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 | 8100 | 22100 | 0.6333 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | 8400 | 117400 | 0.9284 | 971 | 1564 | 0.0379 | |
| 3 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10000 | 27800 | 0.6392 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 4 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 30200 | 0.6594 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 5 | University of Central Florida | 10500 | 25300 | 0.5856 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 6 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 10700 | 24800 | 0.5691 | 7,393 | 1125 | 0.8968 | |
| 6 | Washington University in St Louis | 10700 | 102300 | 0.8957 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 8 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11100 | 33800 | 0.672 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 9 | Valdosta State University | 11500 | 25300 | 0.5447 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 10 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 35500 | 0.6703 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 11 | Northern Arizona University | 12300 | 35800 | 0.6566 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 13 | Colorado College | 12800 | 98000 | 0.869 | 1,887 | 1357 | 0.2209 | |
| 14 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 13200 | 27600 | 0.5213 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 15 | Coastal Carolina University | 13400 | 72300 | 0.8149 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 38400 | 0.6464 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 16 | University of Georgia | 13600 | 27200 | 0.4993 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 18 | Louisiana Tech University | 13900 | 43500 | 0.6804 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 18 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 13900 | 34500 | 0.5969 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 20 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 14000 | 25600 | 0.4523 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 21 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 14100 | 31000 | 0.5458 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 21 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5804 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 24 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4927 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 24 | University of Memphis | 14300 | 37800 | 0.622 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 26 | Troy University | 14700 | 39100 | 0.6237 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 27 | Jacksonville State University | 15500 | 42900 | 0.638 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 28 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 28 | Texas State University | 15600 | 26200 | 0.4043 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 30 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30100 | 0.4751 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 30 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3943 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 32 | Missouri Valley College | 16000 | 38200 | 0.5813 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6922 | |
| 33 | North Carolina State University | 16400 | 28500 | 0.4252 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 34 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 35 | California State University-Long Beach | 16600 | 33300 | 0.5016 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 36 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 37 | University of Louisville | 17000 | 29100 | 0.4162 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 38 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2587 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 39 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 40 | University of Kentucky | 17500 | 46800 | 0.6264 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 41 | Francis Marion University | 17600 | 36100 | 0.5121 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 42 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 38300 | 0.5374 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 43 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 36800 | 0.5156 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 44 | Kennesaw State University | 18000 | 61500 | 0.7069 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 44 | Union College | 18000 | 93400 | 0.8076 | 1,954 | 1399 | 0.4342 | |
| 46 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 47 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 18500 | 65300 | 0.7167 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 48 | Louisiana Christian University | 19200 | 26000 | 0.2615 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 49 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 19300 | 26900 | 0.2823 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 50 | Lehigh University | 19400 | 111000 | 0.8254 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 51 | Lewis University | 19500 | 57700 | 0.6619 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 52 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19600 | 26900 | 0.2714 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 53 | Georgia State University | 20100 | 26000 | 0.2271 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 54 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 54 | University of Wyoming | 20500 | 27900 | 0.2644 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 56 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 20600 | 52100 | 0.6043 | 1,108 | 990 | 1 | |
| 57 | South Carolina State University | 20700 | 30000 | 0.3095 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 58 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 59 | Midwestern State University | 21300 | 38900 | 0.4527 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 59 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 21300 | 48500 | 0.5604 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 61 | Bradley University | 21800 | 59400 | 0.6334 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 62 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36600 | 0.4016 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 62 | South Dakota State University | 21900 | 25200 | 0.1305 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 64 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22200 | 33600 | 0.339 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 64 | Washburn University | 22200 | 29500 | 0.2478 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 66 | Oklahoma City University | 22400 | 74300 | 0.6985 | 1,546 | 1159 | 0.7103 | |
| 67 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 68 | Hope College | 22600 | 77600 | 0.709 | 3,427 | 1216 | 0.8712 | |
| 69 | Pennsylvania Western University | 22900 | 34400 | 0.334 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 70 | Lamar University | 23000 | 37500 | 0.3867 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 71 | Loyola University New Orleans | 23100 | 74600 | 0.6901 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 71 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23100 | 41000 | 0.4367 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 73 | Bentley University | 23300 | 129500 | 0.8199 | 4,620 | 1323 | 0.4729 | |
| 73 | Dillard University | 23300 | 53900 | 0.5678 | 1,070 | 1055 | 0.7371 | |
| 75 | Carroll University | 23400 | 63900 | 0.6341 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 75 | West Texas A & M University | 23400 | 29200 | 0.1985 | 7,110 | 1060 | 0.6681 | |
| 77 | University of Maine at Farmington | 23700 | 33700 | 0.2965 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 78 | Tennessee State University | 24100 | 39200 | 0.3849 | 4,221 | 990 | 0.8463 | |
| 78 | University of Dayton | 24100 | 94000 | 0.7436 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 80 | Miami University-Oxford | 24300 | 28300 | 0.1413 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 81 | Susquehanna University | 24500 | 122200 | 0.7998 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 82 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 83 | Ave Maria University | 25000 | 74000 | 0.6619 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 84 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 25200 | 28900 | 0.1282 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 85 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25500 | 53800 | 0.5262 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 86 | Loyola University Maryland | 25800 | 78800 | 0.6727 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 86 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0977 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 88 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 88 | University of West Florida | 26000 | 37400 | 0.3044 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 90 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5969 | 871 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 90 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5967 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 92 | Jackson State University | 26300 | 35000 | 0.2484 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 92 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 26300 | 57000 | 0.5385 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 94 | George Fox University | 26400 | 95400 | 0.7235 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 95 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 96 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39300 | 0.3203 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 96 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 43300 | 0.3837 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 98 | Rider University | 26800 | 60200 | 0.5551 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 99 | Capital University | 27100 | 63100 | 0.5706 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 99 | Cleveland State University | 27100 | 38500 | 0.2959 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 99 | Wichita State University | 27100 | 30300 | 0.1054 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 102 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27300 | 39800 | 0.314 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 103 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6336 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 104 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 27600 | 27600 | 0 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 105 | John Brown University | 28000 | 48300 | 0.4198 | 2,091 | 1187 | 0.6802 | |
| 106 | Presbyterian College | 28100 | 80400 | 0.6508 | 903 | 1150 | 0.6515 | |
| 106 | St Bonaventure University | 28100 | 64000 | 0.5608 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 108 | Niagara University | 28300 | 57400 | 0.5068 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 109 | Marquette University | 29100 | 63800 | 0.544 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 110 | Alvernia University | 29200 | 89200 | 0.6728 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 111 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 29700 | 59100 | 0.4972 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 112 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 113 | University of North Florida | 30400 | 30500 | 0.0033 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 114 | The College of Wooster | 30700 | 82400 | 0.6271 | 1,515 | 1345 | 0.6438 | |
| 114 | Wofford College | 30700 | 73200 | 0.5805 | 1,781 | 1305 | 0.5487 | |
| 116 | Wheaton College | 30800 | 86200 | 0.6425 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 117 | East Tennessee State University | 31300 | 31300 | 0 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 118 | Angelo State University | 31600 | 35400 | 0.1071 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 118 | Hampton University | 31600 | 54800 | 0.4233 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 120 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31700 | 108100 | 0.7069 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 121 | Westminster University | 31800 | 62600 | 0.4922 | 868 | 1205 | 0.6513 | |
| 122 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 123 | Villanova University | 32100 | 114000 | 0.7185 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 124 | Azusa Pacific University | 32300 | 84000 | 0.6157 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8842 | |
| 125 | Allegheny College | 32800 | 88100 | 0.6273 | 1,125 | 1243 | 0.5877 | |
| 126 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 33100 | 34200 | 0.0321 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 127 | Ursinus College | 33200 | 83700 | 0.6038 | 1,378 | 1303 | 0.9285 | |
| 128 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 129 | Fort Lewis College | 33400 | 41400 | 0.1934 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 129 | Utica University | 33400 | 48600 | 0.3129 | 2,191 | 1214 | 0.9187 | |
| 131 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 69900 | 0.5181 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 132 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 34000 | 47000 | 0.2767 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 132 | University of the Incarnate Word | 34000 | 55300 | 0.3855 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 134 | Berry College | 34300 | 61400 | 0.4411 | 2,262 | 1219 | 0.7315 | |
| 135 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 136 | University of Idaho | 34800 | 48700 | 0.2854 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 137 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 35300 | 56700 | 0.3772 | 8,219 | 1100 | 0.9485 | |
| 138 | Cedarville University | 35700 | 57000 | 0.3736 | 5,794 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 139 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 53600 | 0.321 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 140 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36600 | 39900 | 0.0825 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 141 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 36800 | 38800 | 0.0515 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 142 | Beloit College | 37300 | 81100 | 0.54 | 997 | 1296 | 0.7039 | |
| 143 | Xavier University | 37500 | 107200 | 0.6501 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 144 | DePaul University | 37700 | 66400 | 0.432 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 145 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 37800 | 40100 | 0.0571 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 145 | Widener University | 37800 | 79400 | 0.5241 | 2,975 | 1179 | 0.7093 | |
| 147 | Northwest Nazarene University | 38100 | 62800 | 0.3932 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 148 | Seton Hall University | 38300 | 67700 | 0.4344 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 149 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38400 | 60200 | 0.3616 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 150 | Westmont College | 38800 | 80300 | 0.5168 | 1,311 | 1315 | 0.8059 | |
| 151 | Mississippi State University | 39100 | 53400 | 0.2675 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 152 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4513 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 152 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3916 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 152 | State University of New York at Cortland | 39300 | 40600 | 0.0321 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 155 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 155 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39600 | 40300 | 0.0174 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 157 | James Madison University | 39900 | 45100 | 0.1153 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 157 | Saint Francis University | 39900 | 81500 | 0.5104 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 159 | University of Mississippi | 40100 | 60300 | 0.3349 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 160 | University of Maine | 40300 | 56000 | 0.2805 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 161 | University of Redlands | 41300 | 128400 | 0.6785 | 1,941 | 1233 | 0.8272 | |
| 162 | Butler University | 41400 | 67900 | 0.3904 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 163 | Virginia State University | 41600 | 42800 | 0.028 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 164 | Saint Louis University | 41700 | 81100 | 0.4859 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 165 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85100 | 0.5004 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 166 | University of Arizona | 42800 | 43800 | 0.0228 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 167 | Loyola University Chicago | 42900 | 73100 | 0.4129 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 168 | Arkansas State University | 43300 | 45100 | 0.0399 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 169 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4479 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 170 | Appalachian State University | 46100 | 46100 | 0 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 171 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48400 | 57000 | 0.151 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 172 | Marymount Manhattan College | 49200 | 71300 | 0.31 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 173 | Chapman University | 52500 | 115100 | 0.5437 | 7,630 | 1336 | 0.7206 | |
| 174 | Molloy University | 58600 | 62300 | 0.0594 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 175 | Hofstra University | 59000 | 83400 | 0.2925 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 176 | Mercyhurst University | 66000 | 76400 | 0.136 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 177 | Santa Clara University | 69400 | 109300 | 0.3651 | 6,695 | 1399 | 0.4788 | |
| 178 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 85400 | 0.1569 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 | |
| 179 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82900 | 82900 | 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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