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 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10100 | 27800 | 0.6356 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 2 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 3 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5864 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge | 12100 | 22000 | 0.4496 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 12900 | 24700 | 0.478 | 7,490 | 1140 | 0.918 | |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 47300 | 0.7099 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 8 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 9 | Pittsburg State University | 14900 | 23900 | 0.376 | 4,472 | 1055 | 0.8942 | |
| 10 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 15000 | 22400 | 0.3299 | 4,213 | 1124 | 0.8949 | |
| 11 | Western Michigan University | 15300 | 26500 | 0.423 | 13,027 | 1115 | 0.846 | |
| 12 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 14 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 15 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 15900 | 27700 | 0.4254 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 16 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | California State University-Sacramento | 16200 | 27600 | 0.4134 | 28,820 | 1035 | 0.9399 | |
| 18 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 19 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5429 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 20 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 21 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 22 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 23 | Carson-Newman University | 19500 | 51900 | 0.6245 | 1,596 | 1110 | 0.9045 | |
| 24 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19600 | 61600 | 0.6819 | 2,711 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 24 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19600 | 30600 | 0.3606 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 26 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1782 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 27 | Bay Path University | 19800 | 55400 | 0.6424 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 28 | Iowa State University | 19900 | 24200 | 0.1786 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 29 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 29400 | 0.3124 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 30 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 31 | University of Memphis | 20900 | 29600 | 0.2942 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 32 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 33 | Florida State University | 22500 | 32400 | 0.306 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 34 | Brenau University | 22800 | 51700 | 0.5587 | 1,273 | 1060 | 0.8778 | |
| 35 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 36 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3477 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 37 | Judson University | 24100 | 49100 | 0.5086 | 718 | 1015 | 0.4759 | |
| 38 | Abilene Christian University | 24300 | 59000 | 0.5877 | 3,263 | 1189 | 0.6603 | |
| 38 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 63200 | 0.6158 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 38 | University of Central Missouri | 24300 | 35800 | 0.3222 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 41 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 42 | Illinois State University | 25100 | 36400 | 0.3115 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 43 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 44 | Seattle Pacific University | 25800 | 70000 | 0.6314 | 1,776 | 1180 | 0.834 | |
| 45 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26200 | 28400 | 0.0802 | 14,504 | 1149 | 0.7637 | |
| 46 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 47 | University of Central Arkansas | 27000 | 31200 | 0.137 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 47 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 49 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27200 | 29500 | 0.0773 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 50 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0882 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 51 | Mississippi College | 27800 | 45100 | 0.3834 | 2,883 | 1110 | 0.2911 | |
| 52 | Texas State University | 28000 | 28000 | 0 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 53 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 53 | Winthrop University | 28300 | 38600 | 0.2663 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 55 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 56 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 884 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 57 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29500 | 66500 | 0.5565 | 545 | 1176 | 0.6135 | |
| 58 | Morgan State University | 29600 | 41900 | 0.2938 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 59 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 60 | Salem College | 30200 | 55300 | 0.4537 | 464 | 1080 | 0.7667 | |
| 61 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78100 | 0.6118 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 62 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 63 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 63 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3121 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 65 | Kean University | 31300 | 39500 | 0.2077 | 11,758 | 1040 | 0.759 | |
| 66 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 67 | Lawrence Technological University | 32300 | 71900 | 0.5507 | 2,579 | 1159 | 0.559 | |
| 68 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 68 | Marymount University | 32400 | 72600 | 0.5538 | 2,503 | 1095 | 0.9316 | |
| 70 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 71 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 72 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 73 | California Baptist University | 33400 | 65600 | 0.4908 | 8,417 | 1070 | 0.8488 | |
| 74 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5226 | 1,673 | 1045 | 0.7253 | |
| 74 | Harding University | 33500 | 47800 | 0.2987 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 76 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 76 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 78 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 78 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1742 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 80 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 81 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 82 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 83 | Converse University | 36000 | 37600 | 0.0425 | 1,173 | 1129 | 0.6774 | |
| 84 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 36500 | 47500 | 0.2317 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 85 | University of New Haven | 36800 | 67300 | 0.453 | 4,903 | 1164 | 0.6038 | |
| 86 | California State University-Fresno | 36900 | 43800 | 0.1577 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 87 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 88 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 89 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 89 | Cornish College of the Arts | 37500 | 80200 | 0.5325 | 505 | 0 | 0.6221 | |
| 91 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38100 | 68200 | 0.4411 | 1,225 | 1208 | 0.6208 | |
| 92 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 93 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 39900 | 39900 | 0 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 94 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 94 | Washington State University | 40600 | 56300 | 0.28 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 96 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40700 | 53600 | 0.2408 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 97 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 98 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45700 | 0.057 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 99 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 87400 | 0.4991 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 99 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43800 | 57100 | 0.2328 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 101 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,796 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 102 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2752 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 103 | High Point University | 45400 | 72900 | 0.3771 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 104 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 105 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 67900 | 0.2945 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 106 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0543 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 107 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 108 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49700 | 59400 | 0.1633 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 109 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 110 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1291 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 111 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53300 | 53300 | 0 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 112 | Moore College of Art and Design | 53500 | 81500 | 0.3437 | 535 | 1292 | 0.5646 | |
| 113 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54300 | 66400 | 0.1823 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 114 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 115 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57200 | 83800 | 0.3175 | 3,967 | 1272 | 0.7325 | |
| 116 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 117 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 118 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 63700 | 63700 | 0 | 10,200 | 1325 | 0.6507 | |
| 119 | The New School | 68100 | 90100 | 0.2442 | 6,591 | 1268 | 0.6347 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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