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 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 6600 | 70200 | 0.9065 | 2,705 | 1292 | 0.6239 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 8200 | 43500 | 0.8122 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 4 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 102300 | 0.909 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 5 | Dalton State College | 9900 | 33100 | 0.6999 | 4,902 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Flint | 11600 | 45600 | 0.7453 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 7 | Northeastern State University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4838 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 8 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 9 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 12200 | 41900 | 0.7083 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 11 | West Virginia University | 12800 | 57700 | 0.778 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 12 | Fort Valley State University | 12900 | 44300 | 0.7092 | 2,558 | 890 | 0.628 | |
| 12 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 12900 | 23400 | 0.4493 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 14 | Northern Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5135 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13300 | 20300 | 0.344 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 16 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13300 | 25700 | 0.4825 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 18 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13400 | 23200 | 0.4223 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 18 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 20 | Portland State University | 13500 | 43100 | 0.6873 | 15,414 | 1112 | 0.9087 | |
| 21 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 22 | University of South Florida | 14100 | 17100 | 0.1753 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 23 | University of North Florida | 14200 | 22400 | 0.3665 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 22900 | 0.381 | 6,270 | 1180 | 0.8726 | |
| 25 | Louisiana Tech University | 14300 | 36900 | 0.6124 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14400 | 28000 | 0.4854 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 26 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 14400 | 26800 | 0.4632 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 28 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 29 | Clayton State University | 15000 | 21700 | 0.3083 | 5,301 | 975 | 0.7056 | |
| 29 | Murray State University | 15000 | 27000 | 0.4438 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 29 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4169 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 32 | Grand Valley State University | 15300 | 25300 | 0.3957 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 33 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 27900 | 0.4416 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 33 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 33 | University of St Francis | 15600 | 71700 | 0.7818 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 36 | University of Memphis | 15800 | 26400 | 0.4023 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 37 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 38 | Wayne State University | 16500 | 46200 | 0.643 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 39 | Alabama A & M University | 16600 | 44800 | 0.6289 | 5,845 | 920 | 0.6622 | |
| 39 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 39 | University of Kansas | 16600 | 37100 | 0.5511 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 42 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 16700 | 39000 | 0.5705 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 43 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2697 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 43 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 16800 | 45800 | 0.6339 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 45 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 45 | Georgia Military College | 17000 | 19700 | 0.1374 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 47 | Albany State University | 17200 | 29000 | 0.4065 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.7302 | |
| 48 | University of Rhode Island | 17300 | 33900 | 0.4898 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 49 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 49 | Weber State University | 17400 | 41300 | 0.5782 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 51 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 17500 | 66500 | 0.7373 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 52 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 37200 | 0.5269 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 53 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 54 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 54 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3585 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 56 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 17900 | 24200 | 0.2608 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 57 | Georgia Southern University | 18100 | 23800 | 0.2399 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 57 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 18100 | 27700 | 0.3461 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 59 | East Tennessee State University | 18700 | 26100 | 0.283 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 60 | Rutgers University-Newark | 18800 | 38000 | 0.505 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 61 | Western Michigan University | 19500 | 31200 | 0.3747 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 62 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 19800 | 26500 | 0.2531 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 63 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 64 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 65 | Boise State University | 20600 | 59700 | 0.655 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 65 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20600 | 31100 | 0.3359 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 67 | Hiram College | 20700 | 48700 | 0.5755 | 1,026 | 1005 | 0.9244 | |
| 68 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3286 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 69 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1305 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 70 | Marian University | 21000 | 59800 | 0.6484 | 2,492 | 1085 | 0.9532 | |
| 71 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 72 | Elmhurst University | 21500 | 67000 | 0.6794 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 73 | Missouri Western State University | 21900 | 28800 | 0.2377 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 74 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4667 | 2,504 | 965 | 0.9338 | |
| 75 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 74500 | 0.6954 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 76 | University of South Dakota | 22900 | 26000 | 0.1205 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 77 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 23000 | 36000 | 0.3608 | 4,421 | 1100 | 0.8555 | |
| 78 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 23400 | 36800 | 0.3643 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 79 | Tiffin University | 23800 | 48000 | 0.5047 | 2,842 | 985 | 0.8007 | |
| 80 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 81 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 38000 | 0.3658 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 82 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4784 | 1,423 | 1189 | 0.7815 | |
| 83 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 84 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 25000 | 56100 | 0.5541 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 85 | Regis College | 25100 | 70700 | 0.645 | 1,055 | 965 | 0.9009 | |
| 86 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5959 | 1,742 | 1174 | 0.7813 | |
| 87 | Calvin University | 26200 | 53000 | 0.5053 | 3,356 | 1256 | 0.7091 | |
| 87 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 87 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26200 | 28300 | 0.0755 | 3,413 | 1095 | 0.5295 | |
| 87 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 26200 | 53800 | 0.5132 | 2,803 | 1085 | 0.9576 | |
| 91 | Tuskegee University | 26500 | 42100 | 0.371 | 2,400 | 1113 | 0.3143 | |
| 92 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39700 | 0.325 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 93 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0724 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 94 | Park University | 27500 | 31300 | 0.1216 | 5,376 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 94 | Wayland Baptist University | 27500 | 37300 | 0.263 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 96 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6158 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 96 | Marquette University | 27700 | 66200 | 0.5813 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 98 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0835 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 98 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6654 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 100 | Clarkson University | 27900 | 78000 | 0.6425 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 101 | Bellevue University | 28200 | 32400 | 0.1278 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 101 | Mississippi State University | 28200 | 32300 | 0.1279 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 103 | Marietta College | 28400 | 62200 | 0.5443 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 104 | Kansas State University | 29200 | 31400 | 0.0717 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 105 | University of Toledo | 29500 | 32600 | 0.0961 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 106 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 107 | Gannon University | 30500 | 52900 | 0.4238 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 108 | East Texas A&M University | 30800 | 36500 | 0.1561 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 108 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78100 | 0.6056 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 110 | New Jersey City University | 31600 | 39800 | 0.2062 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 111 | Grand View University | 31900 | 58100 | 0.45 | 1,483 | 1035 | 0.9843 | |
| 111 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31900 | 50000 | 0.3623 | 898 | 975 | 0.7614 | |
| 113 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 114 | Anderson University | 33200 | 52500 | 0.3678 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 115 | University of Indianapolis | 33400 | 59900 | 0.4429 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 115 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 117 | Adrian College | 33700 | 70200 | 0.5205 | 1,678 | 1025 | 0.6843 | |
| 118 | Charleston Southern University | 34300 | 48400 | 0.2918 | 2,914 | 1060 | 0.7609 | |
| 119 | Baylor University | 34700 | 70300 | 0.5063 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 119 | Hofstra University | 34700 | 77000 | 0.5492 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 121 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0701 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 122 | Immaculata University | 36000 | 47800 | 0.2467 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8578 | |
| 122 | Spring Hill College | 36000 | 41600 | 0.1347 | 790 | 1105 | 0.7466 | |
| 122 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 36000 | 42500 | 0.1528 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 125 | University of Central Arkansas | 36200 | 38400 | 0.0556 | 8,268 | 1124 | 0.8949 | |
| 126 | Auburn University | 36400 | 38000 | 0.0421 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 127 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 128 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 128 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 130 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,525 | 1129 | 0.8699 | |
| 131 | Texas Tech University | 38700 | 41000 | 0.0561 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 131 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 133 | Elon University | 38800 | 58200 | 0.3332 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 | |
| 134 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 40200 | 92400 | 0.5648 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 135 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3865 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 136 | Quinnipiac University | 41300 | 79200 | 0.4784 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 136 | University of San Diego | 41300 | 85900 | 0.5193 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 138 | Bryant University | 42500 | 76200 | 0.4424 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 139 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 42600 | 54700 | 0.2212 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 140 | University of Maryland-College Park | 43000 | 53400 | 0.1948 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 141 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68600 | 0.3665 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 141 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 43400 | 53700 | 0.1917 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 143 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 144 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 82400 | 0.4686 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 145 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2745 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 146 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 146 | The University of Texas at Austin | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 43,165 | 1348 | 0.2664 | |
| 148 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 149 | Binghamton University | 50700 | 52800 | 0.0404 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 150 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 151 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 54000 | 56100 | 0.038 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 152 | Howard University | 58300 | 76900 | 0.2418 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 153 | College of Charleston | 61600 | 61600 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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