Recent Articles
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 | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | 8300 | 91800 | 0.9096 | 971 | 1564 | 0.0379 | |
| 3 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10000 | 27800 | 0.6392 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 4 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 5 | Washington University in St Louis | 10700 | 102300 | 0.8957 | 8,153 | 1512 | 0.1192 | |
| 6 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5865 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 7 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 26900 | 0.5645 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 12200 | 28900 | 0.5787 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 10 | Colorado College | 12800 | 98000 | 0.869 | 1,887 | 1357 | 0.2209 | |
| 11 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 13200 | 30000 | 0.5601 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 11 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 13200 | 43000 | 0.693 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 14 | Francis Marion University | 14000 | 24100 | 0.4198 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 15 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 16 | Union College | 14200 | 92400 | 0.8462 | 1,954 | 1399 | 0.4342 | |
| 17 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 18 | Midwestern State University | 14400 | 21600 | 0.3329 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 19 | Coastal Carolina University | 15400 | 27200 | 0.4339 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 20 | Lehigh University | 15500 | 89600 | 0.8275 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 20 | University of Maine at Farmington | 15500 | 23200 | 0.3319 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 22 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 23 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 25 | Tennessee State University | 16200 | 39200 | 0.5862 | 4,221 | 990 | 0.8463 | |
| 26 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5431 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 26 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 28 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27000 | 0.3705 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 29 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17100 | 17100 | 0 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 30 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 31 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 31 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 33 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 17900 | 42900 | 0.5834 | 18,194 | 1281 | 0.7273 | |
| 34 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 34 | University of Mississippi | 18300 | 45000 | 0.5938 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 36 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 18800 | 31000 | 0.394 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 37 | Louisiana Christian University | 19200 | 26000 | 0.2615 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 38 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 39 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19700 | 72100 | 0.7266 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 40 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 41 | Carroll University | 20300 | 61600 | 0.6708 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 42 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 43 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 44 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 20600 | 52900 | 0.6104 | 1,108 | 990 | 1 | |
| 45 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 20900 | 27600 | 0.2431 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 46 | University of Memphis | 21000 | 29600 | 0.2909 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 47 | Louisiana Tech University | 21300 | 26100 | 0.1841 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 48 | Bradley University | 21700 | 49900 | 0.5642 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 49 | Niagara University | 21800 | 57400 | 0.62 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 50 | South Dakota State University | 21900 | 25200 | 0.1305 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 51 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22200 | 33600 | 0.339 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 51 | Washburn University | 22200 | 29500 | 0.2478 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 53 | Oklahoma City University | 22600 | 64400 | 0.6492 | 1,546 | 1159 | 0.7103 | |
| 54 | Hope College | 22800 | 60100 | 0.6204 | 3,427 | 1216 | 0.8712 | |
| 55 | Bentley University | 23300 | 85500 | 0.7274 | 4,620 | 1323 | 0.4729 | |
| 56 | West Texas A & M University | 23400 | 29200 | 0.1985 | 7,110 | 1060 | 0.6681 | |
| 57 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 58 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3479 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 58 | Utica University | 23700 | 43400 | 0.4535 | 2,191 | 1214 | 0.9187 | |
| 60 | Allegheny College | 23900 | 76200 | 0.6865 | 1,125 | 1243 | 0.5877 | |
| 61 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 61 | University of Arizona | 24400 | 38100 | 0.3597 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 63 | Pennsylvania Western University | 24900 | 34400 | 0.2759 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 64 | Lewis University | 25100 | 57700 | 0.5649 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 65 | Dillard University | 25300 | 53600 | 0.5284 | 1,070 | 1055 | 0.7371 | |
| 65 | University of Dayton | 25300 | 64200 | 0.606 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 67 | Ave Maria University | 25500 | 46600 | 0.453 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 67 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25500 | 53800 | 0.5262 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 69 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 70 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5969 | 871 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 70 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5967 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 72 | St Bonaventure University | 26300 | 61200 | 0.5702 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 73 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 73 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26800 | 0.0112 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 75 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.0793 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 76 | University of Idaho | 26700 | 45200 | 0.4089 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 77 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 26800 | 30100 | 0.1094 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 77 | Troy University | 26800 | 34700 | 0.2277 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 77 | Western Kentucky University | 26800 | 41800 | 0.3588 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 80 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26900 | 61400 | 0.5621 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 81 | Capital University | 27100 | 62400 | 0.5656 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 82 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27300 | 39800 | 0.314 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 82 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 84 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6336 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 84 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 86 | George Fox University | 27500 | 69400 | 0.6041 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 87 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 27600 | 31500 | 0.1239 | 7,393 | 1125 | 0.8968 | |
| 88 | Missouri Valley College | 27700 | 38200 | 0.2749 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6922 | |
| 89 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 90 | Texas State University | 27900 | 28000 | 0.0036 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 90 | Wichita State University | 27900 | 39800 | 0.3009 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 92 | John Brown University | 28000 | 48300 | 0.4198 | 2,091 | 1187 | 0.6802 | |
| 93 | University of North Texas | 28400 | 37400 | 0.2405 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 94 | Westminster University | 28500 | 62600 | 0.545 | 868 | 1205 | 0.6513 | |
| 95 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28800 | 39700 | 0.2747 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 96 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29000 | 34000 | 0.1472 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 97 | Jacksonville State University | 29100 | 38200 | 0.2381 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 98 | University of West Florida | 30000 | 38000 | 0.2104 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 99 | Mississippi State University | 30100 | 34400 | 0.1246 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 99 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 101 | University of North Florida | 30400 | 33000 | 0.0788 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 102 | The College of Wooster | 30700 | 82400 | 0.6271 | 1,515 | 1345 | 0.6438 | |
| 102 | Wofford College | 30700 | 73200 | 0.5805 | 1,781 | 1305 | 0.5487 | |
| 104 | Wheaton College | 30800 | 84800 | 0.6366 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 105 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 106 | University of North Dakota | 31000 | 33700 | 0.0827 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 107 | Lamar University | 31200 | 38300 | 0.1855 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 107 | University of Louisville | 31200 | 42000 | 0.257 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 109 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 109 | South Carolina State University | 31400 | 41600 | 0.2452 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 111 | Angelo State University | 31600 | 35400 | 0.1071 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 111 | Hampton University | 31600 | 54800 | 0.4233 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 111 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5823 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 114 | Azusa Pacific University | 32200 | 66600 | 0.5162 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8842 | |
| 115 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 35100 | 0.0799 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 116 | Berry College | 32600 | 60900 | 0.465 | 2,262 | 1219 | 0.7315 | |
| 116 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 116 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 32600 | 34500 | 0.0551 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 119 | Marquette University | 32700 | 66500 | 0.5082 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 119 | North Carolina State University | 32700 | 54800 | 0.4033 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 121 | Ursinus College | 33200 | 83700 | 0.6038 | 1,378 | 1303 | 0.9285 | |
| 122 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 123 | Cleveland State University | 33500 | 37300 | 0.1019 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 123 | Fort Lewis College | 33500 | 41400 | 0.191 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 125 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 126 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33800 | 41000 | 0.1744 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 127 | Loyola University Maryland | 34400 | 78800 | 0.5635 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 128 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 34700 | 38700 | 0.1034 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 129 | Beloit College | 35000 | 81400 | 0.5697 | 997 | 1296 | 0.7039 | |
| 130 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 35300 | 56700 | 0.3772 | 8,219 | 1100 | 0.9485 | |
| 131 | Cedarville University | 35700 | 57000 | 0.3736 | 5,794 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 132 | Virginia State University | 36000 | 42200 | 0.147 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 133 | Hofstra University | 36400 | 76900 | 0.5266 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 134 | Georgia State University | 36600 | 45400 | 0.1939 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 135 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 136 | Marymount Manhattan College | 37600 | 69900 | 0.4621 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 137 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 138 | Northwest Nazarene University | 38100 | 62800 | 0.3932 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 138 | University of Redlands | 38100 | 84200 | 0.5478 | 1,941 | 1233 | 0.8272 | |
| 140 | Seton Hall University | 38200 | 67400 | 0.433 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 141 | Xavier University | 38400 | 68100 | 0.4364 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 142 | Saint Francis University | 38500 | 63100 | 0.3899 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 142 | Southern Connecticut State University | 38500 | 52900 | 0.2723 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 144 | Alvernia University | 38700 | 69400 | 0.4422 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 145 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 146 | Westmont College | 39200 | 80000 | 0.5097 | 1,311 | 1315 | 0.8059 | |
| 147 | Arcadia University | 39300 | 71600 | 0.4513 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 147 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3916 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 149 | University of Maine | 39500 | 45200 | 0.1262 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 150 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 151 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 39700 | 50000 | 0.2062 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 151 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 153 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1168 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 154 | Appalachian State University | 40200 | 40600 | 0.0099 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 155 | Arkansas State University | 40400 | 41000 | 0.0146 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 156 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 48500 | 0.1628 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 157 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40800 | 53600 | 0.2389 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 158 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 41100 | 42300 | 0.0284 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 159 | Butler University | 41400 | 72400 | 0.4283 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 160 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 161 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85100 | 0.5004 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 162 | Boise State University | 42800 | 50000 | 0.144 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 163 | Loyola University Chicago | 42900 | 70600 | 0.3922 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 164 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4479 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 165 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 166 | Widener University | 45400 | 79400 | 0.4283 | 2,975 | 1179 | 0.7093 | |
| 167 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 168 | Saint Louis University | 48600 | 80900 | 0.399 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 168 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 48600 | 48600 | 0 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 170 | University of Georgia | 49700 | 51600 | 0.0368 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 171 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 50500 | 58800 | 0.1411 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 172 | Chapman University | 52500 | 93100 | 0.4361 | 7,630 | 1336 | 0.7206 | |
| 173 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 173 | Santa Clara University | 57400 | 85400 | 0.3279 | 6,695 | 1399 | 0.4788 | |
| 175 | Molloy University | 58600 | 62300 | 0.0594 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 176 | Presbyterian College | 62700 | 62700 | 0 | 903 | 1150 | 0.6515 | |
| 177 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 178 | Mercyhurst University | 66000 | 68000 | 0.0294 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 179 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75600 | 0.0476 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.