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 | California Institute of Technology | 7400 | 91800 | 0.9194 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 9200 | 102300 | 0.9104 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10100 | 27800 | 0.6356 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 5 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 26900 | 0.5645 | 21,118 | 980 | 0.9992 | |
| 7 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 21500 | 0.4413 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 12100 | 28900 | 0.5822 | 8,320 | 1090 | 0.8858 | |
| 9 | University of North Florida | 12600 | 22400 | 0.438 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 10 | Saginaw Valley State University | 12800 | 28600 | 0.5517 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 11 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 13200 | 43000 | 0.693 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3297 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 13 | Francis Marion University | 14000 | 24100 | 0.4198 | 3,692 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 14 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 15 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Midwestern State University | 14400 | 21600 | 0.3329 | 4,303 | 1010 | 0.9352 | |
| 18 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4513 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 18 | Salisbury University | 14600 | 28700 | 0.4916 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 20 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 37700 | 0.6009 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 21 | Coastal Carolina University | 15400 | 27200 | 0.4339 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 21 | Lehigh University | 15400 | 89600 | 0.8286 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 23 | University of Maine at Farmington | 15500 | 23200 | 0.3317 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 24 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 25 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 15800 | 26800 | 0.4108 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 26 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 26 | Tennessee State University | 16000 | 39200 | 0.5913 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7011 | |
| 26 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 26 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5429 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 31 | University of Maine | 16500 | 29300 | 0.4371 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 33 | Georgia Southern University | 16700 | 20100 | 0.1687 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 34 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27000 | 0.3705 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 34 | West Virginia University | 17000 | 40900 | 0.5841 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 36 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17100 | 17100 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.784 | |
| 37 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 38 | University of Louisville | 17500 | 29100 | 0.399 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 39 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 39 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 41 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 42 | Angelo State University | 18300 | 23100 | 0.2067 | 9,702 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 42 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 44 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 45 | University of Mississippi | 18500 | 45000 | 0.5893 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 46 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 47 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 950 | 0.9315 | |
| 48 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19900 | 72100 | 0.7238 | 3,007 | 1155 | 0.9305 | |
| 49 | Cleveland State University | 20000 | 30900 | 0.3523 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 50 | Carroll University | 20300 | 61600 | 0.6708 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 51 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 51 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 51 | Utica University | 20400 | 43400 | 0.5295 | 2,329 | 1118 | 0.9195 | |
| 54 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 20600 | 52900 | 0.6104 | 1,108 | 990 | 0.6578 | |
| 55 | Western Illinois University | 20700 | 31000 | 0.3332 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 56 | University of Memphis | 20900 | 29600 | 0.2942 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 56 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 20900 | 27600 | 0.2431 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 58 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 59 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 763 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 60 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 61 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 62 | Hope College | 22800 | 60100 | 0.6204 | 3,395 | 1241 | 0.7924 | |
| 62 | Oklahoma City University | 22800 | 64400 | 0.6461 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 64 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23000 | 36800 | 0.3747 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 65 | Aquinas College | 23400 | 53400 | 0.5622 | 1,088 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 66 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 66 | West Texas A & M University | 23500 | 29200 | 0.195 | 6,926 | 1060 | 0.9868 | |
| 68 | Allegheny College | 23600 | 76200 | 0.6903 | 1,171 | 1279 | 0.5457 | |
| 69 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 70 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 24200 | 41300 | 0.4141 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 71 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 72 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 73 | Pennsylvania Western University | 24900 | 34400 | 0.2759 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 74 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25200 | 31500 | 0.2001 | 6,809 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 75 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25300 | 53800 | 0.5299 | 2,803 | 1099 | 0.9576 | |
| 76 | Ave Maria University | 25500 | 46600 | 0.453 | 1,301 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 76 | Northern Arizona University | 25500 | 43200 | 0.41 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 78 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0973 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 79 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 80 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 81 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5969 | 870 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 82 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 83 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 84 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 84 | University of Idaho | 26800 | 45200 | 0.4067 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 86 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 87 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 88 | University of Arizona | 27100 | 38100 | 0.2888 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 89 | Capital University | 27200 | 62400 | 0.564 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 90 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 91 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6335 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 91 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 93 | Missouri Valley College | 27600 | 38200 | 0.2775 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6918 | |
| 94 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 7,004 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 95 | Wichita State University | 27900 | 39800 | 0.3007 | 13,313 | 1073 | 0.9395 | |
| 96 | Texas State University | 28000 | 28000 | 0 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 97 | John Brown University | 28100 | 48300 | 0.4196 | 1,948 | 1197 | 0.7614 | |
| 97 | Mississippi State University | 28100 | 32300 | 0.1323 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 99 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 100 | Westminster University | 28400 | 62600 | 0.5466 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 101 | University of Dayton | 28800 | 64200 | 0.5515 | 7,740 | 1302 | 0.6545 | |
| 102 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 103 | Jacksonville State University | 29100 | 38200 | 0.2381 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 104 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 29300 | 56200 | 0.4781 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 104 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 106 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 9,103 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 107 | Wheaton College | 30700 | 84800 | 0.638 | 2,150 | 1363 | 0.874 | |
| 107 | Wofford College | 30700 | 73200 | 0.5804 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 109 | South Carolina State University | 30800 | 41600 | 0.2596 | 2,950 | 930 | 0.8262 | |
| 109 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.627 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 111 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 112 | Lamar University | 31200 | 38300 | 0.1855 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 113 | Hampton University | 31400 | 54800 | 0.427 | 3,728 | 947 | 0.6225 | |
| 113 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 115 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5823 | 1,525 | 1281 | 0.556 | |
| 116 | Azusa Pacific University | 32200 | 66600 | 0.5162 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8843 | |
| 117 | Marquette University | 32300 | 66500 | 0.5142 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 118 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 119 | Berry College | 32600 | 60900 | 0.465 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 119 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 121 | North Carolina State University | 32700 | 54800 | 0.4031 | 28,422 | 1378 | 0.4174 | |
| 122 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 123 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 124 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 125 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 126 | Washburn University | 34600 | 38400 | 0.0989 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 127 | Beloit College | 34800 | 81400 | 0.5721 | 1,004 | 1299 | 0.6304 | |
| 128 | Virginia State University | 35500 | 42200 | 0.1589 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 129 | Cedarville University | 35700 | 57000 | 0.3734 | 5,790 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 130 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 36000 | 56700 | 0.3648 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 131 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 132 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36600 | 39900 | 0.0823 | 5,086 | 1124 | 0.949 | |
| 133 | Loyola University Maryland | 36700 | 78800 | 0.5343 | 3,881 | 1303 | 0.7549 | |
| 134 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 135 | Westmont College | 37400 | 80000 | 0.5322 | 1,302 | 1335 | 0.7705 | |
| 136 | Northwest Nazarene University | 37600 | 62800 | 0.4011 | 1,043 | 1134 | 0.6474 | |
| 137 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 138 | University of Redlands | 38100 | 84200 | 0.5478 | 2,049 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 139 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 140 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38400 | 53100 | 0.2767 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 140 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38700 | 0.0078 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 142 | Clark Atlanta University | 38500 | 51900 | 0.2581 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 142 | Saint Francis University | 38500 | 63100 | 0.3899 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 144 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 145 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4512 | 2,030 | 1170 | 0.8022 | |
| 145 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3915 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 145 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 148 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 149 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 149 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 151 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1166 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 152 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 153 | Appalachian State University | 40600 | 40600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 153 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 52100 | 0.2208 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 155 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40700 | 53600 | 0.2408 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 156 | Loyola University Chicago | 41000 | 70600 | 0.4192 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 157 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 41200 | 42300 | 0.026 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 158 | SUNY Oneonta | 41700 | 41700 | 0 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 159 | Seattle University | 42000 | 74600 | 0.4368 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 159 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 161 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 162 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43800 | 57100 | 0.2328 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 163 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 164 | Widener University | 45700 | 79400 | 0.4246 | 2,975 | 1184 | 0.7093 | |
| 165 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 80900 | 0.4312 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 166 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 47900 | 48600 | 0.0144 | 6,800 | 1293 | 0.6857 | |
| 167 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 168 | University of Georgia | 48600 | 51600 | 0.0581 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 169 | University of Kentucky | 49000 | 58000 | 0.1555 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 170 | Chapman University | 51300 | 93100 | 0.449 | 7,713 | 1353 | 0.6543 | |
| 171 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 172 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 172 | Santa Clara University | 57400 | 85400 | 0.3279 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 174 | Molloy University | 59800 | 62300 | 0.0402 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 175 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 176 | Presbyterian College | 61000 | 62700 | 0.0271 | 853 | 1120 | 0.6837 | |
| 177 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75600 | 0.0476 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2857 | |
| 178 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82400 | 82400 | 0 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6579 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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