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 | Old Dominion University | 0 | 32400 | 1 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8200 | 90000 | 0.9093 | 4,535 | 1542 | 0.0455 | |
| 4 | Emory University | 8300 | 92500 | 0.9102 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1065 | |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | 9500 | 92900 | 0.8977 | 11,478 | 1536 | 0.054 | |
| 6 | Bucknell University | 9600 | 91800 | 0.8959 | 3,920 | 1396 | 0.2893 | |
| 7 | Rice University | 9800 | 89100 | 0.8903 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 8 | University of California-Davis | 10200 | 38100 | 0.7328 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 9 | University of Notre Dame | 10700 | 86200 | 0.8763 | 8,880 | 1500 | 0.1127 | |
| 10 | Georgetown University | 11300 | 92700 | 0.8781 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 11 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 12 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 31200 | 0.6315 | 6,952 | 995 | 0.9075 | |
| 13 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 11700 | 19400 | 0.3967 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 14 | Felician University | 11800 | 58700 | 0.7991 | 1,870 | 1020 | 0.9401 | |
| 15 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 16 | Wake Forest University | 12100 | 91900 | 0.8679 | 5,490 | 1469 | 0.2167 | |
| 17 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12200 | 25000 | 0.5113 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 17 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 12200 | 38800 | 0.6861 | 17,885 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 19 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 20 | Eastern Illinois University | 12600 | 24300 | 0.4813 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 21 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 22 | Trinity University | 13500 | 69600 | 0.8064 | 2,518 | 1423 | 0.2592 | |
| 23 | Utah State University | 13800 | 20800 | 0.3369 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 24 | University of California-Merced | 14000 | 41900 | 0.666 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 25 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 26 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 26 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 28 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 29 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15900 | 38500 | 0.5862 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 30 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 30 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 32 | University of Southern Maine | 16300 | 23000 | 0.291 | 5,525 | 1144 | 0.7923 | |
| 33 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 16500 | 40600 | 0.593 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 34 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 16900 | 44500 | 0.6198 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 34 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.358 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 36 | Mid-America Christian University | 17200 | 36800 | 0.533 | 1,806 | 970 | 0.9176 | |
| 37 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17600 | 26600 | 0.3387 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 38 | Boston College | 17900 | 97600 | 0.8164 | 10,314 | 1490 | 0.1643 | |
| 39 | University of St Francis | 18300 | 57200 | 0.6803 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 40 | Holy Family University | 18800 | 56200 | 0.666 | 2,643 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 40 | Quincy University | 18800 | 57900 | 0.6751 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 42 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 43 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 19700 | 30400 | 0.3516 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 44 | Farmingdale State College | 19800 | 22500 | 0.1203 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 44 | Illinois College | 19800 | 55200 | 0.6415 | 937 | 1059 | 0.7819 | |
| 44 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19800 | 32900 | 0.3987 | 624 | 1125 | 0.9664 | |
| 47 | Ouachita Baptist University | 19900 | 58200 | 0.6583 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 48 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 49 | Iowa State University | 20100 | 24200 | 0.1714 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 50 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 50 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 52 | University of Rochester | 20300 | 93100 | 0.7822 | 6,580 | 1462 | 0.4008 | |
| 53 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20600 | 23200 | 0.1121 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 53 | University of Montevallo | 20600 | 30300 | 0.3202 | 2,642 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 55 | Stetson University | 20700 | 79100 | 0.7387 | 2,349 | 1179 | 0.716 | |
| 56 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27300 | 0.2346 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 56 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1293 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 58 | Piedmont University | 21500 | 47200 | 0.5445 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 59 | La Roche University | 21900 | 72600 | 0.6986 | 1,828 | 1059 | 0.7576 | |
| 60 | Sterling College | 22100 | 53900 | 0.5906 | 670 | 1070 | 0.4817 | |
| 61 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,472 | 1075 | 0.8459 | |
| 61 | Newman University | 22400 | 54000 | 0.5862 | 2,529 | 1069 | 0.7398 | |
| 63 | New York University | 22700 | 91800 | 0.7524 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 64 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 22900 | 45900 | 0.5015 | 502 | 1189 | 0.9641 | |
| 65 | Faulkner University | 23100 | 40600 | 0.4315 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 65 | Hamline University | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5907 | 1,806 | 1163 | 0.8763 | |
| 67 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23400 | 34500 | 0.3221 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 68 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 23500 | 38200 | 0.3846 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 68 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 70 | Saint Norbert College | 23800 | 63800 | 0.6267 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 71 | University of South Dakota | 23900 | 26000 | 0.0809 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 71 | Wittenberg University | 23900 | 65400 | 0.6342 | 1,227 | 1178 | 0.7235 | |
| 73 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 74 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 74 | University of Kansas | 24200 | 37600 | 0.3561 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 76 | Texas Wesleyan University | 24300 | 64500 | 0.6231 | 1,796 | 1060 | 0.6916 | |
| 77 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 78 | Augustana College | 24900 | 72800 | 0.6584 | 2,522 | 1163 | 0.6268 | |
| 79 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5027 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 80 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 25800 | 37500 | 0.3124 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 81 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 82 | The University of Findlay | 26100 | 50600 | 0.4838 | 4,062 | 1124 | 0.8337 | |
| 83 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 84 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 84 | University of Arkansas | 26800 | 28900 | 0.0729 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 86 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 87 | University of Central Arkansas | 27100 | 31200 | 0.1314 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 88 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2788 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 89 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6319 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 89 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27500 | 39800 | 0.3094 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 91 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 92 | Bridgewater State University | 28900 | 35500 | 0.1844 | 8,270 | 1180 | 0.8781 | |
| 92 | University of Utah | 28900 | 32000 | 0.097 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 94 | University of Iowa | 29000 | 31100 | 0.0677 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 95 | Southern Methodist University | 29100 | 90100 | 0.677 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 96 | Creighton University | 29200 | 68000 | 0.5709 | 4,377 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 97 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 98 | Ferrum College | 29400 | 49500 | 0.4063 | 724 | 990 | 0.8898 | |
| 99 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4089 | 722 | 1180 | 0.9425 | |
| 100 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3627 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 101 | Otterbein University | 30400 | 57300 | 0.4694 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 102 | George Mason University | 30700 | 35700 | 0.1399 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 103 | Jacksonville University | 30800 | 74200 | 0.5847 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5694 | |
| 103 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 105 | Ohio Northern University | 31000 | 63500 | 0.5115 | 2,706 | 1269 | 0.744 | |
| 106 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 107 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5356 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 107 | University of Scranton | 32500 | 78700 | 0.5869 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 109 | McKendree University | 32700 | 52900 | 0.3813 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 110 | Drake University | 32800 | 68500 | 0.5214 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 111 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 112 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 112 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 114 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 115 | LeTourneau University | 34000 | 54800 | 0.3798 | 3,187 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 116 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 116 | Washburn University | 34700 | 38400 | 0.0963 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 118 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,123 | 1189 | 0.8943 | |
| 119 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 120 | New Jersey City University | 35700 | 39800 | 0.1031 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 121 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 122 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 36900 | 38100 | 0.0315 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 122 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 124 | Hardin-Simmons University | 37200 | 49700 | 0.2514 | 1,291 | 1110 | 0.9 | |
| 125 | University of Connecticut | 37300 | 53600 | 0.3043 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 126 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 127 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 128 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 128 | University of Illinois Chicago | 38200 | 50600 | 0.2451 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 130 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.6152 | |
| 131 | Cumberland University | 39300 | 47500 | 0.1708 | 2,745 | 1055 | 0.6733 | |
| 131 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 133 | Saint Vincent College | 39500 | 64600 | 0.3888 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 134 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 135 | University of Wyoming | 40200 | 45300 | 0.1127 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 136 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 137 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 138 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 139 | Seattle University | 42000 | 75000 | 0.4397 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 139 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 139 | Western Washington University | 42000 | 51500 | 0.1846 | 13,752 | 1272 | 0.9325 | |
| 142 | Bryant University | 42500 | 75900 | 0.4398 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 143 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 144 | University of Florida | 43300 | 45700 | 0.0526 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 145 | Manhattan University | 43600 | 74100 | 0.4115 | 2,744 | 1274 | 0.7894 | |
| 146 | Illinois State University | 44000 | 49100 | 0.104 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 147 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2743 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 148 | Duquesne University | 45400 | 70500 | 0.3561 | 5,371 | 1274 | 0.8356 | |
| 149 | University of California-San Diego | 45900 | 76000 | 0.396 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 150 | Saint Louis University | 46300 | 80900 | 0.4275 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 151 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47000 | 59700 | 0.2127 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 152 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48600 | 51200 | 0.0508 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 153 | Drexel University | 48900 | 83900 | 0.4172 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 154 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49700 | 85800 | 0.4206 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 155 | University of Portland | 50900 | 84800 | 0.3998 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 156 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 54100 | 59200 | 0.0862 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 157 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54800 | 66400 | 0.1747 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 158 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 159 | Elon University | 56400 | 68900 | 0.1815 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 160 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 161 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 162 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 61000 | 66000 | 0.0758 | 5,472 | 1333 | 0.906 | |
| 162 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 61000 | 63200 | 0.0348 | 40,684 | 1331 | 0.3915 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 166 | Stonehill College | 70600 | 70600 | 0 | 2,568 | 1150 | 0.6628 | |
| 167 | Loyola Marymount University | 71700 | 95500 | 0.2491 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 | |
| 168 | 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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