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 | 6000 | 43600 | 0.8626 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | 7500 | 102300 | 0.9267 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 3 | Brigham Young University | 8100 | 22300 | 0.6382 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 4 | Portland State University | 9500 | 26100 | 0.6368 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10200 | 41300 | 0.7533 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 6 | University of St Francis | 10700 | 83800 | 0.8724 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 7 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11100 | 33000 | 0.6638 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 8 | Arkansas State University | 11400 | 28400 | 0.5995 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 8 | Dalton State College | 11400 | 35500 | 0.6791 | 5,135 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 10 | Northern Arizona University | 12200 | 30400 | 0.5979 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 11 | Fort Valley State University | 12300 | 54800 | 0.7754 | 2,699 | 1025 | 0.6587 | |
| 12 | Wayne State University | 12400 | 32900 | 0.6228 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 13 | University of West Florida | 12500 | 50500 | 0.7532 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 14 | University of North Florida | 13000 | 22400 | 0.4202 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 14 | University of Southern Maine | 13000 | 23000 | 0.4343 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 16 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5121 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 17 | Louisiana Tech University | 13300 | 42900 | 0.6899 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 17 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32200 | 0.5857 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 17 | University of Houston | 13300 | 21800 | 0.3898 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 20 | Albany State University | 13400 | 33700 | 0.6029 | 6,154 | 865 | 0.7302 | |
| 20 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 22 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 13900 | 26800 | 0.482 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 23 | Appalachian State University | 14000 | 25500 | 0.4512 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 24 | Clayton State University | 14100 | 21700 | 0.3497 | 5,551 | 965 | 0.6845 | |
| 24 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 26 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5805 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 27 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 14300 | 26600 | 0.4624 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 28 | University of Memphis | 14400 | 26400 | 0.4554 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 29 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14500 | 40000 | 0.6375 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 30 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 30 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 29200 | 0.4991 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 32 | West Virginia University | 14700 | 73100 | 0.7986 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 33 | Murray State University | 14800 | 27000 | 0.4534 | 8,217 | 1124 | 0.8413 | |
| 34 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 15500 | 25000 | 0.3801 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 35 | Lehigh University | 15700 | 89800 | 0.8252 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 35 | University of Kansas | 15700 | 34900 | 0.5504 | 22,544 | 1176 | 0.9258 | |
| 37 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 15900 | 24200 | 0.3436 | 7,637 | 1115 | 0.1865 | |
| 37 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 15900 | 24700 | 0.3557 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 39 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 16000 | 26900 | 0.4059 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 40 | Northeastern State University | 16300 | 28600 | 0.4308 | 5,145 | 1035 | 0.9974 | |
| 41 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 16400 | 77400 | 0.7885 | 1,262 | 980 | 0.8026 | |
| 42 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 16500 | 52300 | 0.6845 | 14,294 | 1125 | 0.915 | |
| 43 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16600 | 27600 | 0.3991 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 44 | Georgia Southern University | 16800 | 20100 | 0.1638 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 45 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 46 | Weber State University | 17100 | 20300 | 0.1579 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 47 | East Tennessee State University | 17200 | 28000 | 0.3857 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 48 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4174 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 49 | Morgan State University | 17800 | 42200 | 0.5786 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 49 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 40200 | 0.5578 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 51 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 45800 | 0.6097 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 52 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 53 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 18200 | 31100 | 0.4151 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 54 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 27900 | 0.341 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 54 | Rutgers University-Newark | 18400 | 39200 | 0.5311 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 56 | Georgia Military College | 18800 | 38500 | 0.5113 | 6,461 | 0 | 0 | |
| 57 | Jackson State University | 19400 | 28100 | 0.3091 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 58 | Alabama A & M University | 19900 | 51200 | 0.6118 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 59 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 20200 | 39000 | 0.4822 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 59 | Thomas University | 20200 | 30100 | 0.3294 | 1,022 | 1110 | 0.383 | |
| 61 | Rowan University | 20300 | 41300 | 0.5088 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 62 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 62 | Syracuse University | 20400 | 83600 | 0.756 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 62 | University of Northern Iowa | 20400 | 24800 | 0.1775 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 65 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 66 | Hiram College | 20600 | 48700 | 0.5768 | 991 | 1075 | 0.9748 | |
| 66 | Saint Leo University | 20600 | 50000 | 0.5878 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 68 | North Dakota State University | 20700 | 25700 | 0.1942 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 69 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2287 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 70 | Belhaven University | 21100 | 43300 | 0.5121 | 1,614 | 1105 | 0.4975 | |
| 71 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 21300 | 57200 | 0.628 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 71 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 21300 | 27800 | 0.2336 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 71 | Western Illinois University | 21300 | 31800 | 0.3291 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 74 | New Jersey City University | 21400 | 40400 | 0.4701 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 75 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 21600 | 26400 | 0.181 | 9,965 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 76 | Boise State University | 21700 | 43300 | 0.4989 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 77 | Grand Canyon University | 21800 | 34200 | 0.363 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 78 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36600 | 0.4014 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 79 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 22000 | 25900 | 0.1506 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 80 | Upper Iowa University | 22200 | 41700 | 0.4667 | 3,054 | 1035 | 0.9646 | |
| 81 | Spring Hill College | 22300 | 41600 | 0.4641 | 630 | 1114 | 0.664 | |
| 82 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 83 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 23000 | 34900 | 0.3414 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 84 | Marian University | 23500 | 59800 | 0.6066 | 2,378 | 1085 | 0.9546 | |
| 84 | University of South Dakota | 23500 | 26900 | 0.1263 | 7,515 | 1120 | 0.9884 | |
| 86 | University of North Texas | 23800 | 37400 | 0.3634 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 87 | Elmhurst University | 24000 | 67000 | 0.642 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 88 | Campbellsville University | 24200 | 45100 | 0.4631 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 88 | Walsh University | 24200 | 46400 | 0.4784 | 1,523 | 1159 | 0.7074 | |
| 90 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 24500 | 63100 | 0.6117 | 2,848 | 1135 | 0.2859 | |
| 90 | Keystone College | 24500 | 50500 | 0.5153 | 676 | 1020 | 0.7385 | |
| 92 | University of South Florida | 24700 | 36500 | 0.3229 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 93 | Temple University | 24900 | 36100 | 0.3105 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 94 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25000 | 36900 | 0.3228 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 95 | Tiffin University | 25100 | 48000 | 0.4776 | 2,842 | 985 | 0.8007 | |
| 96 | Missouri Western State University | 25600 | 39300 | 0.3498 | 3,550 | 1015 | 0.9981 | |
| 97 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 25900 | 28300 | 0.0847 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 98 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5968 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 99 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39600 | 0.3258 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 99 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44500 | 0.3996 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 101 | University of Central Arkansas | 26800 | 31200 | 0.1407 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 102 | Wayland Baptist University | 27900 | 36500 | 0.2359 | 1,894 | 1045 | 0.5477 | |
| 103 | University of Hartford | 28400 | 70100 | 0.5943 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9579 | |
| 104 | Iowa State University | 28800 | 45200 | 0.3626 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 104 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.216 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 106 | Belmont Abbey College | 29100 | 39000 | 0.2535 | 1,300 | 1094 | 0.7465 | |
| 107 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 29300 | 112100 | 0.7385 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 108 | Brenau University | 29900 | 53000 | 0.4363 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 109 | Mississippi State University | 30000 | 34400 | 0.1276 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 110 | Gannon University | 30500 | 52900 | 0.4238 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 111 | University of Toledo | 30600 | 42000 | 0.2715 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 112 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78300 | 0.6067 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 113 | Marquette University | 31400 | 75900 | 0.5862 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 114 | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 31700 | 50000 | 0.3675 | 858 | 975 | 0.7239 | |
| 115 | Elon University | 32000 | 69900 | 0.5426 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 116 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 32100 | 51900 | 0.3814 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 117 | Anderson University | 32200 | 54700 | 0.4116 | 3,724 | 1209 | 0.5491 | |
| 118 | McKendree University | 32400 | 52900 | 0.3868 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 118 | Wilkes University | 32400 | 61900 | 0.4765 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 120 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 33000 | 72600 | 0.5451 | 2,836 | 1283 | 0.6711 | |
| 121 | Morningside University | 33100 | 80100 | 0.5871 | 1,172 | 922 | 0.7104 | |
| 122 | Belmont University | 33200 | 72300 | 0.5399 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 123 | Adrian College | 33400 | 70200 | 0.5242 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 124 | Baylor University | 33500 | 70400 | 0.5244 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 125 | Middle Tennessee State University | 33700 | 48300 | 0.3024 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 126 | University of Indianapolis | 33900 | 60700 | 0.4414 | 3,394 | 1080 | 0.728 | |
| 127 | Western Michigan University | 34000 | 36400 | 0.0663 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 128 | Charleston Southern University | 34100 | 48400 | 0.2971 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 129 | John Carroll University | 35300 | 73100 | 0.5174 | 2,408 | 1285 | 0.7732 | |
| 130 | Texas Tech University | 35900 | 42100 | 0.1471 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 131 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36200 | 54400 | 0.3346 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 132 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 133 | East Carolina University | 36800 | 42700 | 0.1381 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 134 | University of Rhode Island | 37400 | 58400 | 0.3595 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 135 | University of Illinois Chicago | 38300 | 51400 | 0.2551 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 136 | Reinhardt University | 38600 | 49300 | 0.2161 | 1,129 | 1070 | 0.6154 | |
| 137 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 138 | Point University | 39300 | 44600 | 0.1189 | 1,997 | 1059 | 0.4426 | |
| 139 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 39500 | 42800 | 0.0772 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 140 | Kansas State University | 40900 | 41900 | 0.0238 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 141 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41500 | 55300 | 0.2497 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 141 | University of San Diego | 41500 | 85900 | 0.5169 | 6,049 | 1298 | 0.5358 | |
| 143 | Bryant University | 42400 | 78500 | 0.46 | 3,511 | 1255 | 0.6484 | |
| 144 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4933 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 145 | Colorado Christian University | 45400 | 63200 | 0.2815 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 146 | Mercer University | 45600 | 65400 | 0.3031 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 147 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 61500 | 0.234 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 148 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 47200 | 57200 | 0.1748 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 149 | Calvin University | 47600 | 57400 | 0.1706 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 150 | Ashland University | 47900 | 57000 | 0.1596 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 151 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 152 | College of Charleston | 49900 | 64600 | 0.2276 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 153 | The University of Texas at Austin | 50300 | 59100 | 0.1488 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 154 | Binghamton University | 50400 | 52800 | 0.0453 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 155 | Quinnipiac University | 51100 | 79700 | 0.359 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 156 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53500 | 63400 | 0.1562 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 157 | Clarkson University | 54100 | 91700 | 0.41 | 2,163 | 1283 | 0.825 | |
| 158 | Howard University | 55000 | 88500 | 0.3787 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 159 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 160 | Auburn University | 59200 | 59200 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 161 | Caldwell University | 60200 | 65600 | 0.0823 | 1,619 | 1245 | 0.7134 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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