977 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 41 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 20200 | 36700 | 0.4491 | 14,576 | 1179 | 0.6967 | |
| 42 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 43 | Salem State University | 20500 | 28500 | 0.2807 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 44 | Western Michigan University | 20600 | 31200 | 0.3394 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 45 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 20700 | 55800 | 0.6295 | 1,631 | 1142 | 0.843 | |
| 45 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20700 | 57800 | 0.6418 | 1,083 | 1205 | 0.9278 | |
| 47 | University of Northern Iowa | 20800 | 24000 | 0.1334 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 47 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3308 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 49 | University of Central Oklahoma | 20900 | 22700 | 0.0793 | 10,454 | 1095 | 0.8176 | |
| 50 | University of Miami | 21100 | 70800 | 0.7023 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 51 | Brenau University | 21200 | 50900 | 0.5837 | 1,273 | 1105 | 0.8778 | |
| 51 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6211 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 53 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 54 | University of Dubuque | 21400 | 61100 | 0.6502 | 1,417 | 1074 | 0.8863 | |
| 55 | Trinity Christian College | 21900 | 40500 | 0.4593 | 827 | 1065 | 0.8865 | |
| 56 | Grand View University | 22100 | 52500 | 0.5778 | 1,483 | 1035 | 0.9843 | |
| 57 | Stetson University | 22200 | 79100 | 0.7197 | 2,349 | 1114 | 0.716 | |
| 57 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4666 | 2,504 | 1045 | 0.9338 | |
| 59 | Bloomfield College | 22400 | 49900 | 0.5509 | 904 | 860 | 0.6723 | |
| 60 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 60 | Saint Norbert College | 22600 | 62300 | 0.6373 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 62 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 62 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22700 | 30300 | 0.2506 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 62 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 22700 | 22800 | 0.0044 | 10,656 | 1075 | 0.7289 | |
| 62 | Ursuline College | 22700 | 59000 | 0.6157 | 637 | 1085 | 0.8401 | |
| 66 | University of South Dakota | 22800 | 26000 | 0.1232 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 67 | Carlow University | 23100 | 58100 | 0.6029 | 1,355 | 1080 | 0.8696 | |
| 67 | Concordia University-Chicago | 23100 | 46400 | 0.5017 | 1,327 | 1100 | 0.9279 | |
| 69 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 70 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 71 | Bellevue University | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0858 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 71 | Daemen University | 23500 | 54400 | 0.5684 | 1,656 | 1209 | 0.7375 | |
| 73 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 74 | North Central College | 24300 | 62500 | 0.6112 | 2,454 | 1203 | 0.7733 | |
| 75 | Maryville College | 24400 | 58400 | 0.5819 | 1,136 | 1167 | 0.6092 | |
| 76 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 77 | Roberts Wesleyan University | 24700 | 60000 | 0.5885 | 1,045 | 1166 | 0.7058 | |
| 78 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 78 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 24800 | 44200 | 0.4388 | 857 | 1075 | 0.5941 | |
| 78 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 81 | University of North Dakota | 24900 | 27700 | 0.0978 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 82 | Houghton University | 25200 | 35500 | 0.29 | 939 | 1277 | 0.8866 | |
| 83 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25900 | 0.0193 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 84 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 85 | Point Park University | 26200 | 56800 | 0.5391 | 2,337 | 1144 | 0.9691 | |
| 86 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 26300 | 48900 | 0.4619 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 86 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26300 | 59900 | 0.5613 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9813 | |
| 88 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4748 | 1,147 | 1110 | 0.8035 | |
| 88 | Texas Woman's University | 26400 | 41300 | 0.3608 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.9613 | |
| 88 | University of Mount Union | 26400 | 50900 | 0.4805 | 1,927 | 1105 | 0.8013 | |
| 91 | Pennsylvania Western University | 26600 | 35600 | 0.2531 | 7,586 | 1070 | 0.9433 | |
| 92 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 93 | Columbia College | 26900 | 41300 | 0.349 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 94 | Emporia State University | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2783 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 95 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 96 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 96 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27700 | 32400 | 0.1451 | 8,426 | 1235 | 0.8876 | |
| 98 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 27900 | 32800 | 0.1492 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 99 | Thomas College | 28000 | 55800 | 0.4989 | 1,581 | 905 | 0.9707 | |
| 100 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28100 | 45700 | 0.3852 | 3,361 | 1160 | 0.7887 | |
| 101 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 101 | Lourdes University | 28200 | 40900 | 0.3116 | 827 | 1035 | 0.741 | |
| 103 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.401 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 104 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 31500 | 0.0921 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 105 | Chestnut Hill College | 28700 | 74900 | 0.6169 | 972 | 995 | 0.7913 | |
| 106 | Regis University | 28800 | 67200 | 0.5711 | 2,704 | 1199 | 0.8639 | |
| 107 | Faulkner University | 29200 | 39600 | 0.2629 | 1,793 | 1040 | 0.6613 | |
| 108 | Westminster College | 29400 | 57500 | 0.4884 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 109 | William Penn University | 29500 | 48000 | 0.3853 | 1,348 | 1000 | 0.5188 | |
| 109 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 111 | Le Moyne College | 29900 | 53700 | 0.4433 | 2,563 | 1240 | 0.7529 | |
| 112 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 113 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30600 | 54600 | 0.4397 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 114 | DeSales University | 30700 | 74500 | 0.5878 | 2,172 | 1175 | 0.7709 | |
| 115 | University of Toledo | 30800 | 42000 | 0.267 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 116 | Fisher College | 30900 | 62300 | 0.5042 | 1,384 | 961 | 0.7075 | |
| 117 | Thomas Jefferson University | 31500 | 67700 | 0.5346 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 118 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3637 | 898 | 1044 | 0.7614 | |
| 119 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3882 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 120 | Sam Houston State University | 32100 | 39900 | 0.1955 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 121 | Central Baptist College | 32200 | 35900 | 0.1032 | 550 | 1090 | 0.4636 | |
| 122 | University of Scranton | 32400 | 78700 | 0.5881 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.812 | |
| 123 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 0 | 0.5256 | |
| 124 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5215 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 124 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 126 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 127 | St. John Fisher University | 34400 | 63700 | 0.4601 | 2,583 | 1210 | 0.664 | |
| 127 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34400 | 34500 | 0.0029 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 129 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 130 | Goldey-Beacom College | 35100 | 38100 | 0.0802 | 702 | 0 | 0.7653 | |
| 131 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.421 | 1,185 | 1075 | 0.7876 | |
| 132 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 133 | Seton Hill University | 35800 | 63800 | 0.4386 | 1,597 | 1150 | 0.7579 | |
| 134 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36200 | 53300 | 0.3207 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 134 | Ottawa University-Surprise | 36200 | 56500 | 0.3594 | 768 | 980 | 0.3988 | |
| 136 | Davenport University | 36400 | 44400 | 0.1802 | 4,991 | 0 | 0.9827 | |
| 136 | Mercer University | 36400 | 60500 | 0.3984 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 138 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 139 | Immaculata University | 37100 | 47800 | 0.2236 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 139 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 141 | Rhode Island College | 37200 | 45800 | 0.1878 | 5,157 | 995 | 0.9182 | |
| 142 | Wichita State University | 37400 | 39600 | 0.0556 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 143 | Loyola University Chicago | 37500 | 67600 | 0.4455 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 144 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 37700 | 51000 | 0.2609 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 145 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 146 | University of Wyoming | 38600 | 43800 | 0.1187 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 147 | Montreat College | 38800 | 55000 | 0.2948 | 759 | 1055 | 0.6555 | |
| 147 | Reinhardt University | 38800 | 49300 | 0.2122 | 1,082 | 1070 | 0.6017 | |
| 147 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38800 | 52900 | 0.2664 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 150 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 151 | Pace University | 39700 | 74100 | 0.464 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 152 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.387 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 153 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 153 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 153 | Western New England University | 40500 | 67000 | 0.3957 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 156 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41300 | 53900 | 0.2337 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 156 | Marquette University | 41300 | 75100 | 0.4502 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 158 | Oglethorpe University | 41900 | 68600 | 0.3895 | 1,361 | 1216 | 0.886 | |
| 159 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 159 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 161 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 162 | Bryant University | 42400 | 73800 | 0.4255 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 163 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 164 | Central Christian College of Kansas | 43000 | 45200 | 0.0488 | 437 | 1020 | 0.957 | |
| 165 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4481 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 166 | Alvernia University | 44900 | 68700 | 0.3465 | 2,050 | 1060 | 0.6232 | |
| 167 | University of Mount Olive | 48200 | 50400 | 0.0438 | 1,937 | 945 | 0.7775 | |
| 168 | Menlo College | 48600 | 86800 | 0.4404 | 831 | 1045 | 0.6781 | |
| 169 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | 50100 | 60300 | 0.1692 | 1,204 | 1040 | 0.788 | |
| 169 | University of St Thomas | 50100 | 70300 | 0.2875 | 6,044 | 1270 | 0.9125 | |
| 171 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1279 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 172 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 173 | Miami University-Oxford | 56100 | 56100 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 174 | Elon University | 65900 | 67300 | 0.0208 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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