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 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | 3700 | 53000 | 0.9299 | 2,525 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Rice University | 4300 | 85500 | 0.9496 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4700 | 86800 | 0.9456 | 4,576 | 1535 | 0.0485 | |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania | 5700 | 93000 | 0.9389 | 10,013 | 1528 | 0.054 | |
| 5 | Emory University | 8300 | 90100 | 0.9079 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1029 | |
| 6 | Georgetown University | 9000 | 92200 | 0.9025 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 7 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9200 | 30500 | 0.6982 | 3,207 | 1050 | 0.8034 | |
| 8 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 9 | University of Notre Dame | 10000 | 86100 | 0.8838 | 8,880 | 1499 | 0.1127 | |
| 10 | Wake Forest University | 10800 | 88400 | 0.8773 | 5,471 | 1457 | 0.2156 | |
| 11 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 12 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11100 | 27200 | 0.5927 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 13 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 30900 | 0.6273 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 14 | New York University | 12000 | 91800 | 0.869 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 14 | University of California-San Diego | 12000 | 34000 | 0.6466 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2677 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Eastern Illinois University | 12700 | 24500 | 0.4797 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 18 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12800 | 24400 | 0.4759 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 19 | Utah State University | 13000 | 30000 | 0.5659 | 25,920 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 20 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 13100 | 38500 | 0.6596 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 21 | University of California-Merced | 14300 | 40300 | 0.6446 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 22 | Trinity University | 14600 | 64800 | 0.7748 | 2,518 | 1402 | 0.2592 | |
| 23 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 24 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 25 | University of Florida | 15900 | 22300 | 0.2871 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 26 | Grand Valley State University | 16000 | 25300 | 0.368 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 27 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16400 | 22300 | 0.2643 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 28 | University of Southern California | 16600 | 76000 | 0.7815 | 21,023 | 1485 | 0.1002 | |
| 29 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 30 | Lewis-Clark State College | 17600 | 24400 | 0.2786 | 3,793 | 1010 | 0.9407 | |
| 31 | Bucknell University | 17700 | 88400 | 0.7996 | 3,920 | 1284 | 0.2893 | |
| 31 | University of Rochester | 17700 | 93100 | 0.8101 | 6,580 | 1469 | 0.4008 | |
| 33 | Holy Family University | 17800 | 54000 | 0.67 | 2,650 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 33 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3574 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 35 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 35 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 18200 | 29800 | 0.3899 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 37 | Quincy University | 18500 | 63000 | 0.7067 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 38 | Illinois College | 18900 | 52300 | 0.6391 | 940 | 1054 | 0.7819 | |
| 39 | Mid-America Christian University | 19000 | 36800 | 0.4841 | 1,636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 39 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19000 | 32900 | 0.4231 | 624 | 1115 | 0.9664 | |
| 41 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19800 | 24500 | 0.1915 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 41 | University of Northern Iowa | 19800 | 24000 | 0.1751 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 43 | Lee University | 19900 | 37100 | 0.4631 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 44 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4817 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 44 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 43700 | 0.5405 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 46 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 47 | George Mason University | 20500 | 33500 | 0.3882 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 47 | Salem State University | 20500 | 28500 | 0.2807 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 49 | Texas Wesleyan University | 20800 | 69500 | 0.701 | 1,910 | 1045 | 0.6239 | |
| 50 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6211 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 51 | Felician University | 21300 | 58700 | 0.6373 | 1,870 | 1005 | 0.9511 | |
| 52 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 22100 | 28000 | 0.2106 | 5,789 | 1115 | 0.5774 | |
| 53 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 54 | Sterling College | 22300 | 53600 | 0.5838 | 670 | 1090 | 0.8916 | |
| 55 | Ball State University | 22400 | 22400 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 56 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 56 | Saint Norbert College | 22600 | 62300 | 0.6373 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 58 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22700 | 30300 | 0.2506 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 59 | Manchester University | 22800 | 54100 | 0.5778 | 915 | 1044 | 0.913 | |
| 59 | University of South Dakota | 22800 | 26000 | 0.1232 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 61 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 22900 | 22900 | 0 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 62 | Ouachita Baptist University | 23200 | 52200 | 0.5561 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 62 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 64 | Averett University | 23300 | 57200 | 0.593 | 1,180 | 1010 | 0.478 | |
| 65 | Oral Roberts University | 23900 | 55600 | 0.5706 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 66 | Hamline University | 24000 | 56500 | 0.5748 | 1,716 | 1145 | 0.8983 | |
| 67 | La Roche University | 24300 | 55400 | 0.5616 | 1,986 | 1150 | 0.7761 | |
| 67 | University of Central Arkansas | 24300 | 29500 | 0.1763 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 69 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24400 | 26600 | 0.0828 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 70 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 24900 | 46200 | 0.4606 | 1,041 | 1040 | 0.5686 | |
| 70 | Creighton University | 24900 | 56600 | 0.5601 | 4,647 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 72 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 72 | Illinois State University | 25000 | 35200 | 0.2914 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 74 | Boston College | 25100 | 94600 | 0.7347 | 9,654 | 1490 | 0.1619 | |
| 74 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 76 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.3189 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 77 | La Salle University | 25700 | 58100 | 0.5576 | 2,675 | 1005 | 0.9552 | |
| 78 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 78 | Otterbein University | 25900 | 66300 | 0.6094 | 2,211 | 1114 | 0.8452 | |
| 78 | Saginaw Valley State University | 25900 | 38900 | 0.3347 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 81 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 82 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 83 | Indiana State University | 26900 | 30900 | 0.1296 | 6,224 | 1140 | 0.8077 | |
| 83 | University of North Alabama | 26900 | 41500 | 0.352 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 85 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 86 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6328 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 87 | Washburn University | 28200 | 38100 | 0.26 | 5,331 | 1015 | 1 | |
| 88 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.401 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 89 | Bridgewater State University | 29500 | 37000 | 0.2016 | 8,172 | 1135 | 0.8919 | |
| 89 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 91 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4086 | 722 | 1170 | 0.9425 | |
| 92 | Southern Adventist University | 29800 | 46900 | 0.3648 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 92 | Southern Methodist University | 29800 | 81700 | 0.6355 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 94 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 29900 | 51100 | 0.4151 | 1,477 | 1075 | 0.8068 | |
| 95 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 96 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 96 | Jacksonville University | 30200 | 66200 | 0.5441 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5696 | |
| 98 | Ohio Northern University | 30900 | 63500 | 0.5131 | 2,592 | 1289 | 0.7335 | |
| 98 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 100 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 101 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3882 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 102 | University of Scranton | 32400 | 78700 | 0.5881 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.812 | |
| 103 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 32600 | 40200 | 0.1892 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 104 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 105 | Hardin-Simmons University | 33300 | 49700 | 0.33 | 1,283 | 1080 | 0.9653 | |
| 106 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 33400 | 40900 | 0.1835 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 107 | Drake University | 33700 | 68500 | 0.5078 | 2,585 | 1226 | 0.6385 | |
| 107 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 109 | LeTourneau University | 34000 | 54600 | 0.3772 | 3,184 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 109 | Valparaiso University | 34000 | 62700 | 0.4572 | 2,123 | 1247 | 0.8934 | |
| 111 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 34100 | 35100 | 0.0285 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 112 | Auburn University | 34400 | 34400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 113 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 114 | University of Montevallo | 35800 | 46700 | 0.2333 | 2,545 | 1124 | 0.5579 | |
| 115 | University of Southern Maine | 36000 | 37100 | 0.0296 | 5,525 | 1129 | 0.7931 | |
| 116 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 36200 | 56300 | 0.3569 | 1,817 | 1055 | 0.5187 | |
| 117 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 118 | Farmingdale State College | 36500 | 37800 | 0.0344 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 118 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 120 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 37100 | 38100 | 0.0262 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 121 | University of Connecticut | 37600 | 41800 | 0.1005 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 122 | Seattle University | 37800 | 69800 | 0.4582 | 4,103 | 1256 | 0.7703 | |
| 123 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 124 | University of Wyoming | 38600 | 43800 | 0.1187 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 125 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 126 | Cumberland University | 39200 | 47500 | 0.1729 | 2,652 | 1125 | 0.67 | |
| 127 | Pace University | 39700 | 74100 | 0.464 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 128 | University of Portland | 40000 | 71700 | 0.4421 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 129 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 40100 | 45400 | 0.1167 | 502 | 1204 | 0.9641 | |
| 130 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 131 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 132 | Manhattan University | 41200 | 71700 | 0.4252 | 2,928 | 1248 | 0.785 | |
| 133 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 41300 | 41300 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 134 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 135 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 136 | Bryant University | 42400 | 73800 | 0.4255 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 136 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 138 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 139 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 140 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42700 | 52900 | 0.1928 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 141 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0693 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 142 | Western Washington University | 44800 | 50900 | 0.1197 | 13,752 | 1218 | 0.9325 | |
| 143 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 144 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3575 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 145 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 74500 | 0.3826 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 146 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 48600 | 64400 | 0.2454 | 14,657 | 1180 | 0.8368 | |
| 147 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 148 | University of Iowa | 51000 | 53200 | 0.0415 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 149 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 150 | University of Utah | 51500 | 53700 | 0.0411 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 151 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 51800 | 57000 | 0.0913 | 6,546 | 1153 | 0.9252 | |
| 152 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 55300 | 74600 | 0.2586 | 5,472 | 1214 | 0.906 | |
| 153 | University of California-Davis | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 154 | Elon University | 65900 | 67300 | 0.0208 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 | |
| 155 | Loyola Marymount University | 72500 | 94300 | 0.2311 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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