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 | Washington University in St Louis | 7300 | 102300 | 0.9283 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22200 | 0.6405 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | 8400 | 94600 | 0.9108 | 971 | 1564 | 0.0379 | |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10100 | 41500 | 0.7567 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 11300 | 39000 | 0.7105 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 6 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12100 | 30200 | 0.5993 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 7 | University of West Florida | 12500 | 50500 | 0.7532 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 8 | Colorado College | 12800 | 98000 | 0.869 | 1,887 | 1357 | 0.2209 | |
| 9 | University of North Florida | 13200 | 30500 | 0.5671 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 10 | Louisiana Tech University | 13300 | 42900 | 0.6899 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 10 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 12 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 13 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 14 | Coastal Carolina University | 14200 | 45300 | 0.6869 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 14 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5826 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 16 | University of Memphis | 14300 | 29100 | 0.5088 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 17 | Troy University | 14700 | 34700 | 0.5764 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 18 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 18 | West Virginia University | 15000 | 73100 | 0.7945 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 20 | Jacksonville State University | 15500 | 38200 | 0.5938 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 21 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 22 | Niagara University | 15900 | 57400 | 0.7227 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 23 | Greensboro College | 16000 | 38300 | 0.5817 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 23 | Missouri Valley College | 16000 | 38200 | 0.5813 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6922 | |
| 23 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16000 | 38700 | 0.5859 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 26 | Tennessee State University | 16200 | 55800 | 0.7098 | 4,221 | 990 | 0.8463 | |
| 27 | Francis Marion University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5453 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 28 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4058 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 28 | Union College | 16500 | 93300 | 0.8231 | 1,954 | 1399 | 0.4342 | |
| 28 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16500 | 27600 | 0.4027 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 31 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 32 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 30300 | 0.4452 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 33 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17000 | 36500 | 0.5346 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 34 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 28900 | 0.4054 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 35 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 36 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 17500 | 44100 | 0.6035 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 37 | Bentley University | 17900 | 89000 | 0.7992 | 4,620 | 1323 | 0.4729 | |
| 38 | Kennesaw State University | 18000 | 27400 | 0.3428 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 39 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 18200 | 66900 | 0.7279 | 1,108 | 990 | 1 | |
| 40 | Louisiana Christian University | 18900 | 26000 | 0.2721 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 40 | Valdosta State University | 18900 | 29600 | 0.3614 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 42 | Wheaton College | 19000 | 68000 | 0.7209 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 43 | Lehigh University | 19200 | 89800 | 0.7863 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 44 | Jackson State University | 19400 | 28100 | 0.3091 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 45 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 45 | Midwestern State University | 20400 | 33600 | 0.3933 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 47 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 48 | South Carolina State University | 21000 | 43100 | 0.5131 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 48 | West Texas A & M University | 21000 | 29200 | 0.2806 | 7,110 | 1060 | 0.6681 | |
| 50 | Georgia College & State University | 21200 | 52400 | 0.5953 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 51 | South Dakota State University | 21700 | 25200 | 0.1414 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 52 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36200 | 0.3949 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 53 | University of the Incarnate Word | 22000 | 58000 | 0.6205 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 54 | Oklahoma City University | 22400 | 74100 | 0.6979 | 1,546 | 1159 | 0.7103 | |
| 55 | Hope College | 22500 | 60100 | 0.6254 | 3,427 | 1216 | 0.8712 | |
| 55 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 55 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 55 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22500 | 53400 | 0.5791 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 59 | Pennsylvania Western University | 22900 | 34400 | 0.334 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 60 | Carroll University | 23400 | 63900 | 0.6341 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 60 | Dillard University | 23400 | 54600 | 0.5718 | 1,070 | 1055 | 0.7371 | |
| 62 | Lamar University | 23500 | 37700 | 0.3765 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 63 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 23700 | 34500 | 0.3133 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 64 | Northern Arizona University | 23900 | 47000 | 0.4928 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 64 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 66 | University of Dayton | 24100 | 64400 | 0.6255 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 67 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 24300 | 53800 | 0.5485 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 68 | Seton Hall University | 24500 | 67400 | 0.6361 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 69 | Ave Maria University | 25000 | 46600 | 0.4637 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 70 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25300 | 32800 | 0.229 | 7,393 | 1125 | 0.8968 | |
| 71 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 25400 | 54300 | 0.5319 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 72 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 25600 | 82600 | 0.6903 | 871 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 73 | Loyola University Maryland | 25800 | 78800 | 0.6727 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 74 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 26100 | 43400 | 0.3983 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 74 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5963 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 76 | Presbyterian College | 26200 | 64600 | 0.5945 | 903 | 1150 | 0.6515 | |
| 77 | George Fox University | 26400 | 92800 | 0.7157 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 78 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 79 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39600 | 0.3258 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 79 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4019 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 81 | Capital University | 27100 | 63800 | 0.5751 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 81 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27100 | 39800 | 0.3209 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 83 | Cornell College | 27200 | 74800 | 0.6361 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 84 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 38800 | 0.2963 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 85 | John Brown University | 27800 | 48300 | 0.4255 | 2,091 | 1187 | 0.6802 | |
| 86 | St Bonaventure University | 28100 | 64100 | 0.5617 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 87 | Iowa State University | 28700 | 45200 | 0.3663 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 88 | Georgia State University | 29000 | 45700 | 0.3652 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 89 | Alvernia University | 29100 | 69400 | 0.5805 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 90 | Cleveland State University | 29200 | 38600 | 0.2436 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 91 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 92 | Wofford College | 30400 | 73200 | 0.5843 | 1,781 | 1305 | 0.5487 | |
| 93 | The College of Wooster | 30600 | 82400 | 0.6292 | 1,515 | 1345 | 0.6438 | |
| 94 | University of North Dakota | 30700 | 33700 | 0.0908 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 95 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 30900 | 75700 | 0.5915 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 95 | Western Kentucky University | 30900 | 42800 | 0.2783 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 97 | Angelo State University | 31300 | 35400 | 0.1149 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 98 | Marquette University | 31400 | 75900 | 0.5862 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 99 | Hampton University | 31700 | 54800 | 0.4215 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 100 | Westminster University | 31800 | 94100 | 0.6623 | 868 | 1205 | 0.6513 | |
| 101 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 102 | Azusa Pacific University | 32100 | 66600 | 0.5177 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8842 | |
| 102 | Villanova University | 32100 | 92900 | 0.6548 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 104 | University of Louisville | 32300 | 42100 | 0.2325 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 105 | North Carolina State University | 32400 | 54800 | 0.4083 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 105 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 32400 | 38400 | 0.1562 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 107 | Rider University | 32500 | 60200 | 0.4601 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 108 | Wichita State University | 32600 | 42200 | 0.2269 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 109 | Allegheny College | 33000 | 77600 | 0.5752 | 1,125 | 1243 | 0.5877 | |
| 109 | Ursinus College | 33000 | 83700 | 0.6059 | 1,378 | 1303 | 0.9285 | |
| 111 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 112 | Utica University | 33400 | 48600 | 0.3129 | 2,191 | 1214 | 0.9187 | |
| 113 | Elizabethtown College | 33600 | 57500 | 0.4154 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 114 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 115 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 34300 | 59100 | 0.4194 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 116 | Berry College | 34400 | 62400 | 0.4488 | 2,262 | 1219 | 0.7315 | |
| 117 | University of Idaho | 34500 | 48700 | 0.2916 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 117 | Washburn University | 34500 | 38400 | 0.1015 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 119 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 120 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 34700 | 46400 | 0.2519 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 121 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35000 | 42000 | 0.1667 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 122 | Cedarville University | 35400 | 57000 | 0.3784 | 5,794 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 123 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 35900 | 54000 | 0.3352 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 124 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 36000 | 39700 | 0.0932 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 125 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36300 | 39900 | 0.0894 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 126 | Fort Lewis College | 36700 | 41400 | 0.1136 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 127 | Loyola University New Orleans | 37000 | 74600 | 0.5039 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 128 | Beloit College | 37100 | 81700 | 0.5457 | 997 | 1296 | 0.7039 | |
| 128 | University of Maine at Farmington | 37100 | 40800 | 0.0908 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 128 | University of West Georgia | 37100 | 47300 | 0.2155 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 131 | Xavier University | 37600 | 68100 | 0.4481 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 132 | Widener University | 37700 | 79400 | 0.5254 | 2,975 | 1179 | 0.7093 | |
| 133 | Middle Tennessee State University | 37800 | 48300 | 0.2174 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 134 | East Tennessee State University | 38400 | 38500 | 0.0026 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 135 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38800 | 38800 | 0 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 135 | Westmont College | 38800 | 80300 | 0.5168 | 1,311 | 1315 | 0.8059 | |
| 137 | Loyola University Chicago | 38900 | 73200 | 0.4687 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 137 | Mississippi State University | 38900 | 53400 | 0.2726 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 139 | Arcadia University | 39000 | 71600 | 0.4551 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 139 | Saint Vincent College | 39000 | 64600 | 0.3959 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 141 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39300 | 40300 | 0.0248 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 142 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 143 | University of Wyoming | 39700 | 45300 | 0.1229 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 144 | Saint Francis University | 39900 | 67300 | 0.407 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 145 | Boise State University | 40000 | 50100 | 0.2014 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 146 | University of Mississippi | 40100 | 45200 | 0.1128 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 147 | University of Maine | 40300 | 42800 | 0.0585 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 147 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 40300 | 42700 | 0.0561 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 149 | University of Redlands | 41300 | 90700 | 0.5448 | 1,941 | 1233 | 0.8272 | |
| 150 | Butler University | 41400 | 68400 | 0.395 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 151 | Virginia State University | 41600 | 42800 | 0.028 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 152 | Susquehanna University | 41800 | 85600 | 0.5116 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 153 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 154 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85300 | 0.5016 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 154 | University of Arizona | 42500 | 48600 | 0.1254 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 156 | Saint Louis University | 42700 | 84300 | 0.4932 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 157 | Arkansas State University | 43000 | 44600 | 0.0358 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 158 | Merrimack College | 43300 | 78800 | 0.4501 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 159 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45100 | 0.0355 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 160 | State University of New York at Cortland | 44800 | 52600 | 0.1482 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 161 | Appalachian State University | 46500 | 46500 | 0 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 162 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 47200 | 57100 | 0.1733 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 163 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 47500 | 47500 | 0 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 164 | University of Kentucky | 48400 | 59900 | 0.1912 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 165 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 48600 | 57000 | 0.1475 | 8,219 | 1100 | 0.9485 | |
| 166 | Marymount Manhattan College | 49100 | 74900 | 0.3446 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 167 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 49200 | 58800 | 0.1628 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 168 | Chapman University | 49900 | 94000 | 0.4693 | 7,630 | 1336 | 0.7206 | |
| 169 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 170 | Northwest Nazarene University | 51500 | 87600 | 0.412 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 171 | University of Georgia | 52000 | 52100 | 0.0019 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 172 | Molloy University | 55800 | 62300 | 0.1044 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 173 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 174 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 175 | Mercyhurst University | 61100 | 68000 | 0.1014 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 176 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 64000 | 64000 | 0 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 177 | Santa Clara University | 69100 | 85400 | 0.1909 | 6,695 | 1399 | 0.4788 | |
| 178 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75000 | 0.04 | 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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