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 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | 9200 | 102300 | 0.9104 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 3 | Dalton State College | 11300 | 18300 | 0.383 | 5,135 | 950 | 0.4343 | |
| 4 | Northeastern State University | 11900 | 22900 | 0.4794 | 5,111 | 1055 | 0.9959 | |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12200 | 25000 | 0.5113 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 7 | Fort Valley State University | 12400 | 29700 | 0.5823 | 2,699 | 1025 | 0.6587 | |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Flint | 13000 | 46300 | 0.719 | 5,011 | 1109 | 0.7046 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 10 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 13 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 13 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14400 | 20300 | 0.29 | 14,463 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 15 | Lehigh University | 15400 | 89600 | 0.8286 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 17 | Western Michigan University | 15700 | 31200 | 0.4963 | 13,027 | 1115 | 0.846 | |
| 18 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 18 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15800 | 38500 | 0.5888 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 20 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 15900 | 27700 | 0.4254 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 21 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 16000 | 40000 | 0.6004 | 13,192 | 1075 | 0.9931 | |
| 22 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 23 | Arkansas State University | 16500 | 28100 | 0.413 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5429 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 23 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16500 | 28000 | 0.4111 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 26 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3571 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 27 | West Virginia University | 17000 | 40900 | 0.5841 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 28 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 17100 | 54700 | 0.6871 | 1,262 | 980 | 0.8023 | |
| 28 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17100 | 17100 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.784 | |
| 30 | Albany State University | 17200 | 29000 | 0.4065 | 6,154 | 855 | 0.7302 | |
| 30 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 30 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 33 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17500 | 29900 | 0.4169 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5743 | |
| 33 | University of Memphis | 17500 | 26400 | 0.3378 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 35 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 28500 | 0.3823 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 36 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 37 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5379 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 38 | University of St Francis | 18200 | 57200 | 0.6816 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 39 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 39 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 18400 | 32200 | 0.4283 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.2272 | |
| 39 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 42 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 42 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1782 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 44 | Bellevue University | 20200 | 36400 | 0.4442 | 11,037 | 0 | 0 | |
| 45 | Hiram College | 20600 | 48700 | 0.5764 | 1,026 | 1030 | 0.9353 | |
| 46 | Georgia Military College | 20700 | 33500 | 0.3818 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 46 | Western Illinois University | 20700 | 31000 | 0.3332 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 48 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 48 | North Dakota State University | 20800 | 25700 | 0.1898 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 50 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 20900 | 27600 | 0.2431 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 51 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21700 | 25400 | 0.1468 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 53 | Marian University | 21800 | 59800 | 0.635 | 2,378 | 1085 | 0.9546 | |
| 54 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 55 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.467 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 56 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22300 | 43200 | 0.4839 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 57 | University of South Dakota | 22700 | 26000 | 0.1261 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 58 | Murray State University | 22800 | 27600 | 0.1734 | 7,851 | 1115 | 0.8568 | |
| 59 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 60 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 61 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,356 | 1222 | 0.7091 | |
| 62 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,853 | 990 | 0.6652 | |
| 63 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 63 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 39300 | 0.3873 | 23,920 | 1397 | 0.5973 | |
| 65 | University of Kansas | 24200 | 37600 | 0.3581 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 65 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4786 | 1,523 | 1159 | 0.7074 | |
| 67 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 68 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 69 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 70 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25300 | 53800 | 0.5299 | 2,803 | 1099 | 0.9576 | |
| 71 | Northern Arizona University | 25500 | 43200 | 0.4101 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 72 | Clarkson University | 25600 | 78000 | 0.672 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 72 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 25600 | 34900 | 0.2668 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 72 | Tiffin University | 25600 | 48000 | 0.4671 | 2,842 | 980 | 0.8005 | |
| 75 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,669 | 1415 | 0.3861 | |
| 76 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 76 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26000 | 28300 | 0.0806 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5876 | |
| 78 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5966 | 1,742 | 1174 | 0.776 | |
| 79 | Tuskegee University | 26200 | 42100 | 0.3781 | 2,659 | 1090 | 0.4868 | |
| 80 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 36800 | 0.2828 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 81 | Missouri Western State University | 26500 | 39300 | 0.3266 | 3,491 | 0 | 0 | |
| 81 | Regis College | 26500 | 70700 | 0.6252 | 987 | 965 | 0.6978 | |
| 83 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 83 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 85 | Kansas State University | 27000 | 31400 | 0.1405 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8169 | |
| 86 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 87 | Clayton State University | 27600 | 39300 | 0.2978 | 5,551 | 965 | 0.6845 | |
| 88 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6653 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 89 | Oakland University | 27900 | 39300 | 0.2899 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 90 | Colorado Christian University | 28000 | 64000 | 0.5624 | 8,200 | 1110 | 0.9764 | |
| 91 | Mississippi State University | 28100 | 32300 | 0.1323 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 92 | Alabama A & M University | 28200 | 37700 | 0.2518 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 93 | Marietta College | 28300 | 62200 | 0.5459 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7931 | |
| 93 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 95 | Elmhurst University | 28700 | 67000 | 0.5719 | 3,213 | 1148 | 0.7364 | |
| 95 | Wayland Baptist University | 28700 | 37300 | 0.2308 | 2,087 | 1010 | 0.5596 | |
| 97 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2151 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 98 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 99 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 100 | East Texas A&M University | 29400 | 36500 | 0.1945 | 9,992 | 1045 | 0.9224 | |
| 101 | Gannon University | 29500 | 52900 | 0.4427 | 2,768 | 1133 | 0.7416 | |
| 102 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 29700 | 43900 | 0.3237 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 102 | University of Toledo | 29700 | 42000 | 0.2926 | 11,013 | 1229 | 0.9202 | |
| 104 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 29800 | 39700 | 0.2495 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 105 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78100 | 0.6118 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 106 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 30500 | 38500 | 0.2078 | 7,890 | 1110 | 0.2056 | |
| 107 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 108 | Portland State University | 30800 | 43100 | 0.2848 | 15,414 | 1094 | 0.9087 | |
| 108 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 110 | University of North Florida | 31300 | 33000 | 0.0516 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 111 | Grand View University | 31800 | 58100 | 0.4525 | 1,500 | 1020 | 0.9909 | |
| 111 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31800 | 50000 | 0.3652 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 113 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 114 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 115 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 116 | University of Rhode Island | 32900 | 46400 | 0.2907 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 117 | University of Indianapolis | 33200 | 59900 | 0.4453 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.665 | |
| 118 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,076 | 1144 | 0.9064 | |
| 119 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5226 | 1,673 | 1045 | 0.7253 | |
| 119 | Spring Hill College | 33500 | 41600 | 0.1948 | 782 | 1114 | 0.7657 | |
| 121 | Immaculata University | 33600 | 47900 | 0.2987 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8576 | |
| 122 | John Carroll University | 33700 | 73100 | 0.5393 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 123 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2948 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 123 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 34200 | 70200 | 0.5131 | 2,704 | 1277 | 0.5893 | |
| 125 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34800 | 37600 | 0.0739 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 126 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 127 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 127 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 129 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 130 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,525 | 1144 | 0.7923 | |
| 131 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0567 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 132 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 133 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 134 | University of South Alabama | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 135 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.3874 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8841 | |
| 135 | Wayne State University | 40400 | 46200 | 0.1256 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 137 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 138 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41500 | 55200 | 0.2481 | 25,900 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 138 | University of San Diego | 41500 | 85900 | 0.517 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 140 | Anderson University | 42200 | 53600 | 0.2127 | 3,683 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 141 | Bryant University | 42300 | 75900 | 0.4425 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 142 | University of Maryland-College Park | 43000 | 53600 | 0.1979 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 143 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43300 | 68600 | 0.3686 | 3,666 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 144 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 87400 | 0.4991 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 145 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 146 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2752 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 147 | Boise State University | 45100 | 50000 | 0.098 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 148 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 149 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 150 | Elon University | 56300 | 68900 | 0.183 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 151 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 152 | Howard University | 60000 | 66500 | 0.0978 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 153 | College of Charleston | 61200 | 61200 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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