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 | Washington University in St Louis | 9200 | 96200 | 0.904 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 11300 | 34400 | 0.6706 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 4 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5884 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 5 | Lehigh University | 12300 | 85700 | 0.857 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | Northeastern State University | 13300 | 20800 | 0.36 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 8 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 9 | Fort Valley State University | 13800 | 20300 | 0.3208 | 2,558 | 940 | 0.628 | |
| 9 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 11 | University of North Florida | 13900 | 22400 | 0.3799 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 12 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 22900 | 0.381 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 15 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 16 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 17 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 19 | Oakland University | 16100 | 28000 | 0.4256 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 20 | Middle Tennessee State University | 16400 | 23200 | 0.2928 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 21 | Georgia Military College | 16900 | 31800 | 0.468 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | Weber State University | 16900 | 22100 | 0.2355 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 23 | Central Washington University | 17100 | 22700 | 0.2464 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 24 | University of Kansas | 17200 | 34900 | 0.5077 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 25 | Albany State University | 17400 | 29200 | 0.4043 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.9714 | |
| 26 | Alabama A & M University | 17600 | 35300 | 0.5007 | 5,845 | 940 | 0.6622 | |
| 27 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 18300 | 56400 | 0.6761 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 28 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4826 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 29 | Missouri Southern State University | 18900 | 24800 | 0.2375 | 3,881 | 1074 | 0.9706 | |
| 30 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.395 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 31 | University of Memphis | 19100 | 26400 | 0.277 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 32 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 33 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 19800 | 26500 | 0.2531 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 34 | Dalton State College | 20000 | 27700 | 0.2782 | 4,902 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 34 | The University of Texas at Austin | 20000 | 26900 | 0.2564 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 36 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4817 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 37 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 38 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 39 | Western Michigan University | 20600 | 31200 | 0.3394 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 40 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 41 | University of Northern Iowa | 20800 | 24000 | 0.1334 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 41 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3308 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 43 | Wayland Baptist University | 20900 | 37300 | 0.4401 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 44 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6211 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 45 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3343 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 46 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 47 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 21900 | 34400 | 0.3633 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 48 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 49 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 50 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 51 | Murray State University | 22900 | 27600 | 0.1707 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 52 | Bellevue University | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0858 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 52 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 52 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 55 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 56 | University of Central Arkansas | 24300 | 29500 | 0.1763 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 57 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24400 | 26600 | 0.0828 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 58 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 59 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 59 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 61 | Tuskegee University | 25000 | 42100 | 0.4066 | 2,400 | 1030 | 0.3143 | |
| 62 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 63 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 64 | Missouri Western State University | 25800 | 39300 | 0.345 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 65 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 65 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 26100 | 32800 | 0.204 | 4,421 | 1099 | 0.8555 | |
| 67 | University of Evansville | 26200 | 64700 | 0.5954 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 68 | Clayton State University | 26400 | 34900 | 0.2438 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 69 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 70 | University of Arkansas | 26800 | 30800 | 0.1302 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 71 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 72 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0748 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 73 | Rowan University | 27400 | 40500 | 0.3234 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 74 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 75 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 27600 | 27600 | 0 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 75 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 77 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 78 | Grand Valley State University | 28200 | 35700 | 0.2101 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 79 | Marietta College | 28300 | 62200 | 0.5451 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 80 | Clarkson University | 28700 | 78000 | 0.6322 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 80 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 82 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 28900 | 31100 | 0.071 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 82 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28900 | 39700 | 0.2722 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 84 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 85 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 86 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 30500 | 41800 | 0.2705 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 87 | East Tennessee State University | 30700 | 30700 | 0 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 88 | University of Toledo | 30800 | 42000 | 0.267 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 89 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 90 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 31100 | 43700 | 0.2884 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 91 | Point University | 31200 | 43800 | 0.2877 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 92 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2722 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 92 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 94 | Sam Houston State University | 32100 | 39900 | 0.1955 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 94 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 96 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 34700 | 0.0691 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 97 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32600 | 38500 | 0.1533 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 98 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 37700 | 0.1194 | 1,549 | 1075 | 0.9038 | |
| 99 | University of Indianapolis | 33300 | 59900 | 0.4441 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 100 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 101 | Appalachian State University | 33500 | 35800 | 0.0642 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 102 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5215 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 102 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 104 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 105 | Morgan State University | 34400 | 37200 | 0.0753 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 106 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 107 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 108 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34900 | 37600 | 0.0719 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 109 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 110 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 35700 | 42400 | 0.158 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 111 | Boise State University | 35800 | 48800 | 0.2664 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 112 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2815 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 113 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 113 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 115 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 116 | Wayne State University | 39300 | 45500 | 0.1362 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 117 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 39600 | 53700 | 0.2627 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 118 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 119 | Marquette University | 41300 | 75100 | 0.4502 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 120 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 121 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 41600 | 42500 | 0.0212 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 122 | Arkansas State University | 41900 | 45700 | 0.0833 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 123 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 123 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 125 | Bryant University | 42400 | 73800 | 0.4255 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 126 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 42500 | 54900 | 0.2261 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 127 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42700 | 52900 | 0.1928 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 128 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68600 | 0.3675 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 129 | Texas Christian University | 43700 | 81900 | 0.4664 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 130 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 131 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 131 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3575 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 133 | University of San Diego | 46000 | 85500 | 0.4619 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 134 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 135 | College of Charleston | 49600 | 59000 | 0.1594 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 136 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 52400 | 56100 | 0.0661 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 137 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 138 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 139 | Elon University | 65900 | 67300 | 0.0208 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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