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 | Harvard University | 5900 | 95600 | 0.9384 | 6,738 | 1500 | 0.0418 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 3 | University of California-Davis | 10200 | 38100 | 0.7328 | 31,695 | 1290 | 0.4435 | |
| 4 | Savannah State University | 10600 | 26700 | 0.6037 | 2,966 | 950 | 1 | |
| 5 | Duke University | 10800 | 93600 | 0.8848 | 6,525 | 1533 | 0.0524 | |
| 6 | Georgetown University | 11100 | 92700 | 0.8803 | 7,908 | 1470 | 0.1349 | |
| 7 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 31200 | 0.6315 | 7,640 | 1045 | 0.8526 | |
| 8 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12200 | 25000 | 0.5113 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 9 | Boston University | 12300 | 92800 | 0.8676 | 18,289 | 1475 | 0.1283 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 11 | University of the Virgin Islands | 12600 | 22800 | 0.4467 | 1,650 | 900 | 0.9936 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 13 | Western Washington University | 13700 | 31400 | 0.5637 | 13,609 | 1199 | 0.9371 | |
| 14 | Utah State University | 13800 | 20800 | 0.3369 | 26,629 | 1168 | 0.9212 | |
| 15 | Wesleyan College | 14000 | 43800 | 0.6802 | 500 | 1065 | 0.591 | |
| 16 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 17 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 18 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 27400 | 0.4711 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 18 | Central Michigan University | 14500 | 37800 | 0.6157 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 18 | Virginia Union University | 14500 | 39400 | 0.6315 | 1,205 | 870 | 0.9802 | |
| 21 | Miles College | 14600 | 25400 | 0.4246 | 1,180 | 0 | 1 | |
| 22 | Northeastern University | 15000 | 89900 | 0.8331 | 22,456 | 1481 | 0.0562 | |
| 23 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 24 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 29800 | 0.4782 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 25 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 25 | Valley City State University | 15700 | 23800 | 0.338 | 1,663 | 1045 | 0.9942 | |
| 27 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 28 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 29 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 30 | Ferris State University | 16500 | 31000 | 0.4685 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 30 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 16500 | 26400 | 0.3744 | 3,943 | 1275 | 0.3333 | |
| 32 | Waynesburg University | 16600 | 45000 | 0.6306 | 1,032 | 1093 | 0.8981 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 16800 | 40900 | 0.589 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 34 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4173 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 35 | Daemen University | 17500 | 55100 | 0.6825 | 1,656 | 1050 | 0.7375 | |
| 35 | Salem State University | 17500 | 28500 | 0.3859 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 35 | University of Louisville | 17500 | 29100 | 0.399 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 38 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 17800 | 22200 | 0.1986 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 40 | Bethel University | 18000 | 35300 | 0.4896 | 2,674 | 970 | 0.6023 | |
| 40 | Bridgewater State University | 18000 | 25400 | 0.291 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 40 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 18000 | 54300 | 0.6684 | 10,368 | 1064 | 0.999 | |
| 43 | Lindsey Wilson University | 18300 | 47100 | 0.6117 | 1,738 | 1035 | 0 | |
| 44 | University of Mary | 18600 | 32600 | 0.4281 | 2,821 | 1175 | 0.753 | |
| 45 | SUNY Old Westbury | 18700 | 24400 | 0.2339 | 4,474 | 1110 | 0.8352 | |
| 46 | Madonna University | 19200 | 49200 | 0.6101 | 1,919 | 925 | 0.6757 | |
| 46 | University of Rhode Island | 19200 | 33900 | 0.4337 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 48 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 49 | Carlow University | 19600 | 82500 | 0.7625 | 2,303 | 1084 | 0.8768 | |
| 49 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 51 | Wichita State University | 19700 | 29800 | 0.3386 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 52 | McMurry University | 19800 | 51900 | 0.618 | 4,133 | 1104 | 0.8984 | |
| 53 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,768 | 1499 | 0.1119 | |
| 53 | Winona State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3231 | 5,317 | 1115 | 0.7549 | |
| 55 | Coker University | 20100 | 47800 | 0.5798 | 1,220 | 1050 | 0.9396 | |
| 55 | Minot State University | 20100 | 23500 | 0.1452 | 2,499 | 1075 | 0.6462 | |
| 55 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 20100 | 32300 | 0.3775 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 58 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 59 | La Sierra University | 20600 | 65900 | 0.687 | 1,266 | 1124 | 0.9069 | |
| 60 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.326 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 61 | Florida College | 20800 | 34200 | 0.3921 | 728 | 1099 | 0.6966 | |
| 61 | Mayville State University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1277 | 1,067 | 1034 | 0.7825 | |
| 63 | Bradley University | 21700 | 49900 | 0.5642 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 64 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 21800 | 52700 | 0.5867 | 1,040 | 1075 | 0.6271 | |
| 64 | Niagara University | 21800 | 57400 | 0.62 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 66 | Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 22700 | 56900 | 0.6007 | 533 | 1244 | 0.5269 | |
| 66 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 22700 | 31300 | 0.2751 | 5,130 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 66 | Juniata College | 22700 | 73800 | 0.6922 | 1,276 | 1263 | 0.7941 | |
| 69 | Saint Cloud State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3775 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 69 | San Jose State University | 22900 | 41100 | 0.4429 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 71 | University of Southern Mississippi | 23100 | 23100 | 0 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 72 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23400 | 26700 | 0.1233 | 7,290 | 1015 | 0.6409 | |
| 72 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 74 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23600 | 90700 | 0.7398 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 75 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 76 | Millikin University | 23800 | 43700 | 0.4549 | 1,427 | 1065 | 0.765 | |
| 77 | Keuka College | 24100 | 59400 | 0.5938 | 986 | 1043 | 0.8151 | |
| 77 | Stockton University | 24100 | 32100 | 0.2491 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 79 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 80 | Unity Environmental University | 24500 | 29900 | 0.1809 | 6,525 | 0 | 0.818 | |
| 81 | Huntingdon College | 24600 | 44400 | 0.4457 | 943 | 1130 | 0.692 | |
| 82 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6602 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 82 | Wisconsin Lutheran College | 24700 | 56700 | 0.5642 | 957 | 1233 | 0.7816 | |
| 84 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 24800 | 37900 | 0.3454 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 84 | Emporia State University | 24800 | 32000 | 0.2249 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 86 | Illinois State University | 25100 | 36400 | 0.3118 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 87 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | 25200 | 38300 | 0.3422 | 2,304 | 990 | 0.8351 | |
| 88 | The University of Findlay | 25400 | 50600 | 0.4976 | 4,132 | 1090 | 0.6748 | |
| 89 | Ave Maria University | 25500 | 46600 | 0.453 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 89 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25500 | 53800 | 0.5262 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 91 | Evangel University | 25700 | 40900 | 0.372 | 1,843 | 1180 | 0.7161 | |
| 92 | Messiah University | 25900 | 54300 | 0.5228 | 2,722 | 1266 | 0.8107 | |
| 93 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26000 | 28300 | 0.0809 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 94 | Stony Brook University | 26100 | 33200 | 0.2129 | 18,616 | 1410 | 0.4818 | |
| 95 | Northern Arizona University | 26300 | 43200 | 0.3921 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 95 | SUNY College at Potsdam | 26300 | 37700 | 0.3022 | 1,750 | 1060 | 0.8241 | |
| 97 | Geneva College | 26400 | 50300 | 0.4755 | 1,299 | 1167 | 0.9556 | |
| 98 | Trine University | 26500 | 56100 | 0.5278 | 4,373 | 1159 | 0.8548 | |
| 99 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 99 | Wingate University | 26700 | 65000 | 0.5892 | 2,673 | 1100 | 0.9113 | |
| 101 | Troy University | 26800 | 34700 | 0.2277 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 102 | St. Francis College | 26900 | 39400 | 0.3177 | 1,719 | 1035 | 1 | |
| 103 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0886 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 104 | Florida Southern College | 27800 | 63200 | 0.56 | 2,682 | 1264 | 0.6442 | |
| 104 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 66600 | 0.5826 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 104 | Saint Edward's University | 27800 | 73200 | 0.6205 | 2,499 | 1128 | 0.8142 | |
| 107 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3223 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 108 | Francis Marion University | 28500 | 40200 | 0.2914 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 109 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 28900 | 49100 | 0.4114 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 110 | University of Alaska Southeast | 29000 | 31300 | 0.0733 | 1,559 | 1020 | 0.6192 | |
| 110 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29000 | 34000 | 0.1472 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 112 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 39500 | 0.2608 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 113 | Huntington University | 29300 | 44300 | 0.3384 | 1,512 | 1065 | 0.7518 | |
| 114 | Montana State University | 29500 | 31900 | 0.0751 | 15,142 | 1184 | 0.9938 | |
| 115 | Blue Mountain Christian University | 29600 | 39900 | 0.2577 | 915 | 1095 | 0.8895 | |
| 116 | Lipscomb University | 29800 | 57800 | 0.4841 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 116 | University of Pikeville | 29800 | 34800 | 0.1438 | 1,164 | 1070 | 0.8967 | |
| 118 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 119 | University of West Florida | 30000 | 38000 | 0.2104 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 120 | Mercy University | 30100 | 44500 | 0.3237 | 6,692 | 1135 | 0.8724 | |
| 120 | Southwestern College | 30100 | 64400 | 0.5326 | 816 | 1000 | 0.4729 | |
| 122 | Bryan College-Dayton | 30200 | 36000 | 0.161 | 1,565 | 1085 | 1 | |
| 123 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 30500 | 39200 | 0.2222 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 124 | Jacksonville University | 30800 | 74200 | 0.5847 | 2,916 | 1210 | 0.5748 | |
| 124 | Utah Tech University | 30800 | 35200 | 0.125 | 12,993 | 1065 | 1 | |
| 126 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 31000 | 77600 | 0.6003 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 126 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31000 | 59100 | 0.4752 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 128 | Hampton University | 31600 | 54800 | 0.4233 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 129 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 130 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 131 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 33600 | 38200 | 0.1201 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 132 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 133 | Nova Southeastern University | 34100 | 56100 | 0.3921 | 7,057 | 1187 | 0.7557 | |
| 133 | SUNY at Fredonia | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1391 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 135 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.295 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 136 | Siena University | 34400 | 65100 | 0.4717 | 3,149 | 1301 | 0.8464 | |
| 136 | Southeastern University | 34400 | 60500 | 0.4312 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 138 | Coastal Carolina University | 34900 | 45100 | 0.2259 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 139 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 140 | University of New England | 35100 | 68000 | 0.4841 | 4,631 | 1145 | 0.9203 | |
| 141 | Barry University | 35200 | 56400 | 0.3757 | 4,654 | 1005 | 0.9663 | |
| 142 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 35300 | 37600 | 0.0609 | 13,433 | 1145 | 0.8844 | |
| 142 | Pfeiffer University | 35300 | 56100 | 0.3705 | 696 | 941 | 0.9603 | |
| 144 | Centenary University | 35400 | 63600 | 0.4433 | 936 | 1070 | 0.8308 | |
| 145 | The University of Tampa | 35500 | 56900 | 0.3758 | 10,710 | 1250 | 0.4363 | |
| 146 | Roger Williams University | 35600 | 63700 | 0.4414 | 3,970 | 1235 | 0.882 | |
| 147 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 35700 | 35700 | 0 | 6,113 | 1279 | 0.6267 | |
| 148 | Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | 36000 | 48500 | 0.2575 | 2,075 | 1090 | 0.8894 | |
| 149 | Eckerd College | 36600 | 75100 | 0.5126 | 1,893 | 1255 | 0.758 | |
| 150 | University of Nevada-Reno | 37300 | 45800 | 0.1857 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 151 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 152 | Northwest Nazarene University | 38100 | 62800 | 0.3932 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 152 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 38100 | 65000 | 0.4136 | 1,105 | 1055 | 0.8351 | |
| 154 | University of Dubuque | 38200 | 65900 | 0.4214 | 1,395 | 1074 | 0.8731 | |
| 155 | Maine Maritime Academy | 38400 | 49800 | 0.2287 | 977 | 1189 | 0.9615 | |
| 156 | Reinhardt University | 38700 | 49300 | 0.2139 | 1,129 | 1070 | 0.6154 | |
| 156 | Western New England University | 38700 | 69200 | 0.4409 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 158 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 159 | Mississippi State University | 39100 | 53400 | 0.2675 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 160 | University of Maine | 39500 | 45200 | 0.1262 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 161 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 162 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1168 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 163 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 81800 | 0.5061 | 33,534 | 1399 | 0.0941 | |
| 164 | University of New Haven | 41000 | 67300 | 0.3906 | 4,969 | 1219 | 0.5589 | |
| 165 | Montclair State University | 41600 | 46600 | 0.1073 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 166 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 42400 | 42400 | 0 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 167 | Sacred Heart University | 42600 | 67500 | 0.3691 | 7,291 | 1265 | 0.6363 | |
| 167 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 56200 | 0.2421 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 169 | Loyola University Chicago | 42900 | 70600 | 0.3922 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 170 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45700 | 0.057 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 171 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68700 | 0.3679 | 4,279 | 1234 | 0.5796 | |
| 171 | Providence College | 43400 | 85000 | 0.4895 | 4,680 | 1345 | 0.4994 | |
| 173 | St. John's University-New York | 44500 | 78000 | 0.4292 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 174 | Quinnipiac University | 44800 | 79200 | 0.4343 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 175 | University of California-San Diego | 45900 | 77200 | 0.4055 | 35,442 | 1375 | 0.2856 | |
| 176 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59700 | 0.2124 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 177 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 61300 | 0.2231 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 178 | University of Georgia | 49700 | 51600 | 0.0368 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 179 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53300 | 53300 | 0 | 34,447 | 1273 | 0.8804 | |
| 180 | The University of Alabama | 55700 | 58500 | 0.0478 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 181 | Dallas Baptist University | 55800 | 63400 | 0.1199 | 2,938 | 1073 | 0.9131 | |
| 182 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 58100 | 63200 | 0.0806 | 40,996 | 1399 | 0.4175 | |
| 183 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 184 | College of Charleston | 61200 | 61200 | 0 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 185 | Hawaii Pacific University | 63500 | 65800 | 0.0348 | 3,468 | 1200 | 0.8855 | |
| 186 | University of Oregon | 69000 | 71300 | 0.0321 | 20,710 | 1193 | 0.8742 | |
| 187 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75600 | 0.0476 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 | |
| 188 | Rollins College | 82400 | 82400 | 0 | 2,639 | 1284 | 0.5285 | |
| 188 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82400 | 82400 | 0 | 18,194 | 1281 | 0.7273 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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