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 | Johns Hopkins University | 2700 | 92000 | 0.9704 | 6,356 | 1543 | 0.0644 | |
| 2 | Emory University | 8300 | 92500 | 0.9102 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1065 | |
| 3 | Idaho State University | 11500 | 27000 | 0.5733 | 10,834 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Northern Arizona University | 11600 | 27900 | 0.5827 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 5 | Marshall University | 11800 | 36600 | 0.6773 | 9,146 | 1065 | 0.9573 | |
| 6 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 7 | University of Central Florida | 12000 | 25300 | 0.525 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 9 | Eastern Illinois University | 12600 | 24300 | 0.4813 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 10 | Boston University | 12900 | 92800 | 0.8612 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Flint | 13000 | 46300 | 0.719 | 5,011 | 1109 | 0.7046 | |
| 12 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13400 | 25700 | 0.4786 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 14 | University of Houston | 13700 | 22000 | 0.3766 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 14000 | 19000 | 0.2634 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.865 | |
| 16 | Baptist Health Sciences University | 14100 | 26600 | 0.4691 | 782 | 1020 | 0.8202 | |
| 17 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 18 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 18 | Midwestern State University | 14400 | 21600 | 0.3329 | 4,303 | 1010 | 0.9352 | |
| 20 | Northern Kentucky University | 14600 | 25900 | 0.4369 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.6765 | |
| 20 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14600 | 29600 | 0.5075 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 20 | Northwestern University | 14600 | 88300 | 0.8348 | 9,399 | 1527 | 0.0769 | |
| 23 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 14800 | 31600 | 0.5323 | 6,907 | 1060 | 0.974 | |
| 24 | California State University-Chico | 15200 | 23500 | 0.3528 | 13,792 | 1075 | 0.9272 | |
| 24 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 26 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 27 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 29800 | 0.4782 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 28 | University of Central Missouri | 15700 | 26600 | 0.4094 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 29 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 29 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3953 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 31 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 16000 | 26900 | 0.4059 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 31 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 31 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 34 | Goshen College | 16500 | 55900 | 0.7055 | 780 | 995 | 0.8407 | |
| 35 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16600 | 28000 | 0.4076 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16800 | 64800 | 0.7411 | 20,885 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 37 | Morehead State University | 16900 | 28000 | 0.3962 | 8,258 | 1140 | 0.7721 | |
| 38 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 38 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 17000 | 34200 | 0.5028 | 794 | 1070 | 0.8974 | |
| 40 | Augusta University | 17400 | 47400 | 0.6326 | 6,049 | 1065 | 0.8641 | |
| 40 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | 17400 | 21300 | 0.1827 | 9,501 | 1195 | 0.755 | |
| 42 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17600 | 27400 | 0.3575 | 27,132 | 1099 | 0.9617 | |
| 43 | Avila University | 17700 | 64100 | 0.7236 | 1,331 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 43 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 45 | State University of New York at Oswego | 18200 | 27700 | 0.3428 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 46 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 18300 | 33300 | 0.4505 | 1,009 | 1115 | 0.8854 | |
| 46 | University of St Francis | 18300 | 57200 | 0.6803 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 48 | Rogers State University | 18400 | 29400 | 0.3741 | 3,135 | 930 | 0.8184 | |
| 48 | Towson University | 18400 | 29900 | 0.3842 | 16,264 | 1098 | 0.8197 | |
| 50 | East Tennessee State University | 18500 | 26100 | 0.2907 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 51 | University of Mary | 18600 | 32600 | 0.4281 | 2,821 | 1175 | 0.753 | |
| 52 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45000 | 0.5849 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 53 | Holy Family University | 18800 | 56200 | 0.666 | 2,643 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 54 | McNeese State University | 18900 | 27400 | 0.3102 | 5,668 | 1060 | 0.7827 | |
| 54 | Quincy University | 18900 | 57900 | 0.6733 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 56 | Campbellsville University | 19100 | 43200 | 0.5573 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 56 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | 19100 | 68100 | 0.7197 | 709 | 1030 | 0.8216 | |
| 58 | California State University-Los Angeles | 19700 | 38000 | 0.4816 | 19,586 | 965 | 0.9125 | |
| 59 | Youngstown State University | 20000 | 34000 | 0.4118 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 60 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 60 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 20200 | 57300 | 0.6479 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 62 | Marian University | 20300 | 47200 | 0.5693 | 1,021 | 1020 | 0.7498 | |
| 62 | Minot State University | 20300 | 23500 | 0.1374 | 2,499 | 1075 | 0.6462 | |
| 64 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20400 | 39900 | 0.489 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 65 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20600 | 23200 | 0.1121 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 65 | University of Montevallo | 20600 | 30300 | 0.3202 | 2,642 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 67 | Indiana University-South Bend | 20800 | 23900 | 0.1297 | 4,083 | 1075 | 0.8384 | |
| 68 | University of Northern Iowa | 20900 | 24000 | 0.1293 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 69 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.183 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 70 | North Central College | 21100 | 63700 | 0.6692 | 2,454 | 1203 | 0.7733 | |
| 71 | Culver-Stockton College | 21300 | 50600 | 0.5789 | 861 | 1025 | 0.991 | |
| 71 | University of Sioux Falls | 21300 | 40100 | 0.4688 | 1,241 | 1135 | 0.8289 | |
| 73 | Austin Peay State University | 21800 | 35900 | 0.3927 | 8,926 | 1075 | 0.9641 | |
| 74 | La Roche University | 21900 | 72600 | 0.6986 | 1,828 | 1059 | 0.7576 | |
| 75 | Bluefield State University | 22100 | 32100 | 0.312 | 1,117 | 990 | 0.9723 | |
| 76 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 22400 | 43200 | 0.4816 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 77 | Murray State University | 23000 | 27600 | 0.1671 | 7,851 | 1115 | 0.8568 | |
| 77 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 79 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3725 | 8,738 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 79 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1012 | 7,735 | 1015 | 0.6218 | |
| 81 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 82 | Mount Marty University | 23900 | 56400 | 0.5762 | 1,022 | 1090 | 0.4257 | |
| 83 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 84 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 85 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 63200 | 0.6158 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 85 | Southwestern Adventist University | 24300 | 43200 | 0.4376 | 758 | 1064 | 0.7836 | |
| 87 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 88 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 89 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,457 | 1135 | 0.8041 | |
| 90 | Pennsylvania Western University | 24900 | 34400 | 0.2759 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 91 | University of Southern Indiana | 25100 | 40000 | 0.3733 | 7,600 | 1145 | 0.9581 | |
| 92 | Point Park University | 25200 | 57000 | 0.5582 | 2,337 | 1140 | 0.9691 | |
| 93 | St Catherine University | 25300 | 71900 | 0.6484 | 2,498 | 1140 | 0.9185 | |
| 94 | Eastern Kentucky University | 25400 | 38400 | 0.3389 | 13,448 | 1110 | 0.7761 | |
| 95 | Briar Cliff University | 26000 | 74200 | 0.6494 | 766 | 1050 | 0.5834 | |
| 95 | Western Kentucky University | 26000 | 41800 | 0.3779 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 97 | Westminster College | 26100 | 57600 | 0.5469 | 1,137 | 1149 | 0.9256 | |
| 98 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26300 | 28400 | 0.074 | 14,504 | 1149 | 0.7637 | |
| 99 | Mount Aloysius College | 26400 | 49200 | 0.4636 | 2,942 | 1045 | 0.8205 | |
| 100 | Regis College | 26500 | 70700 | 0.6252 | 987 | 965 | 0.6978 | |
| 101 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 102 | University of La Verne | 26800 | 67300 | 0.6015 | 3,050 | 1109 | 0.7117 | |
| 103 | Henderson State University | 26900 | 27200 | 0.011 | 1,461 | 990 | 0.8192 | |
| 103 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 105 | California State University-Northridge | 27000 | 36500 | 0.2602 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 106 | Capital University | 27200 | 62400 | 0.564 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 107 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 27500 | 43800 | 0.3725 | 17,450 | 1044 | 0.9518 | |
| 108 | Chicago State University | 27600 | 37800 | 0.269 | 1,501 | 885 | 0.4326 | |
| 109 | Syracuse University | 27700 | 83100 | 0.6665 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 110 | Oregon Institute of Technology | 27800 | 36400 | 0.2348 | 5,160 | 1131 | 0.9502 | |
| 110 | St. Francis College | 27800 | 39400 | 0.2948 | 1,719 | 1119 | 0.8427 | |
| 112 | Alabama A & M University | 28200 | 37700 | 0.2518 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 113 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 113 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28600 | 32300 | 0.1145 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 113 | University of Hartford | 28600 | 70100 | 0.5917 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9575 | |
| 116 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 28900 | 42400 | 0.3187 | 6,761 | 1105 | 0.8475 | |
| 117 | Cornerstone University | 29200 | 40800 | 0.2846 | 1,354 | 1110 | 0.7777 | |
| 117 | Lewis-Clark State College | 29200 | 40000 | 0.27 | 3,793 | 980 | 0.8769 | |
| 119 | Manhattanville University | 29300 | 68500 | 0.5721 | 1,466 | 1160 | 0.8734 | |
| 120 | Huntington University | 29500 | 44300 | 0.3339 | 1,588 | 1055 | 0.7564 | |
| 121 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | 29900 | 34500 | 0.1335 | 5,459 | 1055 | 0.8046 | |
| 122 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30700 | 54600 | 0.4379 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 123 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 124 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3266 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 125 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 125 | San Diego State University | 31400 | 36100 | 0.1301 | 35,782 | 1208 | 0.3619 | |
| 127 | Asbury University | 31600 | 50700 | 0.3769 | 1,789 | 1197 | 0.634 | |
| 127 | Bowie State University | 31600 | 37300 | 0.153 | 5,136 | 946 | 0.7241 | |
| 129 | Missouri Baptist University | 31700 | 53800 | 0.4107 | 4,958 | 843 | 0.686 | |
| 130 | Ithaca College | 32100 | 72500 | 0.5571 | 4,268 | 1314 | 0.6901 | |
| 131 | Washington Adventist University | 32400 | 37800 | 0.143 | 513 | 995 | 0.4618 | |
| 132 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 133 | Misericordia University | 33500 | 67700 | 0.5041 | 1,720 | 1145 | 0.7093 | |
| 134 | California Baptist University | 33600 | 65600 | 0.4878 | 8,417 | 1070 | 0.8488 | |
| 135 | Adrian College | 33700 | 70200 | 0.5201 | 1,673 | 1045 | 0.7253 | |
| 136 | Morningside University | 33800 | 60600 | 0.4421 | 1,172 | 922 | 0.7104 | |
| 136 | Rhode Island College | 33800 | 45100 | 0.2505 | 5,154 | 995 | 0.9182 | |
| 138 | Colorado Mesa University | 33900 | 40000 | 0.1524 | 9,473 | 1055 | 0.8203 | |
| 138 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 140 | SUNY at Fredonia | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1391 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 141 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 10,172 | 1110 | 0.5298 | |
| 142 | Texas Southern University | 34500 | 42500 | 0.1883 | 6,844 | 915 | 0.9691 | |
| 143 | University of Vermont | 34600 | 66300 | 0.4785 | 12,276 | 1379 | 0.653 | |
| 144 | Trevecca Nazarene University | 34800 | 50900 | 0.3166 | 1,903 | 1085 | 0.6944 | |
| 145 | Gwynedd Mercy University | 34900 | 65100 | 0.4639 | 1,301 | 1110 | 0.8963 | |
| 146 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 147 | Vermont State University | 37400 | 38700 | 0.0336 | 4,108 | 960 | 0.8167 | |
| 148 | University of Central Arkansas | 38100 | 40200 | 0.0523 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 149 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 149 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 38200 | 65000 | 0.4121 | 1,097 | 1055 | 0.8351 | |
| 151 | Clark Atlanta University | 38500 | 51900 | 0.2581 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 152 | Long Island University | 38800 | 60000 | 0.3535 | 12,072 | 1229 | 0.8616 | |
| 153 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.6152 | |
| 154 | Champlain College | 39300 | 76000 | 0.4831 | 2,778 | 1304 | 0.8292 | |
| 155 | Bellarmine University | 39400 | 66100 | 0.4041 | 2,240 | 1220 | 0.8611 | |
| 155 | California State University-Fullerton | 39400 | 41500 | 0.0507 | 38,760 | 1090 | 0.9052 | |
| 157 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 157 | University of South Alabama | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 159 | Wayne State University | 40400 | 46200 | 0.1256 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 160 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 161 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 162 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.782 | |
| 163 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 164 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46600 | 0.0966 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 165 | University of Florida | 43300 | 45700 | 0.0526 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 166 | Manhattan University | 43600 | 74100 | 0.4115 | 2,744 | 1274 | 0.7894 | |
| 167 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 87400 | 0.4991 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 168 | Campbell University | 44100 | 68700 | 0.3579 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.8718 | |
| 169 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 170 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,796 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 171 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,557 | 1245 | 0.7215 | |
| 172 | Ashland University | 44900 | 56400 | 0.204 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 173 | Saint Louis University | 46300 | 80900 | 0.4275 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 174 | The Master's University and Seminary | 47700 | 53700 | 0.1118 | 1,908 | 1139 | 0.8402 | |
| 175 | MCPHS University | 47800 | 77500 | 0.3831 | 3,469 | 1281 | 0.8521 | |
| 176 | University of Kentucky | 49200 | 58000 | 0.1528 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 177 | University of Iowa | 51100 | 53200 | 0.0396 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 178 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 179 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 180 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54800 | 66400 | 0.1747 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 181 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 182 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 182 | Elon University | 56400 | 68900 | 0.1815 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 184 | Howard University | 60000 | 66500 | 0.0978 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (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.