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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 Tennessee-Martin | 11200 | 24800 | 0.5489 | 6,809 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 7 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5864 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 8 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 26900 | 0.5645 | 21,118 | 980 | 0.9992 | |
| 9 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 10 | University of Central Florida | 12000 | 25300 | 0.525 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 11 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 12100 | 28900 | 0.5822 | 8,320 | 1090 | 0.8858 | |
| 12 | Lamar University | 12400 | 22900 | 0.458 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 14 | University of North Florida | 12600 | 22400 | 0.438 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 15 | Saginaw Valley State University | 12800 | 28600 | 0.5517 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 16 | Western Kentucky University | 13000 | 27000 | 0.5169 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13200 | 19400 | 0.3197 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 19 | University of Georgia | 13700 | 26600 | 0.485 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 20 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 20 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 22 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 22 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 24 | Midwestern State University | 14400 | 21600 | 0.3329 | 4,303 | 1010 | 0.9352 | |
| 25 | Salisbury University | 14600 | 28700 | 0.4916 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 26 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 37700 | 0.6009 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 26 | University of California-Irvine | 15100 | 38000 | 0.603 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2857 | |
| 28 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 28 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 15200 | 24900 | 0.3891 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 30 | Coastal Carolina University | 15400 | 27200 | 0.4339 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 30 | Lehigh University | 15400 | 89600 | 0.8286 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 30 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 33 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 33 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 35 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 15900 | 27700 | 0.4254 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 36 | Jacksonville State University | 16000 | 27000 | 0.4081 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 36 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 36 | Tennessee State University | 16000 | 39200 | 0.5913 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7011 | |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 40 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16100 | 23400 | 0.3124 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 41 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 41 | North Carolina State University | 16400 | 28500 | 0.425 | 28,422 | 1378 | 0.4174 | |
| 43 | Arkansas State University | 16500 | 28100 | 0.413 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 43 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5429 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 43 | University of Maine | 16500 | 29300 | 0.4371 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 43 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 47 | University of Louisville | 17500 | 29100 | 0.399 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 47 | University of Memphis | 17500 | 26400 | 0.3378 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 49 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 49 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 51 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 52 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19100 | 33700 | 0.4331 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 53 | Virginia State University | 19200 | 29500 | 0.3488 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 54 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 950 | 0.9315 | |
| 55 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 56 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 57 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 19800 | 30500 | 0.3506 | 6,800 | 1293 | 0.6857 | |
| 58 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19900 | 72100 | 0.7238 | 3,007 | 1155 | 0.9305 | |
| 58 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 60 | Cleveland State University | 20000 | 30900 | 0.3523 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 61 | Carroll University | 20300 | 61600 | 0.6708 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 62 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 62 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 62 | Utica University | 20400 | 43400 | 0.5295 | 2,329 | 1118 | 0.9195 | |
| 65 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 20600 | 52900 | 0.6104 | 1,108 | 990 | 0.6578 | |
| 65 | University of Wyoming | 20600 | 27900 | 0.264 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 67 | Western Illinois University | 20700 | 31000 | 0.3332 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 68 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 69 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 763 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 70 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 71 | Hope College | 22800 | 60100 | 0.6204 | 3,395 | 1241 | 0.7924 | |
| 71 | Oklahoma City University | 22800 | 64400 | 0.6461 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 73 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23000 | 36800 | 0.3747 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 74 | Aquinas College | 23400 | 53400 | 0.5622 | 1,088 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 75 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 75 | West Texas A & M University | 23500 | 29200 | 0.195 | 6,926 | 1060 | 0.9868 | |
| 77 | Allegheny College | 23600 | 76200 | 0.6903 | 1,171 | 1279 | 0.5457 | |
| 78 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3477 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 79 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 80 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 81 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 82 | Pennsylvania Western University | 24900 | 34400 | 0.2759 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 83 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25300 | 53800 | 0.5299 | 2,803 | 1099 | 0.9576 | |
| 84 | Ave Maria University | 25500 | 46600 | 0.453 | 1,301 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 85 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0973 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 86 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 87 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5969 | 870 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 88 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 89 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 89 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 91 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 91 | University of Idaho | 26800 | 45200 | 0.4067 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 93 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 94 | University of Arizona | 27100 | 38100 | 0.2888 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 95 | Capital University | 27200 | 62400 | 0.564 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 96 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 97 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6335 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 97 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 99 | Missouri Valley College | 27700 | 38200 | 0.2749 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6918 | |
| 100 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 7,004 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 101 | Wichita State University | 27900 | 39800 | 0.3007 | 13,313 | 1073 | 0.9395 | |
| 102 | John Brown University | 28100 | 48300 | 0.4196 | 1,948 | 1197 | 0.7614 | |
| 102 | Mississippi State University | 28100 | 32300 | 0.1323 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 104 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 104 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 106 | Westminster University | 28400 | 62600 | 0.5466 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 107 | Francis Marion University | 28500 | 40200 | 0.2914 | 3,692 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 108 | University of Dayton | 28800 | 64200 | 0.5515 | 7,740 | 1302 | 0.6545 | |
| 109 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 110 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 29300 | 56200 | 0.4781 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 110 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 112 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 29800 | 39700 | 0.2495 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 113 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 9,103 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 114 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 115 | Wheaton College | 30700 | 84800 | 0.638 | 2,150 | 1363 | 0.874 | |
| 115 | Wofford College | 30700 | 73200 | 0.5804 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 117 | South Carolina State University | 30800 | 41600 | 0.2596 | 2,950 | 930 | 0.8262 | |
| 117 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.627 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 119 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 120 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31000 | 59100 | 0.4752 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3297 | |
| 121 | Hampton University | 31400 | 54800 | 0.427 | 3,728 | 947 | 0.6225 | |
| 121 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 123 | Angelo State University | 31600 | 35400 | 0.1068 | 9,702 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 123 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5823 | 1,525 | 1281 | 0.556 | |
| 125 | Azusa Pacific University | 32200 | 66600 | 0.5162 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8843 | |
| 126 | Marquette University | 32300 | 66500 | 0.5142 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 126 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 128 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 129 | Berry College | 32600 | 60900 | 0.465 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 129 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 131 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 132 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 133 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 134 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1742 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 135 | Beloit College | 34500 | 81400 | 0.5758 | 1,004 | 1299 | 0.6304 | |
| 135 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 137 | Washburn University | 34600 | 38400 | 0.0989 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 138 | Cedarville University | 35700 | 57000 | 0.3734 | 5,790 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 139 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 140 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36600 | 39900 | 0.0823 | 5,086 | 1124 | 0.949 | |
| 141 | Loyola University Maryland | 36700 | 78800 | 0.5343 | 3,881 | 1303 | 0.7549 | |
| 142 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 143 | Westmont College | 37400 | 80000 | 0.5322 | 1,302 | 1335 | 0.7705 | |
| 144 | Northwest Nazarene University | 37600 | 62800 | 0.4011 | 1,043 | 1134 | 0.6474 | |
| 145 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 146 | University of Redlands | 38100 | 84200 | 0.5478 | 2,049 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 147 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 148 | Saint Francis University | 38500 | 63100 | 0.3899 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 149 | Clark Atlanta University | 38600 | 51900 | 0.2561 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 150 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 151 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4512 | 2,030 | 1170 | 0.8022 | |
| 151 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3915 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 151 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 154 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 155 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 156 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 40300 | 44100 | 0.0862 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 157 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 158 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 52100 | 0.2208 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 159 | Loyola University Chicago | 41000 | 70600 | 0.4192 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 160 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 41200 | 42300 | 0.026 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 161 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 162 | Seattle University | 42000 | 74600 | 0.4368 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 162 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 164 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 42400 | 42400 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.784 | |
| 165 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 166 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43800 | 57100 | 0.2328 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 167 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 168 | Widener University | 45700 | 79400 | 0.4246 | 2,975 | 1184 | 0.7093 | |
| 169 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 80900 | 0.4312 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 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 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 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.