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 | California State University-Northridge | 9300 | 36500 | 0.7454 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 2 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10200 | 27800 | 0.632 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 3 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 4 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,226 | 1015 | 0.9343 | |
| 5 | California State University-Fresno | 12300 | 45900 | 0.7327 | 21,430 | 995 | 0.9638 | |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 29100 | 0.5734 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 7 | Northern Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5135 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 13200 | 28000 | 0.5291 | 7,557 | 1140 | 0.9037 | |
| 10 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13400 | 23200 | 0.4223 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 12 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14400 | 26500 | 0.4563 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 13 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4865 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 13 | Texas State University | 14500 | 24500 | 0.4075 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 15 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 16 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4169 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 17 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 15400 | 22400 | 0.3121 | 4,214 | 1090 | 0.8949 | |
| 18 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,454 | 1055 | 0.8176 | |
| 19 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 20 | University of Memphis | 15800 | 26400 | 0.4023 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 21 | University of Florida | 16200 | 22500 | 0.2799 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 22 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 23 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2697 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 23 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 25 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 16900 | 33600 | 0.4966 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 26 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 27 | Weber State University | 17400 | 41300 | 0.5782 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 28 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17800 | 44900 | 0.6031 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 29 | Morgan State University | 18000 | 19700 | 0.0864 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 30 | Georgia Southern University | 18100 | 23800 | 0.2399 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 30 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 18100 | 27700 | 0.3461 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 32 | Bay Path University | 18200 | 55400 | 0.6713 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 33 | Carson-Newman University | 18300 | 51900 | 0.6476 | 1,606 | 1110 | 0.9045 | |
| 34 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 35 | East Tennessee State University | 18700 | 26100 | 0.283 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 36 | Western Michigan University | 19500 | 31200 | 0.3747 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 37 | San Jose State University | 19800 | 33600 | 0.4104 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 38 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 39 | Olivet Nazarene University | 20300 | 71400 | 0.7159 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 40 | South Dakota State University | 20600 | 25200 | 0.1838 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 41 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1305 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 41 | University of the Incarnate Word | 20900 | 73100 | 0.7143 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9815 | |
| 43 | Brenau University | 21100 | 51700 | 0.5915 | 1,273 | 1105 | 0.8778 | |
| 44 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21900 | 25400 | 0.1388 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 45 | San Francisco State University | 22700 | 55400 | 0.5903 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 46 | Columbia College Chicago | 23500 | 63200 | 0.6285 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.7549 | |
| 47 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3859 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 48 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 23900 | 48900 | 0.5109 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 49 | Judson University | 24200 | 49100 | 0.5067 | 793 | 985 | 0.6233 | |
| 50 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 24300 | 69500 | 0.6506 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 51 | University of Central Arkansas | 24400 | 29500 | 0.174 | 8,268 | 1124 | 0.8949 | |
| 51 | University of Central Missouri | 24400 | 35800 | 0.3181 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 53 | Marymount University | 25300 | 81500 | 0.6898 | 2,216 | 1095 | 0.8021 | |
| 54 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 55 | University of Bridgeport | 25600 | 65800 | 0.611 | 1,479 | 1000 | 0.6431 | |
| 56 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 57 | Seattle Pacific University | 26100 | 77000 | 0.6614 | 1,776 | 1188 | 0.8339 | |
| 58 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 59 | Kent State University at Kent | 27400 | 28400 | 0.0352 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 60 | Park University | 27500 | 31300 | 0.1216 | 5,376 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 61 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 62 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0835 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 63 | Mississippi College | 27900 | 45100 | 0.3802 | 2,724 | 1110 | 0.4928 | |
| 64 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2142 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 65 | Pittsburg State University | 29200 | 36300 | 0.1956 | 4,491 | 1055 | 0.8727 | |
| 66 | Salem College | 30300 | 55300 | 0.4524 | 464 | 1080 | 0.789 | |
| 67 | Meredith College | 30500 | 64200 | 0.5251 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 68 | Samford University | 30600 | 78000 | 0.6074 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 69 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78100 | 0.6056 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 70 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 31100 | 33200 | 0.0643 | 14,504 | 1145 | 0.7637 | |
| 70 | Oklahoma Christian University | 31100 | 45000 | 0.3089 | 2,012 | 1138 | 0.9707 | |
| 72 | Kean University | 31500 | 39600 | 0.2046 | 11,758 | 1035 | 0.759 | |
| 73 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 31700 | 66800 | 0.5257 | 1,817 | 1055 | 0.5187 | |
| 74 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 31900 | 86800 | 0.6328 | 893 | 1124 | 0.7174 | |
| 74 | Liberty University | 31900 | 44300 | 0.2799 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 76 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 32100 | 66500 | 0.5174 | 566 | 1185 | 0.5628 | |
| 77 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 78 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 79 | College for Creative Studies | 32800 | 89100 | 0.6322 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 80 | Harding University | 32900 | 47000 | 0.3008 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 81 | Lawrence Technological University | 33300 | 82500 | 0.5961 | 2,579 | 1159 | 0.7403 | |
| 82 | California Baptist University | 33600 | 65600 | 0.4876 | 8,417 | 1069 | 0.8535 | |
| 83 | Adrian College | 33700 | 70200 | 0.5205 | 1,678 | 1025 | 0.6843 | |
| 83 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 85 | Winthrop University | 33800 | 52500 | 0.3556 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 86 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 87 | Baylor University | 34700 | 70300 | 0.5063 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 88 | New England Institute of Technology | 34900 | 77700 | 0.5511 | 1,718 | 1055 | 0.6673 | |
| 89 | University of New Haven | 35400 | 67100 | 0.4725 | 4,903 | 1180 | 0.6038 | |
| 90 | Abilene Christian University | 35700 | 60700 | 0.4115 | 3,233 | 1129 | 0.6604 | |
| 91 | Converse University | 36800 | 37600 | 0.0213 | 852 | 1145 | 0.6424 | |
| 92 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 93 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 94 | Cornish College of the Arts | 37500 | 80700 | 0.5352 | 502 | 0 | 0.7046 | |
| 95 | Queens University of Charlotte | 37800 | 68200 | 0.4455 | 1,225 | 1235 | 0.5651 | |
| 96 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 97 | Texas Tech University | 38700 | 41000 | 0.0561 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 98 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 41500 | 47200 | 0.1206 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 99 | Illinois State University | 41700 | 47300 | 0.1191 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 100 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 42100 | 67900 | 0.3799 | 3,965 | 1335 | 0.9121 | |
| 101 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 43400 | 53700 | 0.1917 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 102 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 103 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 103 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 82400 | 0.4686 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 105 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43900 | 57100 | 0.2302 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 106 | Moore College of Art and Design | 44600 | 99400 | 0.5514 | 390 | 1317 | 0.6051 | |
| 107 | The University of Texas at Austin | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 43,165 | 1348 | 0.2664 | |
| 108 | High Point University | 45700 | 72900 | 0.373 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 109 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48600 | 51200 | 0.0514 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 110 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 111 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1362 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 112 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53300 | 61000 | 0.1267 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 113 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53400 | 53400 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 114 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 57000 | 66500 | 0.1429 | 14,657 | 1183 | 0.8368 | |
| 115 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 116 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57400 | 83800 | 0.3151 | 3,967 | 1266 | 0.7325 | |
| 117 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 118 | The New School | 62600 | 118000 | 0.4697 | 1,449 | 1268 | 0.8333 | |
| 119 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 10,200 | 1346 | 0.6507 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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