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 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8200 | 90000 | 0.9093 | 4,535 | 1542 | 0.0455 | |
| 3 | Emory University | 8300 | 92500 | 0.9102 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1065 | |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania | 9200 | 92900 | 0.9009 | 11,478 | 1536 | 0.054 | |
| 5 | Bucknell University | 9600 | 91800 | 0.8959 | 3,920 | 1396 | 0.2893 | |
| 6 | Utah State University | 9700 | 26700 | 0.6361 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 7 | Rice University | 9800 | 89100 | 0.8903 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 7 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9800 | 20400 | 0.5201 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 9 | University of Notre Dame | 10700 | 86200 | 0.8763 | 8,880 | 1500 | 0.1127 | |
| 10 | Georgetown University | 11200 | 92700 | 0.8792 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 11 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 12 | University of California-San Diego | 11500 | 39700 | 0.7102 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 13 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5879 | 6,952 | 995 | 0.9075 | |
| 13 | Felician University | 11800 | 58700 | 0.7991 | 1,870 | 1020 | 0.9401 | |
| 15 | Wake Forest University | 12100 | 91900 | 0.8679 | 5,490 | 1469 | 0.2167 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 17 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 13500 | 19400 | 0.304 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 17 | Trinity University | 13500 | 69600 | 0.8064 | 2,518 | 1423 | 0.2592 | |
| 19 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 20 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 20 | Western Washington University | 13700 | 31400 | 0.5637 | 13,752 | 1272 | 0.9325 | |
| 22 | University of California-Merced | 14000 | 41900 | 0.666 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 23 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 14200 | 40600 | 0.6496 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 24 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 27400 | 0.4711 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 26 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15800 | 38500 | 0.5888 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 27 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 16000 | 38700 | 0.5863 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 27 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 27 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | University of Florida | 16300 | 22500 | 0.2755 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 30 | University of Southern Maine | 16300 | 23000 | 0.291 | 5,525 | 1144 | 0.7923 | |
| 32 | Mid-America Christian University | 17200 | 36800 | 0.533 | 1,806 | 970 | 0.9176 | |
| 32 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17200 | 43500 | 0.6041 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 34 | Boston College | 17800 | 97600 | 0.8174 | 10,314 | 1490 | 0.1643 | |
| 35 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5379 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 36 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 36 | University of St Francis | 18200 | 57200 | 0.6816 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 38 | Holy Family University | 18800 | 56200 | 0.666 | 2,643 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 39 | Quincy University | 18900 | 57900 | 0.6733 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 40 | Rutgers University-Newark | 19500 | 38000 | 0.4866 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 41 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 42 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6438 | 937 | 1059 | 0.7819 | |
| 42 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 42 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1782 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 42 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 19700 | 78700 | 0.7498 | 17,885 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 46 | Ouachita Baptist University | 19900 | 58200 | 0.6583 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 47 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 48 | University of Rochester | 20100 | 93100 | 0.7843 | 6,580 | 1462 | 0.4008 | |
| 49 | Eastern Illinois University | 20400 | 28100 | 0.2731 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 49 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 51 | Stetson University | 20700 | 79100 | 0.7387 | 2,349 | 1179 | 0.716 | |
| 52 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27300 | 0.2346 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 53 | Piedmont University | 21500 | 47200 | 0.5445 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 54 | La Roche University | 21900 | 72600 | 0.6986 | 1,828 | 1059 | 0.7576 | |
| 55 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 55 | Sterling College | 22100 | 53900 | 0.5901 | 670 | 1070 | 0.4817 | |
| 57 | Newman University | 22200 | 54000 | 0.5893 | 2,529 | 1069 | 0.7398 | |
| 57 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22200 | 30100 | 0.2629 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 59 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,472 | 1075 | 0.8459 | |
| 59 | New York University | 22400 | 91800 | 0.7556 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 61 | Old Dominion University | 22600 | 32400 | 0.3023 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 62 | Faulkner University | 23100 | 40600 | 0.4315 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 62 | Hamline University | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5907 | 1,806 | 1163 | 0.8763 | |
| 64 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23200 | 34500 | 0.3279 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 65 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 66 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 23500 | 38200 | 0.3846 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 67 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 67 | University of South Dakota | 23700 | 26000 | 0.0876 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 69 | Saint Norbert College | 23800 | 63800 | 0.6267 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 69 | Wittenberg University | 23800 | 65400 | 0.636 | 1,227 | 1178 | 0.7235 | |
| 71 | Texas Wesleyan University | 24000 | 64500 | 0.6278 | 1,796 | 1060 | 0.6916 | |
| 72 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 73 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 24200 | 41300 | 0.4141 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 73 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 73 | University of Kansas | 24200 | 37600 | 0.3581 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 76 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6601 | 2,522 | 1163 | 0.6268 | |
| 76 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 78 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 25000 | 45900 | 0.4557 | 502 | 1189 | 0.9641 | |
| 79 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 80 | Walla Walla University | 25600 | 51700 | 0.5046 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 81 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 25800 | 37500 | 0.3124 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 81 | Saginaw Valley State University | 25800 | 38900 | 0.3366 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 83 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 83 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 85 | The University of Findlay | 26100 | 50600 | 0.4838 | 4,062 | 1124 | 0.8337 | |
| 86 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 87 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 88 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 89 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 90 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 91 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 92 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6335 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 93 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 27800 | 31100 | 0.1056 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 93 | University of North Alabama | 27800 | 37300 | 0.2547 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 95 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 96 | University of Utah | 28700 | 32000 | 0.1025 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 97 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 97 | University of Iowa | 28800 | 31100 | 0.0733 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 99 | Bridgewater State University | 28900 | 35500 | 0.1848 | 8,270 | 1180 | 0.8781 | |
| 100 | Southern Methodist University | 29000 | 90100 | 0.6781 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 101 | Creighton University | 29200 | 68000 | 0.5709 | 4,377 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 101 | Ferrum College | 29200 | 49500 | 0.4098 | 724 | 990 | 0.8898 | |
| 101 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 37000 | 0.2106 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 104 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 105 | Southern Adventist University | 29700 | 46900 | 0.3665 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 105 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4089 | 722 | 1180 | 0.9425 | |
| 107 | Otterbein University | 30400 | 57300 | 0.4694 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 108 | Jacksonville University | 30800 | 74200 | 0.5847 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5694 | |
| 108 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 110 | Ohio Northern University | 30900 | 63500 | 0.5143 | 2,706 | 1269 | 0.744 | |
| 111 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 112 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3896 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 113 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 32200 | 40900 | 0.2127 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 114 | Farmingdale State College | 32300 | 37800 | 0.1453 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 114 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5891 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 116 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 117 | Drake University | 32600 | 68500 | 0.524 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 118 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 119 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 119 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 121 | LeTourneau University | 33900 | 54800 | 0.3817 | 3,187 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 122 | Washburn University | 34600 | 38400 | 0.0989 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 123 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 124 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 34800 | 61100 | 0.4305 | 624 | 1125 | 0.9664 | |
| 125 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,123 | 1189 | 0.8943 | |
| 126 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 127 | University of Montevallo | 35400 | 44900 | 0.2118 | 2,642 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 128 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 129 | Hardin-Simmons University | 35700 | 49700 | 0.2816 | 1,291 | 1110 | 0.9 | |
| 130 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 36900 | 38100 | 0.0315 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 130 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 132 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 133 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 135 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0567 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 136 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 137 | Cumberland University | 39200 | 47500 | 0.1745 | 2,745 | 1055 | 0.6733 | |
| 137 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.6152 | |
| 139 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3915 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 139 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 141 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1166 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 142 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 143 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 52100 | 0.2208 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 144 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 145 | Seattle University | 42000 | 74600 | 0.4368 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 145 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 147 | Bryant University | 42300 | 75900 | 0.4425 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 148 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 56200 | 0.2421 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 149 | Manhattan University | 43600 | 74100 | 0.4115 | 2,744 | 1274 | 0.7894 | |
| 150 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1076 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 151 | Duquesne University | 45200 | 70500 | 0.3586 | 5,371 | 1274 | 0.8356 | |
| 152 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 80900 | 0.4312 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 153 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0543 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 154 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 155 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49500 | 85800 | 0.4229 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 156 | University of Portland | 50800 | 84800 | 0.401 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 157 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53300 | 53300 | 0 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 158 | George Mason University | 53500 | 61000 | 0.123 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 159 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 53900 | 59200 | 0.0892 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 160 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54300 | 66400 | 0.1823 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 161 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 162 | Elon University | 56300 | 68900 | 0.183 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 163 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 164 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 61000 | 66000 | 0.0758 | 5,472 | 1333 | 0.906 | |
| 164 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 61000 | 63200 | 0.0348 | 40,684 | 1331 | 0.3915 | |
| 166 | University of California-Davis | 69800 | 69800 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 167 | Stonehill College | 70600 | 70600 | 0 | 2,568 | 1150 | 0.6628 | |
| 168 | Loyola Marymount University | 74600 | 95500 | 0.2187 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 | |
| 169 | The Catholic University of America | 82500 | 82500 | 0 | 3,177 | 1140 | 0.8278 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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