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 | California Institute of Technology | 4300 | 90300 | 0.9522 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University | 4500 | 88600 | 0.9491 | 6,356 | 1543 | 0.0644 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4700 | 86800 | 0.9456 | 4,576 | 1535 | 0.0485 | |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 5100 | 39100 | 0.8705 | 34,454 | 1435 | 0.1564 | |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | 5900 | 93000 | 0.9367 | 10,013 | 1528 | 0.054 | |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 6600 | 94100 | 0.9301 | 9,157 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 7 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 96200 | 0.9037 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 8 | University of California-Davis | 10100 | 37800 | 0.732 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 9 | Cornell University | 10300 | 92000 | 0.8877 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 10 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 11 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11100 | 27200 | 0.5927 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 12 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 11300 | 34400 | 0.6706 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 13 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5884 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 14 | Northeastern State University | 11900 | 22900 | 0.4802 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5739 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 27200 | 0.5443 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 17 | Lehigh University | 12500 | 85700 | 0.8546 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 18 | Northwestern University | 12600 | 87700 | 0.8563 | 8,846 | 1513 | 0.0722 | |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Austin | 13200 | 30700 | 0.5697 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 20 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13300 | 13300 | 0 | 18,428 | 1090 | 0.9529 | |
| 21 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 22 | Carnegie Mellon University | 13700 | 87300 | 0.8428 | 7,824 | 1528 | 0.1166 | |
| 22 | University of South Florida | 13700 | 17100 | 0.1987 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 24 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 24 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13800 | 25000 | 0.4475 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 26 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 27 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 27 | West Virginia University | 14200 | 23300 | 0.3905 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 29 | University of California-Merced | 14300 | 40300 | 0.6446 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 29 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 31 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 32 | Case Western Reserve University | 14700 | 80400 | 0.8167 | 6,528 | 1485 | 0.3778 | |
| 32 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 34 | Stanford University | 14800 | 71300 | 0.792 | 7,904 | 1535 | 0.0361 | |
| 35 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 36 | University of California-Berkeley | 15000 | 43500 | 0.655 | 33,469 | 1407 | 0.1104 | |
| 37 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 37 | University of California-Irvine | 15200 | 35300 | 0.5701 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 39 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 15700 | 23400 | 0.3295 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 40 | University of Florida | 15900 | 22300 | 0.2871 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 41 | Grand Valley State University | 16000 | 25300 | 0.368 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 42 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 42 | University of Arizona | 16100 | 30900 | 0.4797 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 44 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 16300 | 26800 | 0.392 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 45 | North Carolina State University | 16500 | 28500 | 0.4215 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 46 | Georgia Military College | 16900 | 31800 | 0.468 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 47 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 48 | Albany State University | 17400 | 29200 | 0.4043 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.9714 | |
| 48 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 17400 | 24700 | 0.2978 | 8,765 | 1209 | 0.8799 | |
| 50 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3567 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 51 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 18300 | 56400 | 0.6761 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 52 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 18400 | 78300 | 0.7651 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 53 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.482 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 54 | Missouri Southern State University | 18900 | 24800 | 0.2375 | 3,881 | 1074 | 0.9706 | |
| 54 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 18900 | 18900 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 56 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.395 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 57 | San Jose State University | 19200 | 29900 | 0.3576 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 58 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 59 | University of Nevada-Reno | 19500 | 28200 | 0.3085 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 60 | Wayne State University | 19700 | 32300 | 0.3906 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 61 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 19800 | 31000 | 0.3613 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 61 | University of Northern Iowa | 19800 | 24000 | 0.1743 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 63 | Dalton State College | 20000 | 27700 | 0.2782 | 4,902 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 64 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4812 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 65 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 66 | Western Michigan University | 20600 | 31200 | 0.3394 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 67 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 67 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3302 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 69 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2289 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 69 | Wayland Baptist University | 20900 | 37300 | 0.4401 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 71 | Grove City College | 21200 | 37200 | 0.4302 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 71 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6208 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 73 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3343 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 74 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 75 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 76 | Winona State University | 22300 | 29500 | 0.2455 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 77 | Boise State University | 22400 | 41000 | 0.4534 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 78 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 79 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 79 | University of Memphis | 22700 | 30000 | 0.2437 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 81 | Murray State University | 22900 | 27600 | 0.17 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 81 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 83 | Fort Valley State University | 23500 | 38900 | 0.3956 | 2,558 | 940 | 0.628 | |
| 83 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 83 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 86 | University of Kentucky | 23800 | 36000 | 0.3382 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 87 | Illinois Institute of Technology | 23900 | 71600 | 0.6664 | 3,135 | 1299 | 0.5493 | |
| 88 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 89 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 37100 | 0.3508 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 90 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 91 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24500 | 26600 | 0.082 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 92 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 93 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1335 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 94 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 94 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 96 | Temple University | 24900 | 36300 | 0.3143 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 97 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 97 | Tuskegee University | 25000 | 42100 | 0.4066 | 2,400 | 1030 | 0.3143 | |
| 99 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 100 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 101 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.321 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 102 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 102 | Marquette University | 25800 | 65700 | 0.6069 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 102 | Missouri Western State University | 25800 | 39300 | 0.3445 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 105 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3889 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 105 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 26100 | 32800 | 0.204 | 4,421 | 1099 | 0.8555 | |
| 105 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5966 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 108 | Clayton State University | 26400 | 34900 | 0.2438 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 109 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 110 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 111 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 112 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 27300 | 40300 | 0.3224 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 112 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0741 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 114 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 115 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 115 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 27600 | 36700 | 0.2477 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 117 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 117 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 119 | Alabama A & M University | 28100 | 42800 | 0.3433 | 5,845 | 940 | 0.6622 | |
| 120 | Mississippi State University | 28200 | 32300 | 0.1294 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 121 | Marietta College | 28300 | 62200 | 0.5448 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 122 | Clarkson University | 28700 | 78000 | 0.6322 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 122 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 124 | University of Toledo | 29400 | 32600 | 0.0977 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 125 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 126 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 29900 | 31100 | 0.0385 | 20,592 | 1435 | 0.1407 | |
| 127 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 128 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 129 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 30500 | 41800 | 0.2705 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 130 | Alfred University | 30600 | 67100 | 0.5439 | 1,474 | 1214 | 0.7384 | |
| 130 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 30600 | 31100 | 0.0161 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 132 | East Tennessee State University | 30700 | 30700 | 0 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 133 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 30900 | 42400 | 0.2713 | 21,947 | 1335 | 0.3122 | |
| 133 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 135 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 31100 | 43700 | 0.2884 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 136 | Point University | 31200 | 43800 | 0.2877 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 137 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2718 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 137 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 139 | Adrian College | 31600 | 67500 | 0.5316 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 140 | University of North Florida | 31800 | 37900 | 0.161 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 141 | Sam Houston State University | 32100 | 39900 | 0.1955 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 141 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 143 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 32400 | 39900 | 0.1879 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 144 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32600 | 38500 | 0.1533 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 145 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 37700 | 0.1194 | 1,549 | 1075 | 0.9038 | |
| 146 | University of Indianapolis | 33300 | 59900 | 0.4438 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 147 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 148 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 148 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 150 | College of Charleston | 33700 | 33700 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 151 | Charleston Southern University | 34300 | 48400 | 0.2928 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 152 | Auburn University | 34400 | 34400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 152 | Morgan State University | 34400 | 37200 | 0.0753 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 154 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 155 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 156 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 35700 | 42400 | 0.158 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 157 | University of Central Arkansas | 36200 | 38400 | 0.0569 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 158 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 36400 | 38700 | 0.0595 | 1,217 | 1229 | 0.5405 | |
| 159 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 160 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 161 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 162 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 163 | University of Connecticut | 37700 | 41800 | 0.0981 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 164 | Hofstra University | 38900 | 74600 | 0.4784 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 164 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38900 | 52900 | 0.2645 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 166 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 68600 | 0.4116 | 33,471 | 1399 | 0.0897 | |
| 167 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 168 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 169 | Bryant University | 42500 | 73800 | 0.4242 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 170 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 171 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0689 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 172 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68600 | 0.3672 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 173 | University of California-Riverside | 43500 | 66400 | 0.3448 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 174 | Texas Christian University | 43700 | 81900 | 0.4664 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 175 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2747 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 176 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 176 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3573 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 178 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 179 | University of San Diego | 46000 | 85500 | 0.4619 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 180 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 180 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 47200 | 85700 | 0.449 | 5,743 | 1438 | 0.6343 | |
| 180 | University of Delaware | 47200 | 53200 | 0.1127 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 183 | Binghamton University | 50600 | 52800 | 0.0414 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 184 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 185 | University of Utah | 51500 | 53700 | 0.0407 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 186 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 187 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 188 | Michigan Technological University | 59100 | 59100 | 0 | 6,022 | 1256 | 0.8353 | |
| 189 | Clemson University | 61500 | 63700 | 0.0343 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 190 | 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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