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 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 2 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5865 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 3 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 5 | California State University-Northridge | 12100 | 22000 | 0.4501 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 29200 | 0.5745 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 9 | Central Michigan University | 14500 | 37800 | 0.6157 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 9 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14500 | 26500 | 0.4515 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 11 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 12 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 15000 | 22400 | 0.3299 | 4,056 | 1090 | 0.4151 | |
| 13 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 14 | Western Michigan University | 15400 | 31200 | 0.5059 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 15 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 16 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 17 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 18 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 19 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 16300 | 28200 | 0.4215 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 19 | University of Florida | 16300 | 22500 | 0.2755 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 21 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5431 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 21 | Ferris State University | 16500 | 31000 | 0.4685 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 23 | Western Carolina University | 16900 | 19400 | 0.1289 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 24 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27000 | 0.3705 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 25 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 28500 | 0.3823 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 26 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 27 | Carson-Newman University | 19300 | 51900 | 0.6283 | 1,912 | 1075 | 0.6381 | |
| 28 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19700 | 79300 | 0.7523 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 29 | Iowa State University | 19900 | 24200 | 0.179 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 30 | Bay Path University | 20100 | 55400 | 0.637 | 1,178 | 1110 | 0.8514 | |
| 30 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20100 | 39900 | 0.4965 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 32 | University of Northern Iowa | 20500 | 24800 | 0.1733 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 33 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21000 | 48900 | 0.5702 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 33 | University of Memphis | 21000 | 29600 | 0.2909 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 35 | South Dakota State University | 21900 | 25200 | 0.1305 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22100 | 25900 | 0.1449 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 37 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22200 | 33600 | 0.339 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 38 | San Jose State University | 22900 | 41100 | 0.4429 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23000 | 29000 | 0.2067 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 40 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23200 | 34500 | 0.3279 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 40 | Brenau University | 23200 | 51700 | 0.5509 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 42 | Abilene Christian University | 23500 | 59000 | 0.6013 | 5,101 | 1149 | 0.6615 | |
| 43 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3479 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 44 | Judson University | 24100 | 49100 | 0.5087 | 697 | 1010 | 0.8905 | |
| 45 | University of Central Missouri | 24300 | 35800 | 0.3225 | 10,397 | 1055 | 0.7439 | |
| 46 | Columbia College Chicago | 24400 | 63200 | 0.6143 | 4,346 | 0 | 0.738 | |
| 46 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 24400 | 30600 | 0.2026 | 9,827 | 1329 | 0.6737 | |
| 46 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 49 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 50 | Seattle Pacific University | 25700 | 70000 | 0.6328 | 1,657 | 1174 | 0.9301 | |
| 51 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 51 | Southeast Missouri State University | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0974 | 7,926 | 1070 | 0.6897 | |
| 53 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26100 | 28400 | 0.0805 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 54 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26900 | 61400 | 0.5621 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 55 | George Fox University | 27500 | 69400 | 0.6041 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 56 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0886 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 57 | Mississippi Christian University | 27800 | 45100 | 0.3836 | 2,583 | 1222 | 0.8416 | |
| 58 | Weber State University | 28200 | 33900 | 0.168 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 59 | Pittsburg State University | 29100 | 36200 | 0.1959 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 60 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 885 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 61 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29500 | 66500 | 0.5565 | 545 | 1176 | 0.6135 | |
| 62 | Salem College | 30200 | 55300 | 0.4538 | 464 | 1080 | 0.789 | |
| 63 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30600 | 78100 | 0.608 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 64 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 65 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3123 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 66 | Kent State University at Kent | 31200 | 37500 | 0.1678 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 67 | Kean University | 31300 | 39500 | 0.2077 | 11,932 | 1040 | 0.7811 | |
| 68 | Lawrence Technological University | 32200 | 71900 | 0.552 | 2,661 | 1149 | 0.8101 | |
| 69 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5372 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 69 | Marymount University | 32400 | 72600 | 0.5538 | 2,503 | 1095 | 0.9316 | |
| 71 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 72 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,247 | 1209 | 0.8228 | |
| 73 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 74 | Baylor University | 33400 | 70300 | 0.5247 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 75 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5227 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 75 | Harding University | 33500 | 47800 | 0.299 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 77 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33600 | 38200 | 0.1201 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 78 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 78 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 78 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 78 | Winthrop University | 33700 | 52500 | 0.3585 | 4,289 | 1130 | 0.8281 | |
| 82 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 82 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 34,447 | 1273 | 0.8804 | |
| 84 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 34700 | 38700 | 0.1034 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 85 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 86 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 87 | Converse University | 36000 | 37600 | 0.0425 | 1,182 | 1129 | 0.6787 | |
| 88 | California State University-Fresno | 36900 | 43800 | 0.1574 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 88 | East Carolina University | 36900 | 42700 | 0.1356 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 90 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 91 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,732 | 1108 | 0.9117 | |
| 92 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38000 | 68200 | 0.4426 | 1,210 | 1244 | 0.805 | |
| 92 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0569 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 94 | Washington State University | 38100 | 53900 | 0.2932 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 95 | California Baptist University | 39900 | 65600 | 0.3917 | 8,707 | 1024 | 0.8139 | |
| 96 | Appalachian State University | 40200 | 40600 | 0.0099 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 97 | University of New Haven | 41000 | 67300 | 0.3906 | 4,969 | 1219 | 0.5589 | |
| 98 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 99 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 43300 | 75900 | 0.4298 | 7,880 | 0 | 0.6701 | |
| 100 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1078 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 101 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 43900 | 67900 | 0.3534 | 4,182 | 1317 | 0.8783 | |
| 102 | Marist University | 44100 | 110500 | 0.6009 | 5,644 | 1279 | 0.5599 | |
| 103 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 104 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,718 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 105 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2752 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 106 | High Point University | 45300 | 72900 | 0.3785 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 107 | Drexel University | 47700 | 83900 | 0.4315 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 108 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 109 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0544 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 110 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49700 | 59400 | 0.1633 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 111 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 50500 | 58800 | 0.1411 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 112 | Moore College of Art and Design | 53500 | 81500 | 0.3437 | 535 | 1292 | 0.5646 | |
| 113 | The University of Alabama | 55700 | 58500 | 0.0478 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 114 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57600 | 83800 | 0.3127 | 3,734 | 1249 | 0.8638 | |
| 115 | Mercyhurst University | 66000 | 68000 | 0.0294 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 116 | The New School | 68100 | 90100 | 0.2442 | 7,171 | 1268 | 0.5718 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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