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 | 0.8307 | |
| 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 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10000 | 22900 | 0.5643 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 5 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 6 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 8 | Mississippi Valley State University | 13200 | 21600 | 0.3896 | 2,005 | 885 | 0.5116 | |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 10 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 11 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4446 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 12 | Murray State University | 15000 | 27000 | 0.4438 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 13 | Wayne State University | 15400 | 32900 | 0.5316 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 14 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 27900 | 0.4416 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 15 | University of Memphis | 15700 | 29900 | 0.4745 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 16 | California State University-Long Beach | 15800 | 25800 | 0.3877 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 17 | Keene State College | 16200 | 51200 | 0.684 | 2,744 | 1020 | 0.9033 | |
| 18 | Eastern Illinois University | 16400 | 27500 | 0.4024 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 18 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 20 | Appalachian State University | 16500 | 19500 | 0.1541 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 21 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 22 | Texas State University | 16800 | 26800 | 0.3727 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 23 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 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 | SUNY at Fredonia | 17800 | 39600 | 0.5512 | 2,876 | 1193 | 0.792 | |
| 27 | University of Rhode Island | 17900 | 46400 | 0.6137 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 28 | Georgia Southern University | 18100 | 23800 | 0.2399 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 29 | Lee University | 18500 | 37400 | 0.5057 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 30 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27700 | 0.3284 | 5,517 | 1164 | 0.8057 | |
| 31 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 32 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 18900 | 45300 | 0.5825 | 6,546 | 1153 | 0.9252 | |
| 33 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 19000 | 67900 | 0.7197 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 34 | Salem State University | 19400 | 35100 | 0.4471 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 35 | Montana State University Billings | 19700 | 35100 | 0.4388 | 3,881 | 1090 | 0.9991 | |
| 35 | Texas Tech University | 19700 | 27900 | 0.2942 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 37 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75800 | 0.7365 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 38 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 39 | Olivet Nazarene University | 20300 | 71400 | 0.7159 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 40 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1305 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 41 | Loras College | 21800 | 58400 | 0.6271 | 1,169 | 1110 | 0.1854 | |
| 42 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 43 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 44 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 74500 | 0.6954 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 44 | Southwest Baptist University | 22700 | 41200 | 0.45 | 1,622 | 1080 | 0.9972 | |
| 46 | Monmouth College | 23200 | 61400 | 0.6218 | 727 | 1130 | 0.866 | |
| 46 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 55400 | 0.5809 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 48 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 23300 | 36800 | 0.367 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 49 | Columbia College Chicago | 23500 | 63200 | 0.6285 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.7549 | |
| 49 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 23500 | 50000 | 0.5298 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 51 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3859 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 52 | Oral Roberts University | 23900 | 77400 | 0.6913 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 53 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5713 | 2,690 | 1060 | 0.9032 | |
| 53 | Point Park University | 24000 | 57000 | 0.5793 | 2,337 | 1144 | 0.9691 | |
| 55 | University of Central Missouri | 24400 | 35800 | 0.3181 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 56 | Heidelberg University | 24500 | 48600 | 0.496 | 915 | 1100 | 0.8579 | |
| 57 | American University | 24800 | 83600 | 0.7031 | 7,476 | 1372 | 0.6187 | |
| 58 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 59 | Illinois State University | 25000 | 35200 | 0.2894 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 60 | Dordt University | 25200 | 52500 | 0.5197 | 1,695 | 1170 | 0.7116 | |
| 61 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 26900 | 0.0445 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 61 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5031 | 1,238 | 1159 | 0.604 | |
| 63 | Otterbein University | 25900 | 66800 | 0.6121 | 2,211 | 1114 | 0.8452 | |
| 64 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5486 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 65 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 66 | University of Idaho | 27000 | 45200 | 0.4023 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 67 | Hood College | 27100 | 71400 | 0.6201 | 1,198 | 1055 | 0.7777 | |
| 68 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 69 | Cleveland State University | 27300 | 37300 | 0.2682 | 9,418 | 1105 | 0.913 | |
| 70 | Marquette University | 27700 | 66200 | 0.5813 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 71 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6654 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 72 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 33400 | 0.1437 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 73 | Mercy University | 28700 | 44500 | 0.3552 | 6,775 | 1074 | 0.8584 | |
| 74 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 75 | Westminster College | 29500 | 57600 | 0.4879 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 76 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 76 | Southern Methodist University | 29800 | 83200 | 0.6422 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 76 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 79 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3634 | 2,827 | 1112 | 0.6661 | |
| 80 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 81 | Gannon University | 30500 | 52900 | 0.4238 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 82 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4385 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 83 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | 30800 | 69000 | 0.5531 | 3,094 | 1105 | 0.8832 | |
| 83 | University of Toledo | 30800 | 42000 | 0.2653 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 85 | Taylor University | 31100 | 59100 | 0.4731 | 2,503 | 1235 | 0.7353 | |
| 86 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 86 | Rockhurst University | 32000 | 62500 | 0.487 | 2,304 | 1124 | 0.7089 | |
| 88 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 89 | Harding University | 32900 | 47000 | 0.3008 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 90 | University of Oregon | 33200 | 38600 | 0.1406 | 20,622 | 1250 | 0.883 | |
| 91 | Freed-Hardeman University | 33500 | 35900 | 0.0668 | 1,878 | 1120 | 0.9061 | |
| 92 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 93 | Drake University | 33800 | 68500 | 0.5068 | 2,585 | 1226 | 0.6385 | |
| 93 | Winthrop University | 33800 | 52500 | 0.3556 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 95 | Hofstra University | 34700 | 77000 | 0.5492 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 96 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4205 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 97 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 98 | Western Kentucky University | 36600 | 42300 | 0.1348 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 99 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 100 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37300 | 57000 | 0.3454 | 1,044 | 1163 | 0.7209 | |
| 101 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 102 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 38500 | 38500 | 0 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 103 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 104 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 105 | Quinnipiac University | 41300 | 79200 | 0.4784 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 106 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 107 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 108 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45600 | 0.0548 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 109 | Biola University | 45100 | 71200 | 0.3667 | 3,481 | 1268 | 0.7482 | |
| 110 | The University of Texas at Austin | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 43,165 | 1348 | 0.2664 | |
| 111 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53400 | 53400 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 112 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 113 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 114 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 115 | Gonzaga University | 75400 | 77800 | 0.0308 | 5,281 | 1303 | 0.8169 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.