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-Ann Arbor | 4900 | 40700 | 0.8787 | 34,454 | 1435 | 0.1564 | |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | 6800 | 91800 | 0.9264 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 3 | Savannah State University | 6900 | 40400 | 0.8283 | 2,857 | 950 | 0.8368 | |
| 4 | Northern Kentucky University | 7200 | 25900 | 0.723 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.8307 | |
| 5 | University of Houston-Victoria | 7700 | 39700 | 0.8063 | 2,707 | 930 | 0.7671 | |
| 6 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 8000 | 36100 | 0.7793 | 10,049 | 1005 | 0.9234 | |
| 7 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 8300 | 27100 | 0.6927 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 8 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8400 | 98000 | 0.9146 | 9,157 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 9 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9600 | 36900 | 0.74 | 3,207 | 1060 | 0.8034 | |
| 10 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Flint | 11600 | 45600 | 0.7453 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 11800 | 19600 | 0.3978 | 10,656 | 1075 | 0.7289 | |
| 13 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 12100 | 51900 | 0.7672 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 14 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 12200 | 41900 | 0.7083 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 15 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 17 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 12900 | 23400 | 0.4493 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13300 | 13300 | 0 | 18,667 | 1090 | 0.9711 | |
| 20 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 13500 | 13500 | 0 | 1,919 | 1245 | 0.7844 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 51900 | 0.7365 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 22 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.6617 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 23 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 13900 | 46000 | 0.6974 | 4,218 | 1020 | 0.9307 | |
| 24 | University of Illinois Chicago | 14000 | 30400 | 0.5387 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 25 | University of South Florida | 14100 | 17100 | 0.1753 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 26 | University of California-Riverside | 14200 | 66000 | 0.7853 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 27 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14400 | 32200 | 0.5534 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 28 | Radford University | 15000 | 32000 | 0.5318 | 6,161 | 1070 | 0.8953 | |
| 29 | University of North Georgia | 15100 | 21400 | 0.2944 | 18,329 | 1100 | 0.6794 | |
| 30 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 15200 | 42500 | 0.6431 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 31 | Alabama State University | 15300 | 37900 | 0.5966 | 3,322 | 970 | 0.9564 | |
| 31 | Grand Valley State University | 15300 | 25300 | 0.3957 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 33 | Dickinson State University | 15500 | 21700 | 0.2868 | 1,339 | 1005 | 0.3695 | |
| 34 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 15600 | 25800 | 0.3932 | 5,386 | 995 | 0.9092 | |
| 35 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 15700 | 46800 | 0.665 | 6,550 | 1110 | 0.7456 | |
| 36 | University of North Florida | 15800 | 33000 | 0.5216 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 36 | Wayne State College | 15800 | 20000 | 0.2099 | 3,902 | 0 | 1 | |
| 38 | New Mexico Highlands University | 15900 | 31500 | 0.4949 | 1,710 | 945 | 0.9481 | |
| 38 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 15900 | 42600 | 0.627 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 40 | Jacksonville State University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5455 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 41 | Goshen College | 16500 | 55900 | 0.7042 | 780 | 995 | 0.8404 | |
| 41 | Wayne State University | 16500 | 46200 | 0.643 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 43 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16800 | 64800 | 0.7416 | 21,075 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 44 | Westfield State University | 17000 | 35600 | 0.5219 | 3,868 | 1105 | 0.8671 | |
| 45 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 46 | Southern University at New Orleans | 17500 | 34200 | 0.4881 | 1,773 | 885 | 0.6021 | |
| 46 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17500 | 44900 | 0.6098 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 48 | Frostburg State University | 17600 | 26600 | 0.3381 | 2,619 | 1095 | 0.892 | |
| 49 | Boston College | 17800 | 96200 | 0.8146 | 9,654 | 1490 | 0.1619 | |
| 49 | SUNY at Fredonia | 17800 | 39600 | 0.5512 | 2,876 | 1193 | 0.792 | |
| 51 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 17900 | 52500 | 0.659 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 52 | Morgan State University | 18000 | 19700 | 0.0864 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 52 | SUNY Brockport | 18000 | 26200 | 0.3124 | 5,816 | 1195 | 0.7068 | |
| 54 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 18100 | 36500 | 0.5044 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 55 | Stockton University | 18400 | 32100 | 0.4266 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 56 | Emporia State University | 18500 | 29800 | 0.3797 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 57 | Florida Memorial University | 18600 | 44900 | 0.5858 | 1,299 | 0 | 0.7431 | |
| 57 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 18600 | 42800 | 0.5648 | 581 | 1129 | 0.9821 | |
| 57 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27700 | 0.3284 | 5,517 | 1164 | 0.8057 | |
| 60 | College of Charleston | 18700 | 33900 | 0.4489 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 60 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 18700 | 43800 | 0.5725 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 62 | Rutgers University-Newark | 18800 | 38000 | 0.505 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 63 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 19000 | 25200 | 0.2457 | 6,853 | 1090 | 0.7147 | |
| 64 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 19700 | 38100 | 0.483 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 65 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 65 | Towson University | 20000 | 30000 | 0.3329 | 16,264 | 1093 | 0.8198 | |
| 67 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 68 | Central College | 20400 | 36800 | 0.4455 | 1,084 | 1140 | 0.8617 | |
| 68 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 70 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 20600 | 34400 | 0.4011 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 71 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 71 | Lincoln University | 20800 | 24900 | 0.1646 | 1,707 | 920 | 0 | |
| 71 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20800 | 57800 | 0.6406 | 1,083 | 1171 | 0.9278 | |
| 74 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 15,130 | 1095 | 0.5256 | |
| 75 | Albright College | 21200 | 49300 | 0.5699 | 1,328 | 1050 | 0.8615 | |
| 76 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 77 | Elmhurst University | 21500 | 67000 | 0.6794 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 77 | Luther College | 21500 | 71900 | 0.7017 | 1,384 | 1226 | 0.8402 | |
| 79 | Pennsylvania Western University | 21700 | 28200 | 0.2309 | 7,586 | 0 | 0.9433 | |
| 80 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 21800 | 37300 | 0.4156 | 26,500 | 1183 | 0.8857 | |
| 81 | Averett University | 22100 | 57200 | 0.614 | 1,180 | 1070 | 0.478 | |
| 82 | Northwestern University | 22200 | 88100 | 0.7483 | 9,060 | 1533 | 0.0769 | |
| 82 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 22200 | 45300 | 0.5095 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 82 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 85 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22800 | 58100 | 0.608 | 1,477 | 1075 | 0.8068 | |
| 86 | Dakota State University | 23100 | 25600 | 0.0977 | 3,066 | 1192 | 0.8814 | |
| 86 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | 23100 | 44400 | 0.4794 | 1,809 | 1109 | 0.9484 | |
| 88 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 23200 | 45200 | 0.4871 | 502 | 1204 | 0.9641 | |
| 89 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5986 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 90 | Houghton University | 23900 | 61900 | 0.6142 | 939 | 1277 | 0.8866 | |
| 90 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3383 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 92 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5713 | 2,690 | 1060 | 0.9032 | |
| 93 | Norwich University | 24300 | 88400 | 0.7253 | 2,642 | 1182 | 0.7361 | |
| 94 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 95 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 25800 | 39200 | 0.3419 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 96 | Columbia College | 25900 | 51600 | 0.4985 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 97 | Doane University | 26000 | 77700 | 0.665 | 1,323 | 1125 | 0.9801 | |
| 98 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26200 | 28300 | 0.0755 | 3,413 | 1095 | 0.5295 | |
| 99 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 26300 | 43000 | 0.388 | 5,789 | 1060 | 0.5774 | |
| 100 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 101 | Bethune-Cookman University | 26700 | 32700 | 0.1835 | 2,739 | 910 | 0.8824 | |
| 101 | Furman University | 26700 | 79600 | 0.6643 | 2,383 | 1359 | 0.4295 | |
| 103 | Cleveland State University | 27300 | 37300 | 0.2682 | 9,418 | 1105 | 0.913 | |
| 103 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 27300 | 47900 | 0.4298 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 105 | Fairmont State University | 27400 | 32200 | 0.1491 | 3,060 | 975 | 0.9924 | |
| 106 | Rowan University | 27500 | 41600 | 0.3386 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 107 | Thomas Jefferson University | 27600 | 67700 | 0.5922 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 108 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 109 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6654 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 110 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 111 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 33400 | 0.1437 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 112 | Mercy University | 28700 | 44500 | 0.3552 | 6,775 | 1074 | 0.8584 | |
| 113 | Clemson University | 29200 | 37100 | 0.2137 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 114 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 115 | University of Toledo | 29500 | 32600 | 0.0961 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 116 | Oklahoma Baptist University | 30500 | 54700 | 0.4416 | 1,409 | 1110 | 0.5568 | |
| 116 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 118 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4385 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 119 | East Texas A&M University | 30800 | 36500 | 0.1561 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 120 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 31000 | 36900 | 0.162 | 5,552 | 1305 | 0.7255 | |
| 121 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 31100 | 33200 | 0.0643 | 14,504 | 1145 | 0.7637 | |
| 122 | Coastal Carolina University | 31300 | 45100 | 0.3061 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 123 | Angelo State University | 31800 | 35400 | 0.1027 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 124 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 124 | McKendree University | 32000 | 52200 | 0.3869 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 124 | Saint Michael's College | 32000 | 68500 | 0.5331 | 1,120 | 1240 | 0.8451 | |
| 127 | Washington Adventist University | 32200 | 37800 | 0.1483 | 605 | 951 | 0.4536 | |
| 128 | Hampton University | 32300 | 62400 | 0.482 | 3,728 | 956 | 0.6225 | |
| 129 | University of Scranton | 32500 | 78700 | 0.5872 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.8029 | |
| 130 | Grambling State University | 32600 | 38100 | 0.1445 | 4,279 | 955 | 0.2368 | |
| 130 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 132 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 32900 | 45100 | 0.2705 | 10,767 | 1326 | 0.7243 | |
| 133 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 134 | LeTourneau University | 34100 | 54800 | 0.378 | 3,184 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 134 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 34100 | 58500 | 0.4177 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 136 | Salisbury University | 34200 | 41700 | 0.1797 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 137 | Charleston Southern University | 34300 | 48400 | 0.2918 | 2,914 | 1060 | 0.7609 | |
| 138 | Pace University | 34600 | 74800 | 0.5373 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 139 | Adelphi University | 35200 | 63300 | 0.4443 | 5,325 | 1218 | 0.6591 | |
| 140 | Immaculata University | 36000 | 47800 | 0.2467 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 141 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 36200 | 56800 | 0.3624 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8296 | |
| 142 | Loyola University Maryland | 36300 | 78800 | 0.5394 | 3,881 | 1309 | 0.7549 | |
| 143 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36700 | 39900 | 0.0786 | 5,086 | 1000 | 0.9821 | |
| 144 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 36800 | 38900 | 0.0548 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 145 | Christopher Newport University | 36900 | 51000 | 0.2767 | 4,407 | 1209 | 0.8796 | |
| 146 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 147 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 148 | Stony Brook University | 39900 | 53000 | 0.2478 | 18,263 | 1404 | 0.4904 | |
| 149 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 42100 | 67900 | 0.3799 | 3,965 | 1335 | 0.9121 | |
| 150 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 42600 | 54700 | 0.2212 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 151 | University of Maryland-College Park | 43000 | 53400 | 0.1948 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 152 | Western Oregon University | 43400 | 43400 | 0 | 3,343 | 1120 | 0.9871 | |
| 153 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 154 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 155 | Mercer University | 47100 | 63700 | 0.2607 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 156 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48300 | 60000 | 0.1949 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 156 | University of Mount Olive | 48300 | 50400 | 0.0424 | 1,937 | 1020 | 0.7775 | |
| 158 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | 48600 | 54600 | 0.1099 | 5,444 | 1214 | 0.7064 | |
| 159 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 160 | Molloy University | 48900 | 62300 | 0.2152 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 161 | University of Utah | 51600 | 53700 | 0.0398 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 162 | University of Colorado Boulder | 55200 | 56600 | 0.0247 | 32,100 | 1290 | 0.8115 | |
| 163 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 165 | Thiel College | 60600 | 69100 | 0.123 | 830 | 1065 | 0.7189 | |
| 166 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61300 | 64200 | 0.0452 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 167 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 10,200 | 1346 | 0.6507 | |
| 168 | Fordham University | 70000 | 95000 | 0.263 | 10,582 | 1406 | 0.5931 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (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.