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 | University of Michigan-Flint | 5000 | 44000 | 0.8868 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8100 | 22100 | 0.6333 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 3 | Portland State University | 9400 | 73900 | 0.8726 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 4 | Washington University in St Louis | 10700 | 102300 | 0.8957 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11100 | 33800 | 0.672 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 6 | Dalton State College | 11300 | 17300 | 0.3473 | 5,135 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 7 | Arkansas State University | 11500 | 31800 | 0.6384 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 8 | Northern Arizona University | 12300 | 35800 | 0.6566 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 9 | Fort Valley State University | 12400 | 29700 | 0.5823 | 2,699 | 1025 | 0.6587 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 11 | University of South Florida | 12800 | 16300 | 0.2143 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 12 | University of Southern Maine | 13000 | 29700 | 0.5621 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 13 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 13200 | 27600 | 0.5213 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 13 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4862 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 15 | Northeastern State University | 13300 | 28900 | 0.5403 | 5,145 | 1035 | 0.9974 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 38400 | 0.6464 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 17 | Louisiana Tech University | 13900 | 43500 | 0.6804 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 18 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 19 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5804 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 20 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4927 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 20 | University of Memphis | 14300 | 37800 | 0.622 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 22 | Western Michigan University | 14400 | 26500 | 0.457 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 23 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14500 | 40000 | 0.6375 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 23900 | 0.389 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 25 | Murray State University | 14900 | 27000 | 0.4495 | 8,217 | 1124 | 0.8413 | |
| 26 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 27 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 15800 | 24200 | 0.3478 | 7,637 | 1115 | 0.1865 | |
| 28 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 15900 | 27700 | 0.4254 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 29 | University of Kansas | 16000 | 34900 | 0.5417 | 22,544 | 1176 | 0.9258 | |
| 30 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16100 | 23400 | 0.3124 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 31 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 16500 | 52000 | 0.6832 | 14,294 | 1125 | 0.915 | |
| 31 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16500 | 28100 | 0.4123 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 33 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 34 | Kansas State University | 16800 | 26400 | 0.3644 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 35 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3574 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 36 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 37 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 17100 | 54700 | 0.6871 | 1,262 | 980 | 0.8026 | |
| 38 | University of St Francis | 17300 | 57200 | 0.6975 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 39 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4173 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 17500 | 24700 | 0.291 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 41 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 42 | University of South Alabama | 17700 | 40600 | 0.5635 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 43 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 58900 | 0.6966 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 44 | Albany State University | 18000 | 27900 | 0.3549 | 6,154 | 865 | 0.7302 | |
| 44 | Kennesaw State University | 18000 | 61500 | 0.7069 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 46 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 18500 | 56300 | 0.6718 | 2,848 | 1135 | 0.2859 | |
| 46 | University of Rhode Island | 18500 | 81200 | 0.7721 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 48 | Georgia Military College | 18800 | 38000 | 0.5054 | 6,461 | 0 | 0 | |
| 48 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 50 | Lehigh University | 19400 | 111000 | 0.8254 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 51 | Alabama A & M University | 19500 | 51900 | 0.6242 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 51 | Lewis University | 19500 | 57700 | 0.6619 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 53 | Syracuse University | 19800 | 83600 | 0.7632 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 54 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 55 | Hiram College | 20600 | 48700 | 0.5767 | 991 | 1075 | 0.9748 | |
| 56 | University of Northern Iowa | 20700 | 24000 | 0.137 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 57 | University of Maryland-College Park | 21000 | 35000 | 0.4004 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 58 | Western Illinois University | 21400 | 31800 | 0.3258 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 59 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5028 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 60 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 21700 | 26400 | 0.177 | 9,965 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 61 | Bradley University | 21800 | 59400 | 0.6334 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 61 | Grand Canyon University | 21800 | 48300 | 0.5487 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 61 | Marian University | 21800 | 59800 | 0.635 | 2,378 | 1085 | 0.9546 | |
| 61 | Missouri Western State University | 21800 | 28800 | 0.2431 | 3,550 | 1015 | 0.9981 | |
| 65 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36600 | 0.4016 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 66 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22100 | 25900 | 0.1449 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 67 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 22200 | 52300 | 0.5756 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 67 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4671 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 69 | Spring Hill College | 22300 | 66500 | 0.6643 | 630 | 1114 | 0.664 | |
| 70 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22400 | 35700 | 0.3722 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 70 | University of Houston | 22400 | 27800 | 0.1944 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 72 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 73 | Calvin University | 23300 | 85000 | 0.7262 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 74 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 74 | University of South Dakota | 23700 | 26000 | 0.088 | 7,515 | 1120 | 0.9884 | |
| 74 | Weber State University | 23700 | 31500 | 0.2479 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 77 | Thomas University | 24000 | 30400 | 0.2104 | 1,022 | 1110 | 0.383 | |
| 78 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4787 | 1,523 | 1159 | 0.7074 | |
| 79 | Campbellsville University | 24300 | 45200 | 0.4628 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 80 | Keystone College | 24500 | 50500 | 0.5153 | 676 | 1020 | 0.7385 | |
| 81 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 82 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 83 | Tiffin University | 25000 | 48000 | 0.4796 | 2,842 | 985 | 0.8007 | |
| 84 | Saint Leo University | 25300 | 50000 | 0.4938 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 85 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25500 | 53800 | 0.5262 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 86 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 87 | University of North Texas | 25900 | 36900 | 0.2983 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 88 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 88 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26000 | 28300 | 0.0809 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 88 | University of West Florida | 26000 | 37400 | 0.3044 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 91 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5967 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 92 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26300 | 36800 | 0.2855 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 92 | Jackson State University | 26300 | 35000 | 0.2484 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 94 | Clarkson University | 26400 | 78000 | 0.6617 | 2,163 | 1283 | 0.825 | |
| 95 | Clayton State University | 26600 | 39200 | 0.3211 | 5,551 | 965 | 0.6845 | |
| 96 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39300 | 0.3203 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 97 | University of Arkansas | 26800 | 52400 | 0.4888 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 98 | West Virginia University | 27200 | 51100 | 0.468 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 99 | Central Washington University | 27700 | 27900 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 99 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0886 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 101 | Wayne State University | 28100 | 46800 | 0.3998 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 102 | Elmhurst University | 28200 | 67000 | 0.5793 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 103 | University of Hartford | 28500 | 70100 | 0.5933 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9579 | |
| 104 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2153 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 104 | Wayland Baptist University | 28800 | 37300 | 0.2281 | 1,894 | 1045 | 0.5477 | |
| 106 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 106 | Morgan State University | 29100 | 41800 | 0.3038 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 108 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 29300 | 77600 | 0.6222 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 109 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 30000 | 44700 | 0.3285 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 110 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78200 | 0.6122 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 111 | Gannon University | 30400 | 52900 | 0.4257 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 111 | University of North Florida | 30400 | 30500 | 0.0033 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 113 | Brenau University | 30700 | 52500 | 0.4153 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 113 | University of Toledo | 30700 | 42000 | 0.269 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 115 | East Tennessee State University | 31300 | 31300 | 0 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 116 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3654 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 117 | Anderson University | 32400 | 54300 | 0.4035 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 117 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5372 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 119 | McKendree University | 32500 | 52900 | 0.3848 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 120 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 33000 | 72600 | 0.5451 | 2,836 | 1283 | 0.6711 | |
| 121 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 122 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5227 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 122 | Baylor University | 33500 | 70400 | 0.5244 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 124 | Belmont Abbey College | 33600 | 39000 | 0.1383 | 1,300 | 1094 | 0.7465 | |
| 125 | Morningside University | 33900 | 80100 | 0.5771 | 1,172 | 922 | 0.7104 | |
| 126 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 34000 | 47000 | 0.2767 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 126 | University of Indianapolis | 34000 | 60700 | 0.4397 | 3,394 | 1080 | 0.728 | |
| 128 | Caldwell University | 34200 | 59300 | 0.4233 | 1,619 | 1245 | 0.7134 | |
| 128 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.295 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 130 | John Carroll University | 35600 | 83100 | 0.5716 | 2,408 | 1285 | 0.7732 | |
| 130 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 130 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 133 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 36000 | 39700 | 0.0932 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 134 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 53600 | 0.321 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 135 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 37100 | 37600 | 0.0133 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 136 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0569 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 137 | Reinhardt University | 38700 | 49300 | 0.2139 | 1,129 | 1070 | 0.6154 | |
| 138 | Mississippi State University | 39100 | 53400 | 0.2675 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 139 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 140 | Point University | 39300 | 44600 | 0.1189 | 1,997 | 1059 | 0.4426 | |
| 141 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 40500 | 42700 | 0.0515 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 142 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41400 | 58900 | 0.2971 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 142 | University of San Diego | 41400 | 110100 | 0.624 | 6,049 | 1298 | 0.5358 | |
| 144 | Ashland University | 41700 | 57100 | 0.2697 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 145 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41900 | 46500 | 0.099 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 146 | Bryant University | 42500 | 96800 | 0.5612 | 3,511 | 1255 | 0.6484 | |
| 147 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 148 | Colorado Christian University | 45600 | 87000 | 0.4761 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 149 | Mercer University | 45700 | 65400 | 0.3015 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 150 | Appalachian State University | 46100 | 46100 | 0 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 151 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59800 | 0.2121 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 152 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 153 | Quinnipiac University | 50200 | 118300 | 0.5755 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 154 | Rutgers University-Newark | 50400 | 59900 | 0.1587 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 155 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 155 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53600 | 63400 | 0.1547 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 157 | Elon University | 54300 | 69600 | 0.2198 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 158 | Howard University | 55000 | 67300 | 0.1827 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 159 | Hofstra University | 59000 | 83400 | 0.2925 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 160 | College of Charleston | 69300 | 69300 | 0 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 161 | Auburn University | 75300 | 85500 | 0.1193 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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