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 | 5600 | 40700 | 0.8615 | 35,358 | 1435 | 0.1642 | |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Flint | 6100 | 43600 | 0.8603 | 5,534 | 1109 | 0.6734 | |
| 3 | Northwestern University | 6500 | 90200 | 0.9278 | 9,060 | 1527 | 0.0769 | |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 7000 | 41500 | 0.8323 | 38,572 | 1406 | 0.3659 | |
| 5 | Northern Kentucky University | 7500 | 25900 | 0.7114 | 10,136 | 1090 | 0.9666 | |
| 6 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 7700 | 36100 | 0.7877 | 10,368 | 1064 | 0.999 | |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8700 | 98000 | 0.9113 | 9,164 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 8 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9400 | 41400 | 0.7736 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 9 | Portland State University | 9600 | 43300 | 0.7788 | 14,932 | 1094 | 0.8586 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10200 | 41300 | 0.7533 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 11 | Saint Xavier University | 10300 | 57000 | 0.819 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 12 | Concord University | 10600 | 49200 | 0.7841 | 1,638 | 990 | 0.9728 | |
| 13 | Savannah State University | 10700 | 50900 | 0.7901 | 2,966 | 925 | 1 | |
| 14 | Wayne State University | 12400 | 32900 | 0.6228 | 16,390 | 1174 | 0.8359 | |
| 15 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 12700 | 30000 | 0.5767 | 9,666 | 1045 | 0.7498 | |
| 16 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13000 | 40500 | 0.6789 | 29,727 | 980 | 0.9229 | |
| 16 | University of North Florida | 13000 | 22400 | 0.4202 | 14,837 | 1150 | 0.6815 | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13200 | 27400 | 0.519 | 18,667 | 1090 | 0.9711 | |
| 19 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32200 | 0.5857 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 19 | University of South Florida | 13300 | 22400 | 0.4067 | 39,093 | 1239 | 0.4071 | |
| 21 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 13400 | 40800 | 0.6718 | 6,761 | 1105 | 0.8475 | |
| 22 | University of Illinois Chicago | 13700 | 30200 | 0.5467 | 24,260 | 1252 | 0.7576 | |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 61700 | 0.7781 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 24 | Coastal Carolina University | 14100 | 45300 | 0.6891 | 11,471 | 1145 | 0.7003 | |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 14100 | 22800 | 0.3816 | 10,995 | 1075 | 0.7476 | |
| 26 | Valdosta State University | 14200 | 29700 | 0.5215 | 7,199 | 1015 | 0.7769 | |
| 27 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 38200 | 0.6223 | 7,501 | 1075 | 0.9467 | |
| 28 | Mercy University | 14700 | 46400 | 0.6836 | 6,692 | 1135 | 0.8724 | |
| 28 | University of California-Riverside | 14700 | 66100 | 0.7779 | 24,034 | 1199 | 0.8609 | |
| 30 | Wayne State College | 15000 | 30500 | 0.509 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 31 | Christopher Newport University | 15200 | 45100 | 0.6634 | 4,369 | 1189 | 0.8604 | |
| 31 | Coppin State University | 15200 | 25300 | 0.3987 | 1,908 | 950 | 0.4583 | |
| 33 | Jacksonville State University | 15500 | 38200 | 0.5938 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 34 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 15800 | 44000 | 0.6412 | 308 | 1180 | 0.9053 | |
| 35 | University of North Texas | 15900 | 26200 | 0.3938 | 34,414 | 1114 | 0.7089 | |
| 36 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16300 | 23400 | 0.3038 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 37 | Grove City College | 16500 | 39700 | 0.5851 | 2,247 | 1266 | 0.667 | |
| 37 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16500 | 64800 | 0.7456 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 39 | Morgan State University | 16600 | 30700 | 0.4588 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 40 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | 16700 | 44200 | 0.6229 | 1,829 | 1109 | 0.945 | |
| 41 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 16900 | 26600 | 0.365 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 42 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 17000 | 36400 | 0.5323 | 2,710 | 1175 | 0.9374 | |
| 42 | Southern University at New Orleans | 17000 | 42000 | 0.5948 | 2,179 | 950 | 0.789 | |
| 44 | College of Charleston | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4931 | 10,596 | 1255 | 0.73 | |
| 44 | Emporia State University | 17200 | 31200 | 0.4489 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 44 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 28900 | 0.4054 | 8,673 | 1090 | 0.9156 | |
| 47 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17300 | 44000 | 0.6064 | 586 | 1132 | 0.9577 | |
| 48 | University of South Alabama | 17700 | 40200 | 0.5603 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Victoria | 17900 | 46500 | 0.6146 | 2,627 | 1095 | 0.5253 | |
| 50 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | 18000 | 95700 | 0.8116 | 711 | 1030 | 0.8214 | |
| 51 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 51 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 25200 | 0.2814 | 7,088 | 1090 | 0.7448 | |
| 53 | San Jose State University | 18300 | 41100 | 0.5542 | 29,890 | 1124 | 0.8039 | |
| 54 | SUNY Brockport | 18400 | 26200 | 0.2972 | 5,816 | 1195 | 0.7068 | |
| 55 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18900 | 54000 | 0.6497 | 3,991 | 1030 | 0.9654 | |
| 56 | Norwich University | 19100 | 100600 | 0.8104 | 2,626 | 1186 | 0.7444 | |
| 56 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19100 | 32900 | 0.42 | 653 | 1125 | 0.7972 | |
| 58 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 19300 | 38900 | 0.5034 | 1,973 | 1189 | 0.8142 | |
| 59 | Fairmont State University | 19600 | 30900 | 0.3656 | 3,090 | 970 | 0.9862 | |
| 60 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 30900 | 0.3627 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 61 | Stockton University | 19800 | 32100 | 0.383 | 7,583 | 1135 | 0.901 | |
| 62 | State University of New York at Oswego | 19900 | 40200 | 0.5051 | 5,293 | 1180 | 0.7989 | |
| 63 | SUNY at Fredonia | 20100 | 53600 | 0.6248 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 64 | Rowan University | 20300 | 41300 | 0.5088 | 17,157 | 1219 | 0.7654 | |
| 64 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20300 | 57800 | 0.6485 | 5,196 | 1109 | 0.8422 | |
| 66 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20500 | 57800 | 0.6451 | 1,109 | 1193 | 0.9088 | |
| 66 | Syracuse University | 20500 | 83600 | 0.7548 | 16,149 | 1363 | 0.4879 | |
| 68 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2287 | 31,875 | 1463 | 0.4503 | |
| 69 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 70 | Thiel College | 21100 | 69100 | 0.6945 | 830 | 1065 | 0.7189 | |
| 71 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 72 | Grambling State University | 21400 | 40500 | 0.4718 | 4,313 | 950 | 0.4486 | |
| 72 | Luther College | 21400 | 75400 | 0.7164 | 1,384 | 1226 | 0.8398 | |
| 72 | Salisbury University | 21400 | 29300 | 0.2697 | 6,477 | 1250 | 0.8826 | |
| 75 | Alabama State University | 21500 | 43200 | 0.5029 | 3,521 | 945 | 0.9755 | |
| 76 | Boston College | 21700 | 97700 | 0.7782 | 9,677 | 1490 | 0.1422 | |
| 77 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 21800 | 37300 | 0.4156 | 26,490 | 1204 | 0.8863 | |
| 77 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 21800 | 47900 | 0.5444 | 2,280 | 1189 | 0.9675 | |
| 79 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 21900 | 39100 | 0.4402 | 2,907 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 79 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36600 | 0.4014 | 19,154 | 1084 | 0.9271 | |
| 81 | Lincoln University | 22200 | 46500 | 0.523 | 1,926 | 0 | 0 | |
| 81 | Texas Southern University | 22200 | 25500 | 0.1296 | 6,844 | 915 | 0.9691 | |
| 83 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 22500 | 42000 | 0.4648 | 6,029 | 1070 | 0.9173 | |
| 84 | Bradley University | 22600 | 59500 | 0.6194 | 3,258 | 1223 | 0.7459 | |
| 84 | Houghton University | 22600 | 60900 | 0.6285 | 958 | 1277 | 0.89 | |
| 86 | Robert Morris University | 23000 | 58000 | 0.6031 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 87 | Dakota State University | 23100 | 25600 | 0.0977 | 3,085 | 1192 | 0.9241 | |
| 88 | Florida Memorial University | 23200 | 51000 | 0.5446 | 1,206 | 0 | 0.8526 | |
| 89 | Columbia College | 23600 | 38700 | 0.3898 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 90 | Lamar University | 23700 | 37900 | 0.3743 | 8,387 | 1050 | 0.8353 | |
| 91 | Dominican University | 23800 | 56000 | 0.5742 | 2,642 | 1005 | 0.8879 | |
| 92 | Elmhurst University | 24300 | 67000 | 0.6376 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7501 | |
| 93 | Fort Hays State University | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1331 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 94 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25100 | 36900 | 0.3201 | 15,273 | 1124 | 0.8089 | |
| 95 | Central College | 25600 | 38700 | 0.3385 | 1,050 | 1145 | 0.8698 | |
| 96 | Northwood University | 25800 | 54500 | 0.5271 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 97 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 25900 | 28300 | 0.0847 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 97 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 25900 | 53800 | 0.5189 | 971 | 1030 | 0.9334 | |
| 99 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 26100 | 49600 | 0.4735 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 99 | University of Akron Main Campus | 26100 | 28000 | 0.0677 | 11,691 | 1069 | 0.7722 | |
| 101 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 102 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1161 | 0.9576 | |
| 103 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 26700 | 30100 | 0.1128 | 3,893 | 1124 | 0.9839 | |
| 104 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 27100 | 63100 | 0.5701 | 1,495 | 1075 | 0.8761 | |
| 105 | Central Connecticut State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0823 | 9,463 | 1075 | 0.793 | |
| 106 | Bethune-Cookman University | 28700 | 32300 | 0.1113 | 2,739 | 910 | 0.8824 | |
| 107 | University of Toledo | 29200 | 32600 | 0.1041 | 10,726 | 1229 | 0.8889 | |
| 108 | California Lutheran University | 29500 | 71700 | 0.5888 | 2,160 | 1254 | 0.7631 | |
| 109 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29700 | 34200 | 0.1314 | 31,845 | 1292 | 0.5651 | |
| 110 | Thomas Jefferson University | 29800 | 70000 | 0.574 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 111 | Towson University | 29900 | 30200 | 0.0099 | 16,361 | 1098 | 0.8057 | |
| 112 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30400 | 54600 | 0.4432 | 3,120 | 1165 | 0.3992 | |
| 113 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30800 | 33200 | 0.0722 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 114 | Loyola University Maryland | 30900 | 78800 | 0.608 | 4,013 | 1303 | 0.6986 | |
| 115 | Suffolk University | 31000 | 83500 | 0.6288 | 4,247 | 1209 | 0.8228 | |
| 116 | Angelo State University | 31500 | 35400 | 0.1101 | 10,103 | 1055 | 0.7981 | |
| 116 | Hampton University | 31500 | 54800 | 0.4252 | 4,046 | 947 | 0.6358 | |
| 116 | Westfield State University | 31500 | 37600 | 0.1623 | 3,868 | 1085 | 0.8671 | |
| 119 | Cleveland State University | 31700 | 32100 | 0.0125 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 120 | Immaculata University | 31900 | 48600 | 0.3437 | 1,889 | 1245 | 0.8656 | |
| 121 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5893 | 3,689 | 1250 | 0.8006 | |
| 122 | McKendree University | 32400 | 52900 | 0.3868 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 123 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 32900 | 59900 | 0.4511 | 11,087 | 1326 | 0.7397 | |
| 124 | Harding University | 33400 | 47800 | 0.3012 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 125 | Elizabethtown College | 33600 | 57500 | 0.4154 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 126 | Pace University | 34000 | 75700 | 0.5512 | 5,520 | 1260 | 0.7827 | |
| 127 | Charleston Southern University | 34100 | 48400 | 0.2971 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 128 | DePaul University | 34200 | 69400 | 0.5069 | 14,338 | 1254 | 0.878 | |
| 129 | George Washington University | 34400 | 81800 | 0.5796 | 11,495 | 1430 | 0.4713 | |
| 130 | Averett University | 34700 | 57600 | 0.3977 | 1,244 | 1054 | 0.5659 | |
| 131 | Adelphi University | 34900 | 63300 | 0.4484 | 5,097 | 1237 | 0.7215 | |
| 132 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 35900 | 56300 | 0.3622 | 5,687 | 1305 | 0.7863 | |
| 133 | East Carolina University | 36800 | 42700 | 0.1381 | 21,693 | 1160 | 0.9003 | |
| 134 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 37200 | 39700 | 0.063 | 4,789 | 1115 | 0.6671 | |
| 135 | Frostburg State University | 37500 | 42500 | 0.1176 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 136 | Saint Michael's College | 38200 | 75800 | 0.496 | 1,051 | 1240 | 0.8976 | |
| 136 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38200 | 54400 | 0.2978 | 32,041 | 1302 | 0.4358 | |
| 138 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38800 | 38800 | 0 | 14,865 | 1210 | 0.9113 | |
| 139 | Stony Brook University | 39600 | 53000 | 0.2527 | 18,616 | 1410 | 0.4818 | |
| 140 | Drexel University | 40400 | 86400 | 0.5324 | 12,318 | 1339 | 0.699 | |
| 141 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41400 | 55300 | 0.2516 | 21,388 | 1375 | 0.5945 | |
| 142 | University of Mount Olive | 42000 | 50400 | 0.1666 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 143 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 42800 | 53400 | 0.1987 | 21,469 | 1148 | 0.9061 | |
| 144 | Furman University | 43400 | 84700 | 0.4879 | 2,304 | 1359 | 0.4869 | |
| 144 | Merrimack College | 43400 | 78800 | 0.4492 | 4,123 | 1115 | 0.6927 | |
| 144 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43400 | 58800 | 0.262 | 25,054 | 1239 | 0.7762 | |
| 144 | Western Oregon University | 43400 | 43400 | 0 | 3,034 | 1040 | 0.8345 | |
| 148 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45000 | 0.0333 | 21,358 | 1260 | 0.6879 | |
| 149 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 44600 | 56600 | 0.2119 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8296 | |
| 150 | Mercer University | 45000 | 65400 | 0.3123 | 4,719 | 1273 | 0.643 | |
| 151 | Radford University | 45200 | 47600 | 0.0503 | 6,206 | 1070 | 0.8939 | |
| 152 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 61500 | 0.234 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 153 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 47200 | 57200 | 0.1748 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 154 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 71800 | 0.3329 | 4,182 | 1229 | 0.8783 | |
| 155 | University of Kentucky | 48500 | 59900 | 0.1905 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 156 | Molloy University | 48600 | 62300 | 0.22 | 3,396 | 1199 | 0.6633 | |
| 157 | Rutgers University-Newark | 49500 | 61200 | 0.1911 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 158 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | 49700 | 63100 | 0.2124 | 5,492 | 1220 | 0.7026 | |
| 159 | University of North Georgia | 50100 | 57000 | 0.121 | 19,321 | 1100 | 0.9618 | |
| 160 | University of Utah | 51300 | 53700 | 0.0446 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 161 | University of Colorado Boulder | 55400 | 70900 | 0.2186 | 32,244 | 1351 | 0.7809 | |
| 162 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63700 | 0.0848 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 60300 | 60300 | 0 | 504 | 1189 | 0.9095 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60400 | 63700 | 0.0518 | 1,078 | 1193 | 0.9646 | |
| 165 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 60700 | 64200 | 0.0545 | 1,709 | 1185 | 0.9653 | |
| 166 | Clemson University | 61300 | 63700 | 0.0376 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 167 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 64000 | 64000 | 0 | 475 | 1195 | 0.9418 | |
| 168 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 66900 | 66900 | 0 | 9,827 | 1325 | 0.6737 | |
| 169 | Fordham University | 88500 | 143900 | 0.3851 | 10,582 | 1406 | 0.5931 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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