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 | 9400 | 96200 | 0.9026 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 2 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 30900 | 0.6273 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 11800 | 27800 | 0.5744 | 21,075 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 4 | University of Richmond | 12200 | 87400 | 0.8609 | 3,055 | 1484 | 0.222 | |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 6 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 32500 | 0.5809 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 7 | Indiana State University | 13800 | 25900 | 0.4679 | 6,224 | 1140 | 0.8077 | |
| 7 | Wichita State University | 13800 | 29800 | 0.5369 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 14200 | 19600 | 0.2754 | 10,656 | 1075 | 0.7289 | |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 11 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14400 | 41100 | 0.6502 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 14400 | 25600 | 0.4367 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 14 | Georgia Southwestern State University | 14500 | 23100 | 0.3716 | 2,760 | 1055 | 0.7716 | |
| 15 | Northwest Missouri State University | 14600 | 36300 | 0.5973 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 16 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4158 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 17 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15300 | 28100 | 0.4555 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 19 | Dickinson State University | 15500 | 21600 | 0.283 | 1,339 | 1005 | 0.3695 | |
| 20 | Trinity University | 15800 | 64800 | 0.7563 | 2,518 | 1402 | 0.2592 | |
| 21 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16000 | 22600 | 0.2916 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 22 | Oakland University | 16200 | 28000 | 0.422 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 22 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16200 | 23400 | 0.3081 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 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 | |
| 26 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18300 | 28800 | 0.3648 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 27 | Illinois College | 18900 | 52300 | 0.6376 | 940 | 1054 | 0.7819 | |
| 28 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 19300 | 27000 | 0.2856 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 28 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 30 | Lindenwood University | 19500 | 35800 | 0.4557 | 4,663 | 1170 | 0.5684 | |
| 31 | Trinity Washington University | 19600 | 44200 | 0.5572 | 1,604 | 0 | 0.9919 | |
| 32 | University of Southern Mississippi | 19800 | 26300 | 0.2468 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 33 | University of Northern Iowa | 19900 | 24000 | 0.1697 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 34 | University of Wyoming | 20000 | 26700 | 0.2497 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 35 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20300 | 36200 | 0.4386 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 35 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20300 | 28600 | 0.2907 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 37 | Rhode Island College | 20500 | 27900 | 0.2652 | 5,157 | 995 | 0.9182 | |
| 37 | Western Michigan University | 20500 | 31200 | 0.3426 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 39 | Salem State University | 20600 | 28500 | 0.2772 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 40 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 20700 | 55800 | 0.6295 | 1,631 | 1142 | 0.843 | |
| 41 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20800 | 57800 | 0.6395 | 1,083 | 1205 | 0.9278 | |
| 42 | Western Illinois University | 20900 | 31000 | 0.3266 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 43 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 21000 | 28500 | 0.2635 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 44 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 21100 | 23500 | 0.1023 | 10,090 | 1075 | 0.9368 | |
| 45 | Brenau University | 21200 | 50900 | 0.5837 | 1,273 | 1105 | 0.8778 | |
| 45 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6224 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 47 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 48 | University of Dubuque | 21400 | 61100 | 0.6502 | 1,417 | 1074 | 0.8863 | |
| 49 | University of Miami | 21500 | 70800 | 0.6967 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 50 | Trinity Christian College | 22000 | 40500 | 0.4573 | 827 | 1065 | 0.8865 | |
| 51 | Grand View University | 22200 | 52500 | 0.5777 | 1,483 | 1035 | 0.9843 | |
| 51 | Stetson University | 22200 | 79100 | 0.7197 | 2,349 | 1114 | 0.716 | |
| 51 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4668 | 2,504 | 1045 | 0.9338 | |
| 54 | Winona State University | 22300 | 29500 | 0.2455 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 55 | Ball State University | 22400 | 22400 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 55 | Bloomfield College | 22400 | 49900 | 0.5509 | 904 | 860 | 0.6723 | |
| 57 | Concordia University-Chicago | 22500 | 46400 | 0.5146 | 1,327 | 1100 | 0.9279 | |
| 58 | Culver-Stockton College | 22600 | 46600 | 0.5147 | 861 | 0 | 0.6518 | |
| 58 | Saint Norbert College | 22600 | 62300 | 0.6373 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 60 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 60 | Lewis University | 22700 | 57000 | 0.6019 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 60 | Ursuline College | 22700 | 59000 | 0.6157 | 637 | 1085 | 0.8401 | |
| 63 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22800 | 30300 | 0.2473 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 64 | University of South Dakota | 22900 | 26000 | 0.1182 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 65 | Carlow University | 23100 | 58100 | 0.6029 | 1,355 | 1080 | 0.8696 | |
| 65 | Grove City College | 23100 | 37200 | 0.3791 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 67 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 68 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 69 | Daemen University | 23500 | 54400 | 0.5684 | 1,656 | 1209 | 0.7375 | |
| 70 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65800 | 0.6319 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 71 | North Central College | 24300 | 62500 | 0.6112 | 2,454 | 1203 | 0.7733 | |
| 72 | Maryville College | 24500 | 58400 | 0.5814 | 1,136 | 1167 | 0.6092 | |
| 73 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 74 | Northern Michigan University | 24700 | 32900 | 0.2495 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 74 | Roberts Wesleyan University | 24700 | 60000 | 0.5885 | 1,045 | 1166 | 0.7058 | |
| 76 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 24800 | 44200 | 0.4388 | 857 | 1075 | 0.5941 | |
| 76 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 78 | Temple University | 25000 | 36300 | 0.3116 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 79 | Miami University-Oxford | 25100 | 27200 | 0.0771 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 79 | University of North Dakota | 25100 | 27700 | 0.0931 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 81 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 81 | Houghton University | 25200 | 35500 | 0.29 | 939 | 1277 | 0.8866 | |
| 83 | Geneva College | 25800 | 48900 | 0.4723 | 1,147 | 1110 | 0.8035 | |
| 83 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 25800 | 35600 | 0.2757 | 3,525 | 1070 | 0.8175 | |
| 85 | Thomas College | 26000 | 51300 | 0.4938 | 1,581 | 905 | 0.9707 | |
| 86 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3864 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 86 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 88 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 26300 | 48900 | 0.4619 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 88 | Point Park University | 26300 | 56800 | 0.5374 | 2,337 | 1144 | 0.9691 | |
| 88 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26300 | 59900 | 0.5612 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9813 | |
| 91 | Texas Woman's University | 26400 | 41300 | 0.3607 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.9613 | |
| 92 | University of Arizona | 26500 | 35200 | 0.247 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 92 | University of Mount Union | 26500 | 50900 | 0.4791 | 1,927 | 1105 | 0.8013 | |
| 94 | Pennsylvania Western University | 26600 | 35600 | 0.2531 | 7,586 | 1070 | 0.9433 | |
| 95 | Lamar University | 26700 | 37700 | 0.2915 | 8,206 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 96 | Columbia College | 26900 | 41300 | 0.349 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 97 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27100 | 30400 | 0.1092 | 8,426 | 1235 | 0.8876 | |
| 98 | Emporia State University | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2783 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 99 | Park University | 27600 | 30800 | 0.104 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 100 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 100 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 102 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 27900 | 32800 | 0.1492 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 103 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28100 | 45700 | 0.3852 | 3,361 | 1160 | 0.7887 | |
| 104 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 104 | Lourdes University | 28200 | 40900 | 0.3116 | 827 | 1035 | 0.741 | |
| 106 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 31500 | 0.0921 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 107 | Chestnut Hill College | 28700 | 74900 | 0.6169 | 972 | 995 | 0.7913 | |
| 108 | Regis University | 28800 | 67200 | 0.5711 | 2,704 | 1199 | 0.8639 | |
| 109 | Auburn University at Montgomery | 28900 | 33300 | 0.1321 | 3,326 | 1085 | 0.9157 | |
| 110 | Faulkner University | 29200 | 39600 | 0.2629 | 1,793 | 1040 | 0.6613 | |
| 111 | Westminster College | 29500 | 57500 | 0.4866 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 112 | William Penn University | 29700 | 47200 | 0.3721 | 1,348 | 1000 | 0.5188 | |
| 113 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 114 | Le Moyne College | 30100 | 53700 | 0.4396 | 2,563 | 1240 | 0.7529 | |
| 115 | Fisher College | 30300 | 60900 | 0.502 | 1,384 | 961 | 0.7075 | |
| 116 | DeSales University | 30700 | 74500 | 0.5878 | 2,172 | 1175 | 0.7709 | |
| 116 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4374 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 118 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 30900 | 39500 | 0.2175 | 14,576 | 1179 | 0.6967 | |
| 118 | University of Toledo | 30900 | 42000 | 0.2639 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 120 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2715 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 121 | State University of New York at Oswego | 31400 | 38300 | 0.1799 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 122 | Thomas Jefferson University | 31600 | 67700 | 0.5331 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 123 | Adrian College | 31700 | 67500 | 0.53 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 124 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 32000 | 50000 | 0.3611 | 898 | 1044 | 0.7614 | |
| 125 | McKendree University | 32100 | 52200 | 0.3857 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 125 | Sam Houston State University | 32100 | 39900 | 0.1955 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 127 | Central Baptist College | 32300 | 35900 | 0.0996 | 550 | 1090 | 0.4636 | |
| 127 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 76300 | 0.5763 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.812 | |
| 129 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 0 | 0.5256 | |
| 130 | Charleston Southern University | 34400 | 48400 | 0.2905 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 130 | St. John Fisher University | 34400 | 63700 | 0.4601 | 2,583 | 1210 | 0.664 | |
| 132 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 133 | Goldey-Beacom College | 35200 | 38100 | 0.0768 | 702 | 0 | 0.7653 | |
| 134 | University of Mount Olive | 35300 | 35300 | 0 | 1,937 | 945 | 0.7775 | |
| 135 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.42 | 1,185 | 1075 | 0.7876 | |
| 136 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 137 | Seton Hill University | 35800 | 63800 | 0.4386 | 1,597 | 1150 | 0.7579 | |
| 138 | Ottawa University-Surprise | 36200 | 56500 | 0.3594 | 768 | 980 | 0.3988 | |
| 139 | Florida International University | 36300 | 36800 | 0.0136 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 140 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36400 | 53300 | 0.317 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 141 | Davenport University | 36500 | 44400 | 0.1779 | 4,991 | 0 | 0.9827 | |
| 141 | Mercer University | 36500 | 60500 | 0.3967 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 143 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 144 | Immaculata University | 37200 | 47800 | 0.2215 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 145 | University of Central Oklahoma | 37600 | 38500 | 0.0234 | 10,454 | 1095 | 0.8176 | |
| 146 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 37700 | 51000 | 0.2603 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 147 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 148 | Reinhardt University | 38900 | 49300 | 0.2096 | 1,082 | 1070 | 0.6017 | |
| 149 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 39000 | 52900 | 0.2626 | 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 | Alvernia University | 40000 | 68700 | 0.4179 | 2,050 | 1060 | 0.6232 | |
| 152 | Loyola University Chicago | 40000 | 67600 | 0.4085 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 154 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 40300 | 56700 | 0.2893 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 155 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3861 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 155 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 155 | Western New England University | 40500 | 67000 | 0.3957 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 158 | Montreat College | 40900 | 55000 | 0.256 | 759 | 1055 | 0.6555 | |
| 159 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 53900 | 0.2319 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 160 | Oglethorpe University | 42000 | 68600 | 0.3876 | 1,361 | 1216 | 0.886 | |
| 161 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 162 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 163 | Mercyhurst University | 42600 | 66400 | 0.3586 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 164 | Central Christian College of Kansas | 43100 | 45200 | 0.0459 | 437 | 1020 | 0.957 | |
| 165 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4464 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 166 | Marquette University | 45600 | 75100 | 0.3929 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 167 | Bryant University | 46300 | 73800 | 0.3727 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 168 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 169 | Menlo College | 48700 | 86800 | 0.4389 | 831 | 1045 | 0.6781 | |
| 170 | University of St Thomas | 50100 | 70300 | 0.2875 | 6,044 | 1270 | 0.9125 | |
| 171 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | 50200 | 60300 | 0.167 | 1,204 | 1040 | 0.788 | |
| 172 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53400 | 61000 | 0.1257 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 173 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 174 | Elon University | 66000 | 67300 | 0.0193 | 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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