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 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | 10700 | 102300 | 0.8957 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 3 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5865 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 4 | Northeastern State University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4838 | 5,145 | 1035 | 0.9974 | |
| 5 | Dalton State College | 12100 | 26400 | 0.5426 | 5,135 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 6 | Fort Valley State University | 12400 | 29700 | 0.5823 | 2,699 | 1025 | 0.6587 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Flint | 12900 | 34900 | 0.6311 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 9 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 49100 | 0.7312 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 11 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 12 | Clayton State University | 14000 | 21700 | 0.3543 | 5,551 | 965 | 0.6845 | |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 14 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14400 | 20300 | 0.29 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 15 | Central Michigan University | 14500 | 37800 | 0.6157 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 29200 | 0.4991 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 17 | Murray State University | 14900 | 27000 | 0.4495 | 8,217 | 1124 | 0.8413 | |
| 18 | Western Michigan University | 15400 | 31200 | 0.5059 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 19 | Lehigh University | 15500 | 89600 | 0.8275 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 20 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 15800 | 24200 | 0.3478 | 7,637 | 1115 | 0.1865 | |
| 20 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 20 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 23 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 23 | University of Kansas | 16000 | 34900 | 0.5417 | 22,544 | 1176 | 0.9258 | |
| 23 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 16000 | 25000 | 0.3601 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 26 | Portland State University | 16100 | 26100 | 0.3834 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 27 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 28 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 16500 | 40000 | 0.5879 | 14,294 | 1125 | 0.915 | |
| 28 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16500 | 28000 | 0.4111 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 30 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 31 | West Virginia University | 16800 | 40900 | 0.589 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 32 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3574 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 33 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 17100 | 54700 | 0.6871 | 1,262 | 980 | 0.8026 | |
| 34 | Albany State University | 17200 | 29000 | 0.4065 | 6,154 | 865 | 0.7302 | |
| 34 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 34 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 37 | University of St Francis | 17300 | 57200 | 0.6975 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 38 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4173 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 39 | University of Memphis | 17500 | 26400 | 0.3378 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 40 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 28500 | 0.3823 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 41 | College of Charleston | 18000 | 33900 | 0.4696 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 41 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5381 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 43 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 44 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 45 | Grand Canyon University | 18900 | 33700 | 0.4392 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 46 | Campbellsville University | 19100 | 43200 | 0.5573 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 47 | University of South Alabama | 19200 | 22400 | 0.1431 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 48 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 49 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 50 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 51 | Hiram College | 20600 | 48700 | 0.5767 | 991 | 1075 | 0.9748 | |
| 52 | Georgia Military College | 20700 | 33500 | 0.3818 | 6,461 | 0 | 0 | |
| 53 | North Dakota State University | 20800 | 25700 | 0.1902 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 54 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27300 | 0.2346 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 54 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 20900 | 27600 | 0.2431 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 56 | Thomas University | 21100 | 25300 | 0.1662 | 1,022 | 1110 | 0.383 | |
| 57 | Louisiana Tech University | 21300 | 26100 | 0.1841 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 58 | Western Illinois University | 21400 | 31800 | 0.3258 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 59 | University of Northern Iowa | 21500 | 24800 | 0.1329 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 60 | Belhaven University | 21600 | 43300 | 0.5028 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 61 | Bradley University | 21700 | 49900 | 0.5642 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 61 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 21700 | 26400 | 0.177 | 9,965 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 63 | Marian University | 21800 | 59800 | 0.635 | 2,378 | 1085 | 0.9546 | |
| 64 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 64 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22100 | 25900 | 0.1449 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 66 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4671 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 67 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22400 | 43200 | 0.4816 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 68 | Brenau University | 23200 | 51700 | 0.5509 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 69 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 70 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 70 | University of South Dakota | 23700 | 26000 | 0.088 | 7,515 | 1120 | 0.9884 | |
| 72 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 73 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4787 | 1,523 | 1159 | 0.7074 | |
| 74 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 75 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 24700 | 24700 | 0 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 76 | Lewis University | 25100 | 57700 | 0.5649 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 77 | Saint Leo University | 25300 | 50000 | 0.4938 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 78 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25500 | 53800 | 0.5262 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 79 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 25600 | 34900 | 0.2668 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 79 | Tiffin University | 25600 | 48000 | 0.4671 | 2,842 | 985 | 0.8007 | |
| 81 | Missouri Western State University | 25700 | 39300 | 0.3472 | 3,550 | 1015 | 0.9981 | |
| 82 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 83 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 83 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26000 | 28300 | 0.0809 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 85 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5967 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 86 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26300 | 36800 | 0.2855 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 87 | Clarkson University | 26400 | 78000 | 0.6617 | 2,163 | 1283 | 0.825 | |
| 88 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.0793 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 89 | Keystone College | 26900 | 50500 | 0.4678 | 676 | 1020 | 0.7385 | |
| 89 | University of Central Arkansas | 26900 | 31200 | 0.1373 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 91 | Kansas State University | 27000 | 31400 | 0.1412 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 92 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 92 | Rowan University | 27400 | 41300 | 0.3369 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 94 | Syracuse University | 27900 | 83100 | 0.6641 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 95 | Colorado Christian University | 28000 | 64000 | 0.5624 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 96 | Elmhurst University | 28200 | 67000 | 0.5793 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 96 | Weber State University | 28200 | 33900 | 0.168 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 98 | Alabama A & M University | 28300 | 37700 | 0.251 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 99 | University of Hartford | 28500 | 70100 | 0.5933 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9579 | |
| 100 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2153 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 100 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28800 | 39700 | 0.2747 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 100 | Wayland Baptist University | 28800 | 37300 | 0.2281 | 1,894 | 1045 | 0.5477 | |
| 103 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 104 | University of Toledo | 29300 | 32600 | 0.1009 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 105 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 29400 | 36500 | 0.1945 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 106 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 29700 | 43900 | 0.3237 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 107 | University of West Florida | 30000 | 38000 | 0.2104 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 108 | Mississippi State University | 30100 | 34400 | 0.1246 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 109 | Gannon University | 30400 | 52900 | 0.4257 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 109 | University of North Florida | 30400 | 33000 | 0.0788 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 111 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30600 | 78100 | 0.608 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 112 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 31000 | 77600 | 0.6003 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 113 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3654 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 114 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 115 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5372 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 116 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 32500 | 45300 | 0.2827 | 2,848 | 1135 | 0.2859 | |
| 116 | McKendree University | 32500 | 52900 | 0.3848 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 118 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 38000 | 0.1264 | 1,300 | 1094 | 0.7465 | |
| 119 | Baylor University | 33400 | 70300 | 0.5247 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 119 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 121 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5227 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 121 | Spring Hill College | 33500 | 41600 | 0.1948 | 630 | 1114 | 0.664 | |
| 123 | Morningside University | 33900 | 80100 | 0.5771 | 1,172 | 922 | 0.7104 | |
| 124 | John Carroll University | 34000 | 73100 | 0.5352 | 2,408 | 1285 | 0.7732 | |
| 124 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 34000 | 70200 | 0.516 | 2,836 | 1283 | 0.6711 | |
| 124 | University of Indianapolis | 34000 | 60700 | 0.4397 | 3,394 | 1080 | 0.728 | |
| 127 | Caldwell University | 34200 | 59300 | 0.4233 | 1,619 | 1245 | 0.7134 | |
| 127 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.295 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 127 | University of Rhode Island | 34200 | 46400 | 0.2627 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 130 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 131 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 131 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 133 | Temple University | 35900 | 56400 | 0.3636 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 134 | Hofstra University | 36400 | 76900 | 0.5266 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 135 | East Carolina University | 36900 | 42700 | 0.1356 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 136 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 137 | Point University | 38400 | 44600 | 0.1391 | 1,997 | 1059 | 0.4426 | |
| 138 | Reinhardt University | 38700 | 49300 | 0.2139 | 1,129 | 1070 | 0.6154 | |
| 139 | University of Denver | 39200 | 76900 | 0.4905 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 140 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 141 | Appalachian State University | 40200 | 40600 | 0.0099 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 142 | Arkansas State University | 40400 | 41000 | 0.0146 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 143 | Wayne State University | 40500 | 46200 | 0.1234 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 144 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 48500 | 0.1628 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 145 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40800 | 53600 | 0.2389 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 146 | University of San Diego | 41500 | 85900 | 0.517 | 6,049 | 1298 | 0.5358 | |
| 147 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41600 | 55200 | 0.2463 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 148 | Anderson University | 42300 | 53600 | 0.2108 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 149 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 42400 | 42400 | 0 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 150 | Bryant University | 42500 | 75900 | 0.4398 | 3,511 | 1255 | 0.6484 | |
| 151 | Boise State University | 42800 | 50000 | 0.144 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 152 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 153 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 154 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 155 | Mercer University | 45700 | 65400 | 0.3015 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 156 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 157 | Binghamton University | 50500 | 52800 | 0.0433 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 158 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53600 | 62800 | 0.1465 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 159 | Howard University | 55000 | 66500 | 0.173 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 160 | Elon University | 55200 | 68900 | 0.199 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 161 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 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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