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 | Rice University | 4300 | 85500 | 0.9496 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4900 | 86800 | 0.9433 | 4,576 | 1535 | 0.0485 | |
| 3 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | 5700 | 53000 | 0.8921 | 2,525 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9500 | 20000 | 0.5249 | 3,207 | 1050 | 0.8034 | |
| 5 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1055 | 0.9589 | |
| 6 | University of Notre Dame | 10200 | 86100 | 0.8815 | 8,880 | 1499 | 0.1127 | |
| 7 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 30900 | 0.6273 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania | 11500 | 93000 | 0.8765 | 10,013 | 1528 | 0.054 | |
| 9 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 12200 | 27200 | 0.5522 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 10 | Emory University | 12300 | 90100 | 0.8635 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1029 | |
| 11 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 12 | Brigham Young University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5686 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 13 | Eastern Illinois University | 12800 | 24500 | 0.4787 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 13 | University of California-San Diego | 12800 | 34000 | 0.6231 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2677 | |
| 15 | Utah State University | 13000 | 30000 | 0.5659 | 25,920 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 16 | Georgetown University | 14000 | 92200 | 0.8482 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 17 | Wake Forest University | 14500 | 88400 | 0.8355 | 5,471 | 1457 | 0.2156 | |
| 18 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 18 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 15100 | 29900 | 0.4952 | 5,472 | 1214 | 0.906 | |
| 20 | University of Florida | 15400 | 22300 | 0.3095 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 21 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 15500 | 24800 | 0.3744 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 15600 | 35400 | 0.5588 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 22 | Washburn University | 15600 | 25200 | 0.3805 | 5,331 | 1015 | 1 | |
| 24 | New York University | 15800 | 91800 | 0.8277 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 24 | Trinity University | 15800 | 64800 | 0.7563 | 2,518 | 1402 | 0.2592 | |
| 24 | University of Southern Maine | 15800 | 23000 | 0.3127 | 5,525 | 1129 | 0.7931 | |
| 27 | Grand Valley State University | 16400 | 25300 | 0.3522 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 28 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16800 | 22300 | 0.2464 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 29 | Arkansas State University | 17100 | 28100 | 0.3917 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 30 | Lewis-Clark State College | 17600 | 24400 | 0.2786 | 3,793 | 980 | 0.9407 | |
| 31 | Bucknell University | 17700 | 88400 | 0.7996 | 3,920 | 1284 | 0.2893 | |
| 32 | Holy Family University | 17800 | 54000 | 0.67 | 2,650 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 33 | Illinois State University | 17900 | 28000 | 0.3622 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 34 | University of Arkansas | 18200 | 27700 | 0.3419 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 35 | Quincy University | 18500 | 63000 | 0.7067 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 35 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 18500 | 78300 | 0.7638 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 37 | Illinois College | 18900 | 52300 | 0.6376 | 940 | 1054 | 0.7819 | |
| 38 | Mid-America Christian University | 19000 | 36800 | 0.4841 | 1,636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 39 | University of Southern California | 19200 | 76000 | 0.7473 | 21,023 | 1485 | 0.1002 | |
| 40 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19400 | 32900 | 0.4109 | 624 | 1115 | 0.9664 | |
| 41 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19800 | 24500 | 0.1915 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 42 | Lee University | 19900 | 37100 | 0.4631 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 43 | Farmingdale State College | 20100 | 23000 | 0.1259 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 44 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 44 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 43700 | 0.5382 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 46 | Texas Wesleyan University | 20800 | 69500 | 0.701 | 1,910 | 1045 | 0.6239 | |
| 47 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20900 | 36200 | 0.4221 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 47 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.128 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 49 | George Mason University | 21000 | 33500 | 0.3732 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 50 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6224 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 51 | Felician University | 21300 | 58700 | 0.6373 | 1,870 | 1005 | 0.9511 | |
| 52 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 53 | Sterling College | 22300 | 53600 | 0.5838 | 670 | 1090 | 0.8916 | |
| 54 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 22500 | 36400 | 0.3814 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 55 | Saint Norbert College | 22600 | 62300 | 0.6373 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 56 | Lewis University | 22700 | 57000 | 0.6019 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 57 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22800 | 30300 | 0.2473 | 22,495 | 1247 | 0.7735 | |
| 58 | Manchester University | 22900 | 54200 | 0.5763 | 915 | 1044 | 0.913 | |
| 58 | University of South Dakota | 22900 | 26000 | 0.1182 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 60 | Ouachita Baptist University | 23200 | 52200 | 0.5561 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 60 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 23200 | 33800 | 0.3133 | 502 | 1204 | 0.9641 | |
| 60 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 63 | Averett University | 23300 | 57200 | 0.593 | 1,180 | 1010 | 0.478 | |
| 64 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23400 | 33600 | 0.3037 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 64 | The University of Alabama | 23400 | 29900 | 0.2177 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 66 | Oral Roberts University | 23800 | 55600 | 0.5718 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 67 | Hamline University | 24000 | 56500 | 0.5748 | 1,716 | 1145 | 0.8983 | |
| 68 | University of Rochester | 24100 | 93100 | 0.7414 | 6,580 | 1469 | 0.4008 | |
| 69 | La Roche University | 24300 | 55400 | 0.5616 | 1,986 | 1150 | 0.7761 | |
| 70 | University of Central Arkansas | 24400 | 29500 | 0.1719 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 71 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24600 | 26600 | 0.0779 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 72 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 24900 | 46200 | 0.4606 | 1,041 | 1040 | 0.5686 | |
| 73 | Boston College | 25100 | 94600 | 0.7347 | 9,654 | 1490 | 0.1619 | |
| 73 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 75 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25900 | 0.0193 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 76 | La Salle University | 25600 | 58100 | 0.5593 | 2,675 | 1005 | 0.9552 | |
| 76 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.3207 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 78 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 79 | Indiana State University | 26000 | 30900 | 0.1587 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 79 | Otterbein University | 26000 | 66500 | 0.6094 | 2,211 | 1114 | 0.8452 | |
| 79 | Saginaw Valley State University | 26000 | 38900 | 0.3313 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 82 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3864 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 82 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 84 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 85 | Cornell College | 26700 | 72200 | 0.6299 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 86 | University of North Alabama | 26900 | 41500 | 0.352 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 87 | Creighton University | 27300 | 56600 | 0.5177 | 4,647 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 88 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 89 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 27500 | 35600 | 0.2273 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 90 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 91 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 27900 | 32800 | 0.1492 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 92 | Salem State University | 29400 | 38900 | 0.244 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 93 | Bridgewater State University | 29500 | 37000 | 0.2007 | 8,172 | 1140 | 0.8919 | |
| 93 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 95 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4088 | 722 | 1170 | 0.9425 | |
| 96 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 29900 | 51100 | 0.4151 | 1,477 | 1075 | 0.8068 | |
| 96 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3621 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 96 | Southern Methodist University | 29900 | 81700 | 0.6343 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 99 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 100 | Jacksonville University | 30200 | 66200 | 0.5441 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5696 | |
| 101 | Belmont University | 30300 | 67800 | 0.5529 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 102 | Ohio Northern University | 30500 | 61100 | 0.5018 | 2,592 | 1289 | 0.7335 | |
| 102 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 30500 | 41800 | 0.2705 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 104 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 105 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 31500 | 36700 | 0.1417 | 5,789 | 1115 | 0.5774 | |
| 106 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 107 | McKendree University | 32100 | 52200 | 0.3857 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 108 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 76300 | 0.5763 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.812 | |
| 109 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 110 | Drake University | 32800 | 68500 | 0.521 | 2,585 | 1283 | 0.6385 | |
| 111 | Hardin-Simmons University | 33500 | 49700 | 0.326 | 1,283 | 1080 | 0.9653 | |
| 112 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 113 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 114 | LeTourneau University | 34000 | 54600 | 0.3772 | 3,184 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 114 | Valparaiso University | 34000 | 62700 | 0.4572 | 2,123 | 1247 | 0.8934 | |
| 116 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 117 | University of Montevallo | 35800 | 46700 | 0.2333 | 2,545 | 1124 | 0.5579 | |
| 118 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 36200 | 56300 | 0.3569 | 1,817 | 1055 | 0.5187 | |
| 119 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 120 | Seattle University | 37800 | 69800 | 0.4582 | 4,103 | 1256 | 0.7703 | |
| 120 | University of Connecticut | 37800 | 41800 | 0.0957 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 122 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 123 | University of Wyoming | 38800 | 43800 | 0.1158 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 124 | Cumberland University | 39400 | 47500 | 0.1702 | 2,652 | 1125 | 0.67 | |
| 125 | Pace University | 39700 | 74100 | 0.464 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 126 | University of Portland | 40000 | 71700 | 0.4421 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 127 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 128 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 129 | Manhattan University | 41200 | 71700 | 0.4252 | 2,928 | 1248 | 0.785 | |
| 130 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 41300 | 41300 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 131 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 132 | Hofstra University | 41700 | 74600 | 0.4409 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 133 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 134 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 135 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 136 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 137 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42700 | 52900 | 0.1928 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 138 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43200 | 46200 | 0.0665 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 139 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 43800 | 50300 | 0.1293 | 34,242 | 1260 | 0.7333 | |
| 140 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2742 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 141 | Western Washington University | 45000 | 50900 | 0.1158 | 13,752 | 1218 | 0.9325 | |
| 142 | Duquesne University | 45400 | 70500 | 0.3557 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 143 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 74500 | 0.3826 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 144 | Bryant University | 46300 | 73800 | 0.3727 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 145 | University of California-Merced | 48500 | 52300 | 0.0726 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 146 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 48700 | 64400 | 0.2439 | 14,657 | 1180 | 0.8368 | |
| 147 | University of Iowa | 51100 | 53200 | 0.039 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 148 | Drexel University | 51200 | 82600 | 0.38 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 149 | University of Utah | 51600 | 53700 | 0.0386 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 150 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 51700 | 51700 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 151 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 51800 | 57000 | 0.0913 | 6,546 | 1153 | 0.9252 | |
| 152 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 153 | University of California-Davis | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 154 | Loyola Marymount University | 64000 | 94300 | 0.3212 | 7,273 | 1383 | 0.4508 | |
| 155 | Elon University | 66000 | 67300 | 0.0193 | 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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