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 | 9600 | 20000 | 0.5199 | 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 | Emory University | 12300 | 90100 | 0.8635 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1029 | |
| 10 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 11 | Brigham Young University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5686 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 12 | Eastern Illinois University | 12800 | 24500 | 0.4787 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 13 | Utah State University | 13000 | 30000 | 0.5659 | 25,920 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 14 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 13600 | 24400 | 0.4431 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 14 | University of North Alabama | 13600 | 28200 | 0.518 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 16 | Western Washington University | 13900 | 31600 | 0.5606 | 13,752 | 1218 | 0.9325 | |
| 17 | Georgetown University | 14000 | 92200 | 0.8482 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 18 | University of California-Merced | 14400 | 40300 | 0.6422 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 19 | Wake Forest University | 14500 | 88400 | 0.8355 | 5,471 | 1457 | 0.2156 | |
| 20 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25400 | 0.4101 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 21 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 21 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 15100 | 29900 | 0.4952 | 5,472 | 1214 | 0.906 | |
| 23 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 15500 | 24800 | 0.3744 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 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 | |
| 26 | Grand Valley State University | 15900 | 25300 | 0.372 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 27 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 16200 | 35400 | 0.5419 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 28 | Lewis-Clark State College | 17600 | 24400 | 0.2786 | 3,793 | 980 | 0.9407 | |
| 29 | Bucknell University | 17700 | 88400 | 0.7996 | 3,920 | 1284 | 0.2893 | |
| 30 | Holy Family University | 17800 | 54000 | 0.67 | 2,650 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 31 | Quincy University | 18500 | 63000 | 0.7067 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 31 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 18500 | 78300 | 0.7638 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 33 | Illinois College | 18900 | 52300 | 0.6376 | 940 | 1054 | 0.7819 | |
| 34 | Mid-America Christian University | 19000 | 36800 | 0.4841 | 1,636 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 19100 | 27000 | 0.293 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 36 | University of Southern California | 19200 | 76000 | 0.7473 | 21,023 | 1485 | 0.1002 | |
| 37 | Lee University | 19900 | 37100 | 0.4631 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 37 | University of Northern Iowa | 19900 | 24000 | 0.1697 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 39 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 39 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20200 | 38800 | 0.481 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 41 | Bridgewater State University | 20800 | 28700 | 0.2728 | 8,172 | 1140 | 0.8919 | |
| 41 | Texas Wesleyan University | 20800 | 69500 | 0.701 | 1,910 | 1045 | 0.6239 | |
| 43 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2289 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 44 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6224 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 45 | Felician University | 21300 | 58700 | 0.6373 | 1,870 | 1005 | 0.9511 | |
| 46 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 47 | Sterling College | 22300 | 53600 | 0.5838 | 670 | 1090 | 0.8916 | |
| 48 | Saint Norbert College | 22600 | 62300 | 0.6373 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 49 | Lewis University | 22700 | 57000 | 0.6019 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 50 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22800 | 30300 | 0.2473 | 22,495 | 1247 | 0.7735 | |
| 51 | Manchester University | 22900 | 54200 | 0.5763 | 915 | 1044 | 0.913 | |
| 51 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 22900 | 33800 | 0.3222 | 502 | 1204 | 0.9641 | |
| 53 | Ouachita Baptist University | 23100 | 52200 | 0.558 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 54 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 55 | Averett University | 23300 | 57200 | 0.593 | 1,180 | 1010 | 0.478 | |
| 56 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23400 | 33600 | 0.3037 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 57 | The University of Alabama | 23600 | 29900 | 0.211 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 58 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 23800 | 24500 | 0.0285 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 58 | Oral Roberts University | 23800 | 55600 | 0.5718 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 60 | University of South Dakota | 23900 | 26000 | 0.0798 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 61 | Hamline University | 24000 | 56500 | 0.5748 | 1,716 | 1145 | 0.8983 | |
| 62 | University of Rochester | 24100 | 93100 | 0.7414 | 6,580 | 1469 | 0.4008 | |
| 63 | La Roche University | 24300 | 55400 | 0.5616 | 1,986 | 1150 | 0.7761 | |
| 64 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24600 | 26600 | 0.0779 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 65 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 24900 | 46200 | 0.4606 | 1,041 | 1040 | 0.5686 | |
| 66 | Boston College | 25100 | 94600 | 0.7347 | 9,654 | 1490 | 0.1619 | |
| 66 | Illinois State University | 25100 | 35200 | 0.2877 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 66 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 69 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25900 | 0.0193 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 70 | La Salle University | 25600 | 58100 | 0.5593 | 2,675 | 1005 | 0.9552 | |
| 70 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.3207 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 72 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 73 | Indiana State University | 26000 | 30900 | 0.1587 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 73 | Otterbein University | 26000 | 66500 | 0.6094 | 2,211 | 1114 | 0.8452 | |
| 73 | Saginaw Valley State University | 26000 | 38900 | 0.3313 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 76 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3864 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 76 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 78 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 79 | Cornell College | 26700 | 72200 | 0.6299 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 79 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 30800 | 0.1324 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 81 | Creighton University | 27300 | 56600 | 0.5177 | 4,647 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 82 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 83 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 27900 | 32800 | 0.1492 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 84 | Washburn University | 28200 | 38100 | 0.26 | 5,331 | 1015 | 1 | |
| 85 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 28500 | 41900 | 0.3197 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 86 | Salem State University | 29400 | 38900 | 0.244 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 87 | University of Connecticut | 29600 | 33200 | 0.1086 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 88 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4088 | 722 | 1170 | 0.9425 | |
| 89 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 29900 | 51100 | 0.4151 | 1,477 | 1075 | 0.8068 | |
| 89 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3621 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 89 | Southern Methodist University | 29900 | 81700 | 0.6343 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 92 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 93 | Jacksonville University | 30200 | 66200 | 0.5441 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5696 | |
| 94 | Belmont University | 30300 | 67800 | 0.5529 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 95 | Ohio Northern University | 30500 | 61100 | 0.5018 | 2,592 | 1289 | 0.7335 | |
| 96 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 97 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 31100 | 45200 | 0.3121 | 624 | 1115 | 0.9664 | |
| 98 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 31500 | 36700 | 0.1417 | 5,789 | 1115 | 0.5774 | |
| 99 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 100 | McKendree University | 32100 | 52200 | 0.3857 | 1,605 | 1098 | 0.6388 | |
| 101 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 76300 | 0.5763 | 3,613 | 1220 | 0.812 | |
| 102 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 103 | Drake University | 32800 | 68500 | 0.521 | 2,585 | 1283 | 0.6385 | |
| 104 | Hardin-Simmons University | 33500 | 49700 | 0.326 | 1,283 | 1080 | 0.9653 | |
| 105 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 33600 | 40900 | 0.1786 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 105 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 107 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5882 | 11,677 | 1421 | 0.4709 | |
| 108 | Valparaiso University | 34000 | 62700 | 0.4572 | 2,123 | 1247 | 0.8934 | |
| 109 | LeTourneau University | 34100 | 54600 | 0.3754 | 3,184 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 110 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 111 | University of Montevallo | 35800 | 46700 | 0.2333 | 2,545 | 1124 | 0.5579 | |
| 112 | University of Southern Maine | 36000 | 37100 | 0.0296 | 5,525 | 1129 | 0.7931 | |
| 113 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 36200 | 56300 | 0.3569 | 1,817 | 1055 | 0.5187 | |
| 114 | University of Central Arkansas | 36300 | 38400 | 0.0541 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 115 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 116 | Farmingdale State College | 36500 | 37800 | 0.0344 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 117 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 37100 | 38100 | 0.0262 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 118 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 119 | Seattle University | 37800 | 69800 | 0.4582 | 4,103 | 1256 | 0.7703 | |
| 120 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 121 | University of Wyoming | 38800 | 43800 | 0.1158 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 122 | Cumberland University | 39400 | 47500 | 0.1702 | 2,652 | 1125 | 0.67 | |
| 122 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39400 | 39400 | 0 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 124 | Pace University | 39700 | 74100 | 0.464 | 8,038 | 1274 | 0.7592 | |
| 125 | University of Portland | 40000 | 71700 | 0.4421 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 126 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 127 | University of California-San Diego | 40300 | 61100 | 0.3405 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2677 | |
| 127 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 40300 | 56700 | 0.2893 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 129 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 130 | Manhattan University | 41200 | 71700 | 0.4252 | 2,928 | 1248 | 0.785 | |
| 131 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 41300 | 41300 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 132 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 133 | Hofstra University | 41700 | 74600 | 0.4409 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 134 | Arkansas State University | 41900 | 45900 | 0.0859 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 135 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 136 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 137 | Mercyhurst University | 42600 | 66400 | 0.3586 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 138 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43200 | 46200 | 0.0665 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 139 | University of Florida | 43500 | 45600 | 0.046 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 140 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 43800 | 50300 | 0.1293 | 34,242 | 1260 | 0.7333 | |
| 141 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2742 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 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 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 48700 | 64400 | 0.2439 | 14,657 | 1180 | 0.8368 | |
| 146 | George Mason University | 49200 | 49200 | 0 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 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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