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 | Washington and Lee University | 4100 | 87100 | 0.9531 | 1,886 | 1488 | 0.1397 | |
| 2 | Boston University | 5700 | 88800 | 0.9363 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 3 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 4 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin | 13100 | 30700 | 0.573 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 6 | Texas State University | 13200 | 23200 | 0.4313 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 7 | Mississippi Valley State University | 13900 | 22600 | 0.3849 | 2,005 | 865 | 0.5116 | |
| 8 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 9 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 11 | University of Central Missouri | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4125 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 12 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 13 | California State University-Long Beach | 15400 | 25800 | 0.4032 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 14 | University of Florida | 15900 | 22300 | 0.2871 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 15 | University of Southern California | 16600 | 76000 | 0.7815 | 21,023 | 1485 | 0.1002 | |
| 16 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 17 | University of Georgia | 17000 | 27100 | 0.373 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 18 | Central Washington University | 17100 | 22700 | 0.2464 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 19 | Eastern Illinois University | 17400 | 27700 | 0.3709 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 20 | Georgia Southern University | 18000 | 23800 | 0.2441 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 21 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18600 | 27500 | 0.3235 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 22 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4826 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 23 | Montana State University Billings | 18800 | 29100 | 0.354 | 3,881 | 1035 | 0.9991 | |
| 24 | University of Memphis | 19100 | 26400 | 0.277 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 25 | University of Northern Iowa | 19800 | 24000 | 0.1751 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 26 | Lee University | 19900 | 37100 | 0.4631 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 27 | University of Miami | 21100 | 70800 | 0.7023 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 28 | Olivet Nazarene University | 21200 | 88800 | 0.7615 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 29 | Cleveland State University | 21400 | 30900 | 0.3071 | 9,418 | 1005 | 0.913 | |
| 30 | Freed-Hardeman University | 21600 | 35100 | 0.385 | 1,878 | 1180 | 0.9061 | |
| 31 | Loras College | 21700 | 58400 | 0.628 | 1,169 | 1110 | 0.1854 | |
| 32 | South Dakota State University | 22000 | 25200 | 0.1271 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 33 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 34 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 35 | Murray State University | 22900 | 27600 | 0.1707 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 35 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 22900 | 22900 | 0 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 37 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5915 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 38 | Monmouth College | 23200 | 61400 | 0.6225 | 727 | 1150 | 0.866 | |
| 38 | Saint Ambrose University | 23200 | 54500 | 0.5744 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 40 | Averett University | 23300 | 57200 | 0.593 | 1,180 | 1010 | 0.478 | |
| 41 | Eastern Kentucky University | 23500 | 38000 | 0.3811 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 41 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 41 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 44 | Utica University | 23700 | 41100 | 0.423 | 2,333 | 1120 | 0.8679 | |
| 45 | Oral Roberts University | 23900 | 55600 | 0.5706 | 5,017 | 1139 | 0.989 | |
| 46 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5708 | 2,690 | 1035 | 0.9032 | |
| 47 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24400 | 26600 | 0.0828 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 48 | American University | 24800 | 82000 | 0.6977 | 7,476 | 1372 | 0.6187 | |
| 48 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 50 | Temple University | 24900 | 36300 | 0.3143 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 51 | Dordt University | 25200 | 52300 | 0.518 | 1,695 | 1195 | 0.7116 | |
| 52 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5038 | 1,238 | 1159 | 0.604 | |
| 53 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 54 | Otterbein University | 25900 | 66300 | 0.6094 | 2,211 | 1114 | 0.8452 | |
| 55 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 56 | Point Park University | 26200 | 56800 | 0.5391 | 2,337 | 1144 | 0.9691 | |
| 57 | Columbia College Chicago | 26800 | 60600 | 0.5582 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.7549 | |
| 58 | Northern Kentucky University | 27000 | 31600 | 0.1454 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.8307 | |
| 58 | Webster University | 27000 | 54300 | 0.5024 | 2,091 | 1105 | 0.9594 | |
| 60 | Hood College | 27100 | 71400 | 0.6207 | 1,198 | 1055 | 0.7777 | |
| 61 | Capital University | 27200 | 68600 | 0.6036 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 62 | Winthrop University | 28400 | 38600 | 0.2643 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 63 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5052 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 64 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 31500 | 0.0921 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 65 | Mercy University | 28700 | 44500 | 0.3552 | 6,775 | 1074 | 0.8584 | |
| 66 | Salem State University | 29400 | 38900 | 0.244 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 66 | Westminster College | 29400 | 57500 | 0.4884 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 68 | Huntington University | 29700 | 44300 | 0.3299 | 1,286 | 1095 | 0.7115 | |
| 69 | Southern Adventist University | 29800 | 46900 | 0.3648 | 2,827 | 1125 | 0.6661 | |
| 69 | Southern Methodist University | 29800 | 81700 | 0.6355 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 71 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 72 | Keene State College | 30200 | 40700 | 0.2593 | 2,744 | 1020 | 0.9033 | |
| 72 | Mississippi College | 30200 | 45400 | 0.3352 | 2,724 | 1110 | 0.4928 | |
| 74 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 75 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 75 | SUNY at Fredonia | 30400 | 39600 | 0.2326 | 2,876 | 1193 | 0.792 | |
| 77 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30600 | 54600 | 0.4397 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 78 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | 30800 | 69000 | 0.5537 | 3,094 | 1105 | 0.8832 | |
| 79 | University of Houston | 30900 | 35200 | 0.1223 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 80 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 81 | Rider University | 31600 | 64300 | 0.5084 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 82 | Rockhurst University | 32000 | 62500 | 0.487 | 2,304 | 1124 | 0.7089 | |
| 83 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 84 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 34700 | 0.0691 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 85 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32600 | 38500 | 0.1533 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 86 | Harding University | 32800 | 47000 | 0.3023 | 3,523 | 1193 | 0.3942 | |
| 87 | Appalachian State University | 33500 | 35800 | 0.0642 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 88 | Drake University | 33700 | 68500 | 0.5078 | 2,585 | 1226 | 0.6385 | |
| 88 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 54600 | 0.383 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 90 | Taylor University | 34000 | 57600 | 0.4097 | 2,503 | 1235 | 0.7353 | |
| 91 | Morgan State University | 34400 | 37200 | 0.0753 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 92 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.421 | 1,185 | 1075 | 0.7876 | |
| 93 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 94 | Western Kentucky University | 36100 | 41900 | 0.1385 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 95 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36200 | 53300 | 0.3207 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 96 | Xavier University | 38400 | 67500 | 0.4312 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 97 | Washington State University | 38500 | 53900 | 0.2859 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 98 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 99 | Wayne State University | 39300 | 45500 | 0.1362 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 100 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4108 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 101 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41300 | 53900 | 0.2337 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 101 | Marquette University | 41300 | 75100 | 0.4502 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 103 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 104 | Illinois State University | 41600 | 47300 | 0.1206 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 105 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 106 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 107 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 108 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 51700 | 51700 | 0 | 33,572 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 109 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 110 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 111 | University of Oregon | 66700 | 68900 | 0.032 | 20,622 | 1250 | 0.883 | |
| 112 | Gonzaga University | 73200 | 73200 | 0 | 5,281 | 1303 | 0.8169 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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