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 | 0.5776 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 2 | California State University-Fresno | 12000 | 19600 | 0.3869 | 21,430 | 995 | 0.9638 | |
| 3 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge | 13000 | 23200 | 0.4406 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.9219 | |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin | 13100 | 30700 | 0.573 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 6 | Texas State University | 13200 | 23200 | 0.4313 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 32200 | 0.5744 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 8 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 14000 | 23600 | 0.4065 | 7,557 | 1140 | 0.9037 | |
| 10 | Kansas State University | 14100 | 26100 | 0.4588 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 11 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 14300 | 25600 | 0.4406 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 12 | Pittsburg State University | 14500 | 25200 | 0.4241 | 4,491 | 1055 | 0.8727 | |
| 12 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 14500 | 22700 | 0.3607 | 4,214 | 1090 | 0.8949 | |
| 12 | Western Carolina University | 14500 | 19600 | 0.2602 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 15 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 16 | California State University-Long Beach | 15400 | 25800 | 0.4032 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 17 | University of Florida | 15900 | 22300 | 0.2871 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 18 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 19 | Middle Tennessee State University | 16400 | 23200 | 0.2928 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 20 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.453 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 21 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 21 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2696 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.4798 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 24 | University of Memphis | 19100 | 26400 | 0.277 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 25 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 19600 | 27200 | 0.2797 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 26 | Carson-Newman University | 20100 | 51700 | 0.6111 | 1,606 | 1110 | 0.9045 | |
| 26 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 43700 | 0.5405 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 28 | South Dakota State University | 20500 | 25200 | 0.1866 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 28 | Western Michigan University | 20500 | 31200 | 0.3426 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 30 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 30 | University of Northern Iowa | 20800 | 24000 | 0.1334 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 32 | University of Central Oklahoma | 20900 | 22700 | 0.0793 | 10,454 | 1095 | 0.8176 | |
| 33 | Brenau University | 21100 | 50900 | 0.5856 | 1,273 | 1105 | 0.8778 | |
| 34 | Olivet Nazarene University | 21200 | 88800 | 0.7615 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 35 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3351 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21800 | 25400 | 0.1427 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 37 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 22200 | 33900 | 0.3449 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 38 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 22400 | 32000 | 0.2999 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 39 | Florida State University | 22600 | 25000 | 0.0962 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 40 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 41 | University of Central Missouri | 23200 | 34300 | 0.3244 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 42 | Bay Path University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.563 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 42 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 44 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 45 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25900 | 0.0193 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 46 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 47 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 48 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26200 | 28400 | 0.0776 | 14,504 | 1145 | 0.7637 | |
| 49 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 26300 | 48900 | 0.4619 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 49 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26300 | 59900 | 0.5613 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9813 | |
| 51 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 52 | Columbia College Chicago | 26800 | 60600 | 0.5582 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.7549 | |
| 53 | Kent State University at Kent | 27400 | 28400 | 0.0352 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 54 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 55 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 56 | Seattle Pacific University | 27700 | 62600 | 0.5576 | 1,776 | 1188 | 0.8339 | |
| 56 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 58 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0858 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 59 | Winthrop University | 28400 | 38600 | 0.2643 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 60 | Marymount University | 28600 | 69500 | 0.5884 | 2,216 | 1095 | 0.8021 | |
| 61 | George Fox University | 28700 | 67100 | 0.5727 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 61 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 63 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29900 | 65900 | 0.5462 | 566 | 1185 | 0.5628 | |
| 64 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 64 | Mississippi College | 30200 | 45400 | 0.3352 | 2,724 | 1110 | 0.4928 | |
| 64 | Salem College | 30200 | 55300 | 0.453 | 464 | 1080 | 0.789 | |
| 67 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 68 | East Tennessee State University | 30700 | 30700 | 0 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 69 | Oklahoma Christian University | 31000 | 45000 | 0.3105 | 2,012 | 1159 | 0.9707 | |
| 70 | San Francisco State University | 31200 | 45200 | 0.3099 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 71 | Samford University | 31900 | 65200 | 0.5107 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 72 | University of Bridgeport | 32300 | 60500 | 0.4663 | 1,479 | 1065 | 0.6431 | |
| 73 | Harding University | 32800 | 47000 | 0.3023 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 73 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 75 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5215 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 75 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 77 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 77 | Stephen F Austin State University | 33700 | 42800 | 0.2126 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 79 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 33900 | 35900 | 0.0556 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 80 | California State University-Sacramento | 34300 | 44900 | 0.2362 | 28,226 | 1015 | 0.9343 | |
| 81 | Morgan State University | 34500 | 37200 | 0.0726 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 82 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 82 | College for Creative Studies | 34600 | 79600 | 0.5653 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 84 | California Baptist University | 35200 | 65200 | 0.4601 | 8,417 | 1069 | 0.8535 | |
| 85 | Abilene Christian University | 35700 | 60700 | 0.4115 | 3,233 | 1129 | 0.6604 | |
| 86 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 36200 | 56300 | 0.3569 | 1,817 | 1055 | 0.5187 | |
| 86 | University of Central Arkansas | 36200 | 38400 | 0.0575 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 88 | Converse University | 36600 | 37600 | 0.0266 | 852 | 1140 | 0.6424 | |
| 89 | Queens University of Charlotte | 37800 | 68200 | 0.4455 | 1,225 | 1235 | 0.5651 | |
| 90 | University of New Haven | 38300 | 64900 | 0.4096 | 4,903 | 1180 | 0.6038 | |
| 91 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 92 | Suffolk University | 38500 | 73600 | 0.4771 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 93 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38600 | 44600 | 0.1345 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 94 | Endicott College | 40800 | 63200 | 0.3544 | 3,176 | 1215 | 0.7229 | |
| 95 | Illinois State University | 41600 | 47300 | 0.1206 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 96 | New England Institute of Technology | 41900 | 61100 | 0.3145 | 1,718 | 995 | 0.6673 | |
| 97 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 42000 | 61600 | 0.3182 | 893 | 1124 | 0.7174 | |
| 98 | Kean University | 42400 | 48300 | 0.1222 | 11,758 | 1035 | 0.7688 | |
| 99 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 99 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 42500 | 52100 | 0.1843 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 101 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0693 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 102 | California College of the Arts | 43300 | 87600 | 0.5056 | 1,004 | 1079 | 0.911 | |
| 103 | Texas Christian University | 43700 | 81900 | 0.4664 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 104 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43800 | 57100 | 0.2315 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 105 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 106 | High Point University | 45700 | 70500 | 0.3518 | 5,006 | 1209 | 0.7683 | |
| 107 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 56200 | 0.1476 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 108 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 48600 | 64400 | 0.2454 | 14,657 | 1180 | 0.8368 | |
| 109 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 110 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 49900 | 56400 | 0.1152 | 10,200 | 1346 | 0.6507 | |
| 111 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 50100 | 52300 | 0.042 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 112 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 113 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 114 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 51700 | 51700 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 115 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1279 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 116 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 117 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57300 | 83800 | 0.3163 | 3,967 | 1266 | 0.7325 | |
| 118 | Moore College of Art and Design | 58100 | 85600 | 0.3214 | 390 | 1170 | 0.6051 | |
| 119 | Cornish College of the Arts | 59700 | 75100 | 0.2051 | 502 | 0 | 0.7046 | |
| 120 | The New School | 65400 | 104000 | 0.3711 | 1,449 | 1268 | 0.8333 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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