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 | Northern Kentucky University | 7200 | 25900 | 0.723 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.6765 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Washington and Lee University | 9400 | 96000 | 0.9024 | 1,886 | 1488 | 0.1397 | |
| 4 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois University | 12900 | 24300 | 0.4684 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 7 | Mississippi Valley State University | 13200 | 21600 | 0.3896 | 2,013 | 845 | 0.9238 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5439 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 9 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13300 | 25700 | 0.4825 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 10 | University of Houston | 13400 | 23100 | 0.42 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 10 | University of Idaho | 13400 | 25800 | 0.4811 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 12 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 13 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 22700 | 0.3124 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 13 | University of Memphis | 15600 | 29900 | 0.4779 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 15 | University of Central Missouri | 15700 | 26600 | 0.4094 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 16 | Keene State College | 16400 | 51200 | 0.6801 | 2,725 | 1085 | 0.9033 | |
| 16 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 18 | Wayne State University | 16500 | 46200 | 0.643 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 19 | Eastern Michigan University | 16700 | 39700 | 0.5795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 19 | Texas State University | 16700 | 24500 | 0.3179 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 21 | Cleveland State University | 17000 | 30900 | 0.4493 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 21 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 23 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 24 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 37200 | 0.5269 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 25 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 26 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 17800 | 48000 | 0.6287 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 27 | University of Rhode Island | 17900 | 46400 | 0.6137 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 28 | Georgia Southern University | 18000 | 23800 | 0.2441 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 29 | Salem State University | 18200 | 28500 | 0.3614 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 30 | Lee University | 18500 | 37400 | 0.5057 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 31 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27700 | 0.3284 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 32 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 33 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 18900 | 50400 | 0.6251 | 6,647 | 1153 | 0.9008 | |
| 34 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 19000 | 67900 | 0.7197 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 35 | The University of Texas at Austin | 19400 | 27600 | 0.2966 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 36 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19500 | 34400 | 0.4326 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 36 | SUNY at Fredonia | 19500 | 39600 | 0.5082 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 38 | Montana State University Billings | 19700 | 35100 | 0.4388 | 3,881 | 1090 | 0.9947 | |
| 38 | Texas Tech University | 19700 | 27900 | 0.2942 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 40 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75800 | 0.7365 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 41 | Olivet Nazarene University | 20300 | 71400 | 0.7159 | 2,711 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 42 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1303 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 43 | Loras College | 21800 | 58400 | 0.6271 | 1,123 | 1110 | 0.9986 | |
| 44 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1241 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 45 | Bradley University | 22300 | 48500 | 0.5395 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 46 | Southwest Baptist University | 22600 | 41200 | 0.4523 | 1,710 | 1082 | 0.6839 | |
| 47 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 74500 | 0.6954 | 8,200 | 1110 | 0.9764 | |
| 48 | San Jose State University | 22800 | 41100 | 0.4454 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 49 | Murray State University | 22900 | 27600 | 0.168 | 7,851 | 1115 | 0.8568 | |
| 50 | Monmouth College | 23200 | 61400 | 0.6217 | 713 | 1120 | 0.9093 | |
| 50 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 55400 | 0.5809 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 52 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 23300 | 36800 | 0.367 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 53 | Columbia College Chicago | 23500 | 63200 | 0.6285 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 54 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3858 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 55 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5712 | 2,690 | 1005 | 0.9032 | |
| 55 | Point Park University | 24000 | 57000 | 0.5793 | 2,337 | 1140 | 0.9691 | |
| 57 | Heidelberg University | 24500 | 48600 | 0.496 | 969 | 1100 | 0.8579 | |
| 58 | American University | 24700 | 83600 | 0.7043 | 7,476 | 1375 | 0.6196 | |
| 59 | Dordt University | 25200 | 52500 | 0.5197 | 1,716 | 1205 | 0.6847 | |
| 60 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.503 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 61 | Westminster College | 26000 | 57600 | 0.5486 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 62 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3877 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 63 | Hood College | 27100 | 71400 | 0.62 | 1,198 | 1055 | 0.7777 | |
| 64 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 65 | Oral Roberts University | 27400 | 52700 | 0.4808 | 5,017 | 1214 | 0.989 | |
| 66 | Rowan University | 27500 | 41600 | 0.3386 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 67 | Marquette University | 27700 | 66200 | 0.5813 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 68 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6654 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 69 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57800 | 0.5075 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 69 | Winthrop University | 28500 | 38600 | 0.2624 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 71 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 33400 | 0.1437 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 72 | Southern Methodist University | 29100 | 83200 | 0.6506 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 73 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 74 | Gannon University | 29500 | 52900 | 0.4427 | 2,768 | 1133 | 0.7416 | |
| 74 | University of Toledo | 29500 | 32600 | 0.096 | 11,013 | 1229 | 0.9202 | |
| 76 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29700 | 45800 | 0.3518 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 77 | Mercy University | 29800 | 44500 | 0.3305 | 6,774 | 1135 | 0.8584 | |
| 77 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 79 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3632 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 80 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 81 | Otterbein University | 30400 | 66800 | 0.5447 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 82 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4384 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 83 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | 30800 | 69000 | 0.5531 | 3,312 | 1094 | 0.8199 | |
| 84 | Taylor University | 31100 | 59100 | 0.473 | 2,503 | 1229 | 0.7353 | |
| 85 | Lasell University | 31400 | 48500 | 0.3523 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 86 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 86 | Rockhurst University | 32000 | 62500 | 0.4872 | 2,303 | 1124 | 0.6959 | |
| 88 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 88 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 35100 | 0.0742 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 90 | Drake University | 32800 | 68500 | 0.5218 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 91 | Freed-Hardeman University | 33500 | 35900 | 0.0668 | 1,873 | 1120 | 0.5968 | |
| 92 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 92 | Harding University | 33700 | 47800 | 0.2956 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 94 | Hofstra University | 34200 | 77000 | 0.5557 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 95 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4204 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 96 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35600 | 66700 | 0.4664 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 96 | Temple University | 35600 | 55300 | 0.3565 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 98 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37300 | 57000 | 0.3454 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 99 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 100 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 101 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 38500 | 38500 | 0 | 7,890 | 1110 | 0.2056 | |
| 102 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 103 | Quinnipiac University | 41200 | 79200 | 0.4797 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 104 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 105 | Illinois State University | 41700 | 47300 | 0.119 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 106 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 107 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45600 | 0.0548 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 108 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 109 | Biola University | 45100 | 71200 | 0.3667 | 3,481 | 1268 | 0.7435 | |
| 110 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 111 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53400 | 53400 | 0 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 112 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 113 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 114 | University of Oregon | 66800 | 68900 | 0.0309 | 20,622 | 1250 | 0.883 | |
| 115 | Gonzaga University | 70700 | 77800 | 0.0912 | 5,281 | 1329 | 0.8169 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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