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 | 22300 | 0.6399 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Washington and Lee University | 9400 | 96000 | 0.9024 | 1,886 | 1488 | 0.1397 | |
| 3 | Mississippi Valley State University | 9600 | 26300 | 0.6345 | 2,013 | 845 | 0.9238 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 5 | Eastern Illinois University | 12600 | 24700 | 0.4909 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 12900 | 92800 | 0.8612 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | Western Kentucky University | 13100 | 27800 | 0.5311 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 8 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13400 | 25700 | 0.4786 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13700 | 34600 | 0.6046 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 9 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 11 | University of Idaho | 14100 | 25800 | 0.4541 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 34700 | 0.5883 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 13 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 14 | Northern Kentucky University | 14600 | 25900 | 0.4369 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.6765 | |
| 15 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.405 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 16 | University of Central Missouri | 15700 | 26600 | 0.4094 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 17 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 18 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16600 | 28000 | 0.4071 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 20 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 21 | Keene State College | 17500 | 44100 | 0.6032 | 2,725 | 1085 | 0.9033 | |
| 21 | Salem State University | 17500 | 28500 | 0.3859 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 23 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 24 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 24 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19600 | 61600 | 0.682 | 2,711 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 26 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 27 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 28 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 20100 | 58000 | 0.6533 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 29 | Montana State University Billings | 20300 | 25500 | 0.204 | 3,881 | 1090 | 0.9947 | |
| 30 | South Dakota State University | 20600 | 25200 | 0.182 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 31 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1287 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 32 | University of Memphis | 21000 | 33100 | 0.366 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 33 | Northern Michigan University | 21300 | 33100 | 0.3565 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 34 | Loras College | 21800 | 58400 | 0.6266 | 1,123 | 1110 | 0.9986 | |
| 35 | Southwest Baptist University | 22300 | 41200 | 0.4586 | 1,710 | 1082 | 0.6839 | |
| 35 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22300 | 50000 | 0.5537 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 37 | Murray State University | 23000 | 27600 | 0.1665 | 7,851 | 1115 | 0.8568 | |
| 37 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 39 | Monmouth College | 23300 | 61400 | 0.6213 | 713 | 1120 | 0.9093 | |
| 40 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,317 | 1045 | 0.9062 | |
| 41 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 42 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 23700 | 34400 | 0.311 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 43 | Dominican University | 24100 | 56000 | 0.5705 | 2,690 | 1005 | 0.9032 | |
| 44 | Bradley University | 24200 | 68400 | 0.6467 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 45 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 66800 | 0.6361 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 45 | Saint Ambrose University | 24300 | 56500 | 0.57 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 47 | American University | 24700 | 80900 | 0.6945 | 7,476 | 1375 | 0.6196 | |
| 47 | Lewis University | 24700 | 58600 | 0.5787 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 49 | Temple University | 24800 | 50200 | 0.5059 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 50 | Point Park University | 25200 | 57000 | 0.5582 | 2,337 | 1140 | 0.9691 | |
| 51 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5026 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 52 | Westminster College | 26100 | 57600 | 0.5469 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 53 | Dordt University | 26200 | 52500 | 0.5007 | 1,716 | 1205 | 0.6847 | |
| 53 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3867 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 53 | University of Akron Main Campus | 26200 | 32300 | 0.1888 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 56 | Heidelberg University | 26300 | 48600 | 0.4589 | 969 | 1100 | 0.8579 | |
| 57 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 26600 | 38400 | 0.3071 | 6,647 | 1153 | 0.9008 | |
| 58 | Hood College | 27100 | 71400 | 0.6196 | 1,198 | 1055 | 0.7777 | |
| 59 | Capital University | 27200 | 62700 | 0.5663 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 60 | Freed-Hardeman University | 27700 | 35900 | 0.2284 | 1,873 | 1120 | 0.5968 | |
| 60 | Oral Roberts University | 27700 | 52700 | 0.4744 | 5,017 | 1214 | 0.989 | |
| 62 | Syracuse University | 27900 | 86000 | 0.6759 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 63 | Colorado Christian University | 28000 | 64000 | 0.5624 | 8,200 | 1110 | 0.9764 | |
| 64 | Winthrop University | 28500 | 38600 | 0.2613 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 65 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 65 | Southern Methodist University | 29100 | 90300 | 0.6778 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 67 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 68 | Gannon University | 29400 | 68500 | 0.5704 | 2,768 | 1133 | 0.7416 | |
| 69 | Morgan State University | 29700 | 41900 | 0.2914 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 70 | California State University-Long Beach | 29800 | 38600 | 0.2277 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 71 | Southern Adventist University | 29900 | 46900 | 0.3624 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 71 | University of Toledo | 29900 | 42000 | 0.2881 | 11,013 | 1229 | 0.9202 | |
| 73 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 74 | Mercy University | 30100 | 45700 | 0.3413 | 6,774 | 1135 | 0.8584 | |
| 75 | Georgia Southern University | 30300 | 43600 | 0.3051 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 76 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 30500 | 41300 | 0.2612 | 7,890 | 1110 | 0.2056 | |
| 76 | Otterbein University | 30500 | 56600 | 0.4613 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 78 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4376 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 79 | Palm Beach Atlantic University | 30900 | 69000 | 0.5527 | 3,312 | 1094 | 0.8199 | |
| 80 | Taylor University | 31200 | 59100 | 0.4723 | 2,503 | 1229 | 0.7353 | |
| 81 | Rider University | 31400 | 65400 | 0.5199 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 82 | Rockhurst University | 32000 | 62500 | 0.4871 | 2,303 | 1124 | 0.6959 | |
| 83 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5355 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 83 | Lipscomb University | 32500 | 60300 | 0.4606 | 3,336 | 1260 | 0.6773 | |
| 85 | Drake University | 32800 | 68500 | 0.5212 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 86 | University of Rhode Island | 32900 | 50300 | 0.3457 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 87 | State University of New York at Oswego | 33000 | 40200 | 0.1792 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 88 | University of Oregon | 33200 | 38600 | 0.1395 | 20,622 | 1250 | 0.883 | |
| 89 | Harding University | 33300 | 47400 | 0.2975 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 90 | Cleveland State University | 33500 | 37300 | 0.1019 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 91 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 92 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 93 | SUNY at Fredonia | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1391 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 94 | Southeastern University | 34500 | 63600 | 0.4573 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 95 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4201 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8252 | |
| 96 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0849 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 97 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66100 | 0.4601 | 2,862 | 1203 | 0.757 | |
| 98 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37300 | 60400 | 0.3821 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 99 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 85200 | 0.5518 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 100 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 56100 | 0.3103 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 101 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 102 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 69500 | 0.4286 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 103 | Wayne State University | 40400 | 46200 | 0.1256 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 104 | Washington State University | 40800 | 56300 | 0.2767 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 105 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 59100 | 0.2997 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 106 | Illinois State University | 41700 | 47300 | 0.1182 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 107 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 108 | University of Florida | 43300 | 45700 | 0.0526 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 109 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 110 | University of Georgia | 47100 | 52800 | 0.1082 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 111 | Biola University | 47300 | 71200 | 0.3358 | 3,481 | 1268 | 0.7435 | |
| 112 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 113 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 114 | Auburn University | 62300 | 62300 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 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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