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 | Northwestern University | 6500 | 90200 | 0.9278 | 9,060 | 1533 | 0.0769 | |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 7000 | 41500 | 0.8323 | 38,572 | 1455 | 0.3659 | |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8700 | 98000 | 0.9115 | 9,164 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 4 | Lamar University | 9100 | 22900 | 0.6019 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 5 | California State University-East Bay | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6887 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10200 | 41500 | 0.7543 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 10700 | 26000 | 0.5891 | 22,313 | 1341 | 0.2996 | |
| 8 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 11400 | 35700 | 0.6802 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8296 | |
| 9 | Brown University | 12000 | 94000 | 0.8722 | 7,951 | 1500 | 0.0634 | |
| 10 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 11 | Louisiana Tech University | 12300 | 42900 | 0.7132 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 12 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 12700 | 30000 | 0.5767 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 14 | North Carolina A & T State University | 13000 | 17900 | 0.2745 | 12,497 | 1075 | 0.5125 | |
| 14 | University of Arizona | 13000 | 31000 | 0.5803 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 14 | University of Southern Maine | 13000 | 23000 | 0.4343 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13200 | 21300 | 0.3801 | 18,667 | 1090 | 0.9711 | |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5853 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 61700 | 0.7774 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 20 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 23900 | 0.389 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 22 | West Virginia University | 14700 | 73100 | 0.7986 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 23 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 24 | Kansas State University | 15900 | 26400 | 0.3953 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 25 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 25 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16000 | 38700 | 0.5859 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 27 | Francis Marion University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5453 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 28 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 16600 | 26500 | 0.3756 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 29 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 16900 | 28100 | 0.3992 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 30 | University of Louisville | 17000 | 29100 | 0.4162 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 31 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 20700 | 0.169 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 32 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4174 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 32 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 34 | Morgan State University | 17800 | 42200 | 0.5786 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 34 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 28500 | 0.3747 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 36 | Northeastern University | 17900 | 90000 | 0.801 | 22,456 | 1481 | 0.0562 | |
| 37 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 25200 | 0.2814 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 38 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 39 | Lehigh University | 19300 | 89800 | 0.7852 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 40 | University of Houston | 19900 | 28400 | 0.2996 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 41 | University of Rhode Island | 20000 | 47400 | 0.5782 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 41 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 76400 | 0.7387 | 20,768 | 1499 | 0.1119 | |
| 43 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 44 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 20300 | 35200 | 0.4229 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 45 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 46 | North Dakota State University | 20700 | 25700 | 0.1942 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 47 | South Carolina State University | 21000 | 43100 | 0.5131 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 48 | Iowa State University | 21300 | 25700 | 0.1728 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 48 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 21300 | 41300 | 0.4843 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 50 | St. Mary's University | 21500 | 82100 | 0.7383 | 2,330 | 1060 | 0.9508 | |
| 51 | Indiana Institute of Technology | 21600 | 48800 | 0.5575 | 1,650 | 1055 | 0.7039 | |
| 52 | Florida State University | 22300 | 32100 | 0.3051 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 53 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 54 | SUNY Maritime College | 22900 | 59200 | 0.6135 | 1,401 | 1164 | 0.785 | |
| 55 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24000 | 38500 | 0.3764 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 56 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 24200 | 40500 | 0.4025 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 57 | Montana State University | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 15,142 | 1184 | 0.9938 | |
| 58 | Fort Hays State University | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1331 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 58 | University of South Florida | 24700 | 36500 | 0.3229 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 60 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 25500 | 39400 | 0.3529 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 61 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 26000 | 28400 | 0.0843 | 2,216 | 1268 | 0.7987 | |
| 62 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27100 | 32000 | 0.153 | 8,706 | 1230 | 0.8906 | |
| 63 | Saint Ambrose University | 27300 | 57700 | 0.5271 | 1,884 | 1065 | 0.8006 | |
| 64 | Methodist University | 28000 | 87900 | 0.6812 | 1,467 | 1185 | 0.7516 | |
| 65 | Wayne State University | 28100 | 46800 | 0.3998 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 66 | University of Iowa | 29700 | 32100 | 0.0746 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 67 | Lawrence Technological University | 30000 | 99100 | 0.6976 | 2,661 | 1149 | 0.8101 | |
| 68 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78300 | 0.6131 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 69 | Gannon University | 30500 | 52900 | 0.4238 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 70 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 31100 | 50300 | 0.3816 | 21,028 | 1450 | 0.1334 | |
| 70 | Kent State University at Kent | 31100 | 37500 | 0.1706 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 72 | Western Michigan University | 31200 | 31200 | 0 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 73 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 74 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 75 | North Carolina State University | 32600 | 54800 | 0.4052 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 76 | Wichita State University | 32700 | 42200 | 0.2252 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 77 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 33000 | 72600 | 0.5451 | 2,836 | 1283 | 0.6711 | |
| 78 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33500 | 38200 | 0.1228 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 79 | University of Indianapolis | 33900 | 60700 | 0.4414 | 3,394 | 1080 | 0.728 | |
| 80 | University of Vermont | 34400 | 66300 | 0.4808 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 81 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 34900 | 38500 | 0.0935 | 7,637 | 1115 | 0.1865 | |
| 82 | Western New England University | 35600 | 70600 | 0.4955 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 83 | Temple University | 35700 | 57200 | 0.3756 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 83 | Texas Tech University | 35700 | 41000 | 0.1294 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 85 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36200 | 54000 | 0.3297 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 86 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36500 | 39900 | 0.0852 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 87 | University of Connecticut | 37000 | 66200 | 0.4414 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 88 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 37200 | 41600 | 0.1056 | 5,386 | 995 | 0.9092 | |
| 89 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 90 | Kettering University | 37700 | 98700 | 0.6183 | 1,212 | 1204 | 0.7867 | |
| 90 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 37700 | 40100 | 0.0598 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 92 | Mississippi State University | 39000 | 53400 | 0.2695 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 93 | University of San Diego | 41500 | 85900 | 0.517 | 6,049 | 1298 | 0.5358 | |
| 94 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 95 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 43100 | 88100 | 0.5106 | 35,358 | 1448 | 0.1642 | |
| 96 | Oregon State University | 44800 | 61900 | 0.2758 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 97 | Colorado Christian University | 45500 | 63600 | 0.2848 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 98 | University at Buffalo | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 99 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47400 | 61500 | 0.2291 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 100 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 47500 | 47500 | 0 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 101 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48300 | 51200 | 0.0565 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 102 | Quinnipiac University | 49200 | 79700 | 0.3829 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 102 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 49200 | 67600 | 0.2722 | 40,996 | 1399 | 0.4175 | |
| 104 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 105 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 50300 | 85400 | 0.4112 | 5,461 | 1292 | 0.6189 | |
| 106 | Binghamton University | 50400 | 52800 | 0.0453 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 107 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 52800 | 86300 | 0.3882 | 5,833 | 1440 | 0.6725 | |
| 108 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 109 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 110 | Auburn University | 59400 | 59400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 111 | Clemson University | 61300 | 63700 | 0.0376 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 112 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 61500 | 66900 | 0.0808 | 9,827 | 1329 | 0.6737 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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