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 | Northwest Indian College | 5300 | 16400 | 0.6766 | 636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Utah State University | 9700 | 26700 | 0.6361 | 26,629 | 1168 | 0.9212 | |
| 3 | Grace Christian University | 11100 | 42100 | 0.737 | 928 | 1075 | 0.9916 | |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 5 | University of Arizona | 12900 | 30900 | 0.5835 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 6 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 13200 | 30000 | 0.5601 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 7 | Arkansas Baptist College | 13600 | 24000 | 0.4328 | 356 | 0 | 1 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 9 | Western Washington University | 13700 | 31400 | 0.5637 | 13,609 | 1199 | 0.9371 | |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 14000 | 19000 | 0.2634 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 11 | Lincoln University | 14200 | 32600 | 0.5638 | 1,424 | 890 | 0.6431 | |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 13 | Northeastern University | 15000 | 89900 | 0.8331 | 22,456 | 1481 | 0.0562 | |
| 13 | Urshan University | 15000 | 19600 | 0.2352 | 474 | 990 | 0.8378 | |
| 15 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 16000 | 25000 | 0.3601 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 16 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 16100 | 25400 | 0.3667 | 9,040 | 1119 | 0.9666 | |
| 17 | Waynesburg University | 16600 | 45000 | 0.6306 | 1,032 | 1093 | 0.8981 | |
| 18 | Northeastern University Oakland | 17500 | 90000 | 0.8057 | 467 | 1469 | 0.1665 | |
| 19 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17600 | 27400 | 0.3575 | 27,963 | 1090 | 0.8395 | |
| 20 | Bethel University | 18000 | 35300 | 0.4896 | 2,674 | 970 | 0.6023 | |
| 20 | Southwestern Christian University | 18000 | 26800 | 0.3289 | 380 | 930 | 1 | |
| 22 | Lindsey Wilson University | 18300 | 47100 | 0.6117 | 1,738 | 1035 | 0 | |
| 23 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 24 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 25 | Elmira College | 18600 | 60600 | 0.693 | 783 | 1391 | 0.8054 | |
| 25 | Simpson College | 18600 | 60500 | 0.6923 | 1,235 | 1430 | 0.8622 | |
| 25 | University of Mary | 18600 | 32600 | 0.4281 | 2,821 | 1175 | 0.753 | |
| 28 | Grand Canyon University | 18900 | 33700 | 0.4392 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 28 | Quincy University | 18900 | 57900 | 0.6733 | 1,096 | 1115 | 0.551 | |
| 30 | Carson-Newman University | 19300 | 51900 | 0.6283 | 1,912 | 1075 | 0.6381 | |
| 31 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,425 | 1154 | 0.7138 | |
| 32 | Bethel University | 19800 | 54500 | 0.6365 | 1,065 | 1030 | 0.9766 | |
| 33 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4445 | 11,037 | 0 | 1 | |
| 34 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 35 | Malone University | 20500 | 57100 | 0.6414 | 946 | 1080 | 0.7623 | |
| 36 | Piedmont University | 20700 | 47200 | 0.5614 | 1,154 | 1080 | 0.9054 | |
| 37 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 20900 | 24900 | 0.1606 | 5,823 | 1115 | 0.8619 | |
| 38 | Anna Maria College | 21100 | 54200 | 0.611 | 916 | 885 | 0.5015 | |
| 39 | East Central University | 21700 | 36200 | 0.4004 | 2,976 | 1045 | 0.6181 | |
| 40 | Le Moyne College | 21900 | 58100 | 0.6226 | 2,494 | 1250 | 0.6782 | |
| 41 | Gordon State College | 22200 | 35300 | 0.3714 | 3,179 | 1015 | 0.859 | |
| 41 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4671 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 43 | Nelson University | 22300 | 55500 | 0.5982 | 1,526 | 990 | 0.8902 | |
| 44 | Buena Vista University | 22400 | 59100 | 0.6212 | 836 | 1075 | 0.6497 | |
| 44 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,495 | 1075 | 0.8761 | |
| 46 | Fitchburg State University | 22800 | 33700 | 0.3235 | 3,000 | 1090 | 0.8885 | |
| 46 | Murray State University | 22800 | 27600 | 0.1738 | 8,217 | 1124 | 0.8413 | |
| 46 | University of the Cumberlands | 22800 | 26400 | 0.1342 | 7,612 | 1025 | 0.9881 | |
| 49 | Indiana Institute of Technology | 23000 | 48800 | 0.5288 | 1,650 | 1055 | 0.7039 | |
| 50 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 51 | North Central University | 23500 | 43900 | 0.4649 | 759 | 1075 | 0.9898 | |
| 52 | Midland University | 23800 | 65300 | 0.6352 | 1,309 | 1045 | 0.6612 | |
| 53 | Saint Norbert College | 23900 | 63800 | 0.6252 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 54 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5723 | 2,642 | 1005 | 0.8879 | |
| 55 | Judson University | 24100 | 49100 | 0.5087 | 697 | 1010 | 0.8905 | |
| 56 | Wisconsin Lutheran College | 24700 | 56700 | 0.5642 | 957 | 1233 | 0.7816 | |
| 57 | Doane University | 24900 | 71000 | 0.6497 | 1,758 | 1124 | 0.9633 | |
| 57 | University of Minnesota-Morris | 24900 | 31900 | 0.219 | 982 | 1168 | 0.741 | |
| 59 | Columbia College | 25000 | 46900 | 0.467 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 60 | Saint Leo University | 25300 | 50000 | 0.4938 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 61 | Shorter University | 25700 | 36500 | 0.2956 | 1,203 | 1110 | 0.9646 | |
| 62 | Earlham College | 26300 | 75800 | 0.6528 | 670 | 1237 | 0.7904 | |
| 63 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4755 | 1,299 | 1167 | 0.9556 | |
| 64 | Wingate University | 26700 | 65000 | 0.5892 | 2,673 | 1100 | 0.9113 | |
| 65 | Troy University | 26800 | 34700 | 0.2277 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 66 | William Woods University | 26900 | 58400 | 0.539 | 1,342 | 1140 | 0.7118 | |
| 67 | Valley City State University | 27000 | 29300 | 0.0781 | 1,663 | 1045 | 0.9942 | |
| 68 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 68 | University of North Georgia | 27400 | 38600 | 0.2905 | 19,321 | 1100 | 0.9618 | |
| 70 | Syracuse University | 27900 | 83100 | 0.6641 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 71 | Chestnut Hill College | 28100 | 60100 | 0.5323 | 868 | 995 | 0.7446 | |
| 72 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3223 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 72 | Lancaster Bible College Capital Seminary & Graduate School | 28300 | 48800 | 0.4197 | 1,793 | 1174 | 0.5589 | |
| 74 | University of North Texas | 28400 | 37400 | 0.2405 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 75 | New England College | 28800 | 65800 | 0.5624 | 1,049 | 930 | 0.8584 | |
| 75 | Wayland Baptist University | 28800 | 37300 | 0.2281 | 1,894 | 1045 | 0.5477 | |
| 77 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29400 | 34000 | 0.1352 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 77 | William Penn University | 29400 | 48000 | 0.387 | 1,366 | 1035 | 0.7311 | |
| 79 | Hilbert College | 29900 | 57100 | 0.4764 | 931 | 1080 | 0.9724 | |
| 80 | Mercy University | 30100 | 44500 | 0.3237 | 6,692 | 1135 | 0.8724 | |
| 81 | Mount Saint Mary College | 31400 | 68600 | 0.5423 | 2,749 | 1153 | 0.892 | |
| 81 | Southern Wesleyan University | 31400 | 47100 | 0.3349 | 784 | 1170 | 0.9953 | |
| 83 | Columbia International University | 31500 | 44800 | 0.2967 | 1,084 | 1079 | 0.9371 | |
| 83 | Missouri Baptist University | 31500 | 53800 | 0.4142 | 5,253 | 910 | 0.7062 | |
| 85 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3654 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 86 | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | 32000 | 45700 | 0.3 | 6,790 | 965 | 0.9447 | |
| 87 | Grand View University | 32300 | 58100 | 0.444 | 1,500 | 1020 | 0.9909 | |
| 88 | University of Scranton | 32400 | 78700 | 0.5879 | 3,689 | 1245 | 0.8006 | |
| 89 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 38000 | 0.1264 | 1,300 | 1094 | 0.7465 | |
| 89 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 91 | Lander University | 33400 | 37700 | 0.1142 | 3,776 | 1055 | 0.8131 | |
| 92 | Franklin Pierce University | 33600 | 68300 | 0.5077 | 997 | 1174 | 0.9347 | |
| 93 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 93 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 93 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 96 | Fisher College | 33800 | 65300 | 0.4818 | 1,544 | 961 | 0.8263 | |
| 97 | Spring Arbor University | 33900 | 52700 | 0.3566 | 1,133 | 1124 | 0.6518 | |
| 98 | Nova Southeastern University | 34100 | 56100 | 0.3921 | 7,057 | 1187 | 0.7557 | |
| 98 | Touro University | 34100 | 42000 | 0.1879 | 4,872 | 1316 | 0.6083 | |
| 100 | Washburn University | 34300 | 38400 | 0.1067 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 101 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 102 | Texas Southern University | 34500 | 42500 | 0.1883 | 6,844 | 915 | 0.9691 | |
| 102 | University of Oregon | 34500 | 40200 | 0.1418 | 20,710 | 1193 | 0.8742 | |
| 104 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 105 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 106 | Seton Hill University | 35200 | 89200 | 0.6053 | 1,502 | 1134 | 0.7953 | |
| 107 | Georgia Gwinnett College | 36100 | 37900 | 0.0475 | 12,245 | 995 | 0.955 | |
| 108 | University of Northern Colorado | 36200 | 39100 | 0.0742 | 6,598 | 1080 | 0.945 | |
| 109 | Lesley University | 36800 | 54700 | 0.3274 | 1,230 | 1115 | 0.9687 | |
| 110 | Goldey-Beacom College | 37100 | 40200 | 0.078 | 701 | 0 | 0.8451 | |
| 111 | Bluefield University | 37200 | 43200 | 0.1389 | 627 | 995 | 0.5931 | |
| 112 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38000 | 68200 | 0.4426 | 1,210 | 1244 | 0.805 | |
| 113 | LeTourneau University | 38400 | 54800 | 0.2995 | 2,903 | 1242 | 0.4879 | |
| 114 | California State University-Fullerton | 38600 | 41500 | 0.0697 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 114 | Crown College | 38600 | 53200 | 0.2734 | 1,523 | 1060 | 0.2278 | |
| 116 | Southern Oregon University | 39800 | 39800 | 0 | 4,235 | 1104 | 0.8862 | |
| 117 | California Baptist University | 39900 | 65600 | 0.3917 | 8,707 | 1024 | 0.8139 | |
| 117 | Simmons University | 39900 | 54800 | 0.2717 | 1,676 | 1317 | 0.7008 | |
| 119 | Ohio Christian University | 40800 | 43100 | 0.0531 | 1,288 | 890 | 0.3797 | |
| 120 | Montreat College | 41800 | 58100 | 0.2804 | 781 | 1164 | 0.692 | |
| 121 | University of Mount Olive | 42100 | 50400 | 0.1645 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 122 | Anderson University | 42300 | 53600 | 0.2108 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 123 | Central Christian College of Kansas | 42900 | 45200 | 0.0507 | 454 | 1020 | 0.528 | |
| 123 | Loyola University Chicago | 42900 | 70600 | 0.3922 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 125 | Lees-McRae College | 44400 | 58700 | 0.2434 | 869 | 1140 | 0.8036 | |
| 126 | Towson University | 45300 | 46400 | 0.0237 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 127 | Mercer University | 45700 | 65400 | 0.3015 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 128 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 61300 | 0.2231 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 129 | Beacon College | 48800 | 81800 | 0.4033 | 531 | 0 | 0.1677 | |
| 130 | Elon University | 55200 | 68900 | 0.199 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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