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 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 2 | Northern Arizona University | 11600 | 27900 | 0.5837 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 3 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,820 | 1035 | 0.9399 | |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge | 12000 | 22000 | 0.4528 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 50700 | 0.7294 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 8 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 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 Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 11 | Western Michigan University | 15300 | 26500 | 0.423 | 13,027 | 1115 | 0.846 | |
| 13 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 14 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 16 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 17 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 17 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 17 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 20 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 22 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.542 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 24 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 25 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 26 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 27 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 28 | Carson-Newman University | 19500 | 51900 | 0.6245 | 1,596 | 1110 | 0.9045 | |
| 28 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19500 | 30600 | 0.3622 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 30 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19600 | 61600 | 0.6814 | 2,711 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 31 | University of Northern Iowa | 19900 | 24000 | 0.1728 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 32 | Bay Path University | 20000 | 55400 | 0.6388 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 32 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1732 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 34 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20400 | 39900 | 0.489 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 35 | University of Memphis | 20900 | 29600 | 0.2942 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 36 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 37 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1249 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 38 | Brenau University | 22800 | 51700 | 0.5587 | 1,273 | 1060 | 0.8778 | |
| 39 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23100 | 29000 | 0.2033 | 7,490 | 1140 | 0.918 | |
| 41 | Judson University | 24200 | 49100 | 0.5069 | 718 | 1015 | 0.4759 | |
| 42 | Abilene Christian University | 24300 | 59000 | 0.5877 | 3,263 | 1189 | 0.6603 | |
| 42 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 63200 | 0.6158 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 44 | University of Central Missouri | 24400 | 35800 | 0.3185 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 45 | Park University | 24500 | 31300 | 0.2176 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 46 | Illinois State University | 25200 | 36400 | 0.3079 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 47 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 47 | Seattle Pacific University | 25800 | 70000 | 0.6314 | 1,776 | 1180 | 0.834 | |
| 49 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26300 | 28400 | 0.0756 | 14,504 | 1149 | 0.7637 | |
| 50 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 51 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0729 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 52 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.084 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 53 | Mississippi Christian University | 27900 | 45100 | 0.3805 | 2,883 | 1110 | 0.2911 | |
| 54 | Texas State University | 28000 | 28000 | 0 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 55 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 56 | Winthrop University | 28500 | 38600 | 0.2629 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 57 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2143 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 58 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 884 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 59 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29500 | 66500 | 0.5565 | 545 | 1176 | 0.6135 | |
| 60 | Morgan State University | 29700 | 41900 | 0.2914 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 61 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 62 | Salem College | 30300 | 55300 | 0.4525 | 464 | 1080 | 0.7667 | |
| 63 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6093 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 64 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 65 | Oklahoma Christian University | 31100 | 45000 | 0.3092 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 66 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 67 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 32200 | 36700 | 0.1214 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 68 | Lawrence Technological University | 32300 | 71900 | 0.5507 | 2,579 | 1159 | 0.559 | |
| 68 | Marymount University | 32300 | 72600 | 0.5552 | 2,503 | 1095 | 0.9316 | |
| 70 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.536 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 71 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 72 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 73 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 74 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5207 | 1,673 | 1045 | 0.7253 | |
| 74 | California Baptist University | 33600 | 65600 | 0.4878 | 8,417 | 1070 | 0.8488 | |
| 76 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 76 | Harding University | 33700 | 47800 | 0.296 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 76 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 79 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1738 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 79 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 81 | Meredith College | 34000 | 64200 | 0.4706 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 82 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 83 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 84 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 85 | Converse University | 36000 | 37600 | 0.0425 | 1,173 | 1129 | 0.6774 | |
| 86 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 36500 | 47500 | 0.2317 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 87 | University of New Haven | 36800 | 67300 | 0.453 | 4,903 | 1164 | 0.6038 | |
| 87 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 36800 | 38900 | 0.0552 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 89 | California State University-Fresno | 36900 | 43800 | 0.1577 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 90 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 91 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 92 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 92 | Cornish College of the Arts | 37500 | 80200 | 0.5325 | 505 | 0 | 0.6221 | |
| 94 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38100 | 68200 | 0.4411 | 1,225 | 1208 | 0.6208 | |
| 94 | University of Central Arkansas | 38100 | 40200 | 0.0534 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 96 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 97 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 39900 | 39900 | 0 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 98 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40700 | 53600 | 0.2408 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 98 | Washington State University | 40700 | 56300 | 0.2777 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 100 | Kean University | 42600 | 48300 | 0.118 | 11,758 | 1040 | 0.759 | |
| 101 | University of Florida | 43200 | 45700 | 0.0548 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 102 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 87400 | 0.4991 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 103 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,796 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 104 | High Point University | 45500 | 72900 | 0.3758 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 105 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 67900 | 0.2945 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 106 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 107 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48600 | 51200 | 0.0517 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 108 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83900 | 0.4184 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 109 | University of Kentucky | 49100 | 58000 | 0.1539 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 110 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49800 | 59400 | 0.1617 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 111 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 112 | Moore College of Art and Design | 53500 | 81500 | 0.3437 | 535 | 1292 | 0.5646 | |
| 113 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54600 | 66400 | 0.1777 | 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.
Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.