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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 | 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 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 27500 | 0.6258 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 6 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11100 | 32800 | 0.6612 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 11300 | 39000 | 0.7105 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 8 | Midwestern State University | 11900 | 21600 | 0.4485 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 9 | Northern Arizona University | 12100 | 30400 | 0.6012 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 10 | Louisiana Tech University | 12300 | 42900 | 0.7132 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 11 | University of West Florida | 12500 | 50500 | 0.7532 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 12 | Colorado College | 12800 | 98000 | 0.869 | 1,887 | 1357 | 0.2209 | |
| 13 | University of Arizona | 13000 | 31000 | 0.5803 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 13 | University of North Florida | 13000 | 22400 | 0.4202 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 13100 | 43000 | 0.6953 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 17 | Coastal Carolina University | 13400 | 27200 | 0.5074 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 17 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 19 | Saginaw Valley State University | 14100 | 30100 | 0.5334 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 19 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 21 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5826 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 22 | University of Memphis | 14400 | 26400 | 0.4554 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 23 | West Virginia University | 14700 | 73100 | 0.7986 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 24 | Troy University | 14800 | 26700 | 0.4456 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 25 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 26 | Stephen F Austin State University | 15100 | 23400 | 0.3543 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 26 | University of Maine | 15100 | 29300 | 0.4849 | 9,182 | 1195 | 0.9562 | |
| 28 | University of Mississippi | 15200 | 27000 | 0.4369 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 29 | University of West Georgia | 15400 | 24600 | 0.3744 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 30 | Jacksonville State University | 15500 | 38200 | 0.5938 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 30 | University of Maine at Farmington | 15500 | 32600 | 0.5247 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 32 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 33 | Grand Valley State University | 15700 | 28300 | 0.4445 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 34 | Niagara University | 15900 | 57400 | 0.7227 | 2,638 | 1170 | 0.876 | |
| 35 | Greensboro College | 16000 | 38300 | 0.5817 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 35 | Missouri Valley College | 16000 | 38200 | 0.5813 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6922 | |
| 37 | North Carolina State University | 16100 | 28500 | 0.4348 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 38 | Tennessee State University | 16200 | 55800 | 0.7098 | 4,221 | 990 | 0.8463 | |
| 39 | Francis Marion University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5453 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 39 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16400 | 38700 | 0.5755 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 41 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 16500 | 24900 | 0.3369 | 8,219 | 1100 | 0.9485 | |
| 41 | Union College | 16500 | 93300 | 0.8231 | 1,954 | 1399 | 0.4342 | |
| 41 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16500 | 27600 | 0.4027 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 44 | California State University-Long Beach | 16600 | 25800 | 0.3567 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 45 | Georgia Southern University | 16800 | 20100 | 0.1638 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 46 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 16900 | 28100 | 0.3992 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 46 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 16900 | 26600 | 0.365 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 48 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 49 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 29000 | 0.4071 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 49 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 28900 | 0.4054 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 51 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 52 | James Madison University | 17500 | 28900 | 0.3943 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 52 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 17500 | 44100 | 0.6035 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 52 | Virginia State University | 17500 | 34900 | 0.4979 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 55 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 28500 | 0.3772 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 56 | Bentley University | 17900 | 89000 | 0.7992 | 4,620 | 1323 | 0.4729 | |
| 57 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 58 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 18200 | 66900 | 0.7279 | 1,108 | 990 | 1 | |
| 59 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 60 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 18500 | 30500 | 0.3932 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 61 | Louisiana Christian University | 18900 | 26000 | 0.2721 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 61 | Valdosta State University | 18900 | 29600 | 0.3614 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 63 | Wheaton College | 19000 | 68000 | 0.7209 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 64 | Lehigh University | 19200 | 89800 | 0.7863 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 64 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 19200 | 26900 | 0.2861 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 66 | Jackson State University | 19400 | 28100 | 0.3091 | 4,967 | 940 | 0.9602 | |
| 67 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 30900 | 0.3627 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 68 | South Dakota State University | 20200 | 25200 | 0.2009 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 69 | University of Wyoming | 20300 | 27900 | 0.2742 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 70 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 70 | Washburn University | 20400 | 34400 | 0.4075 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 72 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 72 | State University of New York at Cortland | 20500 | 27700 | 0.2597 | 5,890 | 1175 | 0.624 | |
| 74 | South Carolina State University | 21000 | 43100 | 0.5131 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 74 | West Texas A & M University | 21000 | 29200 | 0.2806 | 7,110 | 1060 | 0.6681 | |
| 76 | Iowa State University | 21100 | 25700 | 0.1794 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 77 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 78 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 21300 | 41300 | 0.4843 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 79 | University of the Incarnate Word | 22000 | 58000 | 0.6205 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 80 | Oklahoma City University | 22400 | 74100 | 0.6979 | 1,546 | 1159 | 0.7103 | |
| 81 | Hope College | 22500 | 60100 | 0.6254 | 3,427 | 1216 | 0.8712 | |
| 81 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 81 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 81 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22500 | 53400 | 0.5791 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 85 | Carroll University | 23400 | 63900 | 0.6341 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 85 | Dillard University | 23400 | 54600 | 0.5718 | 1,070 | 1055 | 0.7371 | |
| 87 | Lamar University | 23500 | 37700 | 0.3765 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 88 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 23700 | 34500 | 0.3133 | 10,396 | 1125 | 0.7162 | |
| 89 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 90 | University of Dayton | 24100 | 64400 | 0.6255 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 91 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 24300 | 53800 | 0.5485 | 2,775 | 1105 | 0.9747 | |
| 92 | Seton Hall University | 24500 | 67400 | 0.6361 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 93 | Ave Maria University | 25000 | 46600 | 0.4637 | 1,320 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 94 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 25100 | 43400 | 0.4215 | 18,194 | 1281 | 0.7273 | |
| 95 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25300 | 32800 | 0.229 | 7,393 | 1125 | 0.8968 | |
| 96 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 25600 | 82600 | 0.6903 | 871 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 97 | Loyola University Maryland | 25800 | 78800 | 0.6727 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 98 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 26100 | 43400 | 0.3983 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 98 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5963 | 1,920 | 1174 | 0.9412 | |
| 100 | Presbyterian College | 26200 | 64600 | 0.5945 | 903 | 1150 | 0.6515 | |
| 101 | George Fox University | 26400 | 92800 | 0.7157 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 102 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 103 | Oakland University | 26700 | 39600 | 0.3258 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 104 | Capital University | 27100 | 63800 | 0.5751 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 105 | Cornell College | 27200 | 74800 | 0.6361 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 106 | John Brown University | 27800 | 48300 | 0.4255 | 2,091 | 1187 | 0.6802 | |
| 107 | Marquette University | 28000 | 63800 | 0.5612 | 8,206 | 1304 | 0.7802 | |
| 108 | St Bonaventure University | 28100 | 64100 | 0.5617 | 2,134 | 1165 | 0.8533 | |
| 109 | Georgia State University | 29000 | 45700 | 0.3652 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 110 | Alvernia University | 29100 | 69400 | 0.5805 | 2,192 | 1195 | 0.5806 | |
| 111 | Cleveland State University | 29200 | 38600 | 0.2436 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 112 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 113 | Mississippi State University | 29900 | 34400 | 0.1326 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 114 | Wofford College | 30400 | 73200 | 0.5843 | 1,781 | 1305 | 0.5487 | |
| 115 | The College of Wooster | 30600 | 82400 | 0.6292 | 1,515 | 1345 | 0.6438 | |
| 116 | University of North Dakota | 30700 | 33700 | 0.0908 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 117 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 30900 | 75700 | 0.5915 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 118 | Angelo State University | 31300 | 35400 | 0.1149 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 119 | Hampton University | 31700 | 54800 | 0.4215 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 120 | Westminster University | 31800 | 94100 | 0.6623 | 868 | 1205 | 0.6513 | |
| 121 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 122 | Azusa Pacific University | 32100 | 66600 | 0.5177 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8842 | |
| 122 | Villanova University | 32100 | 92900 | 0.6548 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 124 | University of Louisville | 32300 | 42100 | 0.2325 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 125 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 32400 | 38400 | 0.1562 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 126 | Rider University | 32500 | 60200 | 0.4601 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 127 | Wichita State University | 32600 | 42200 | 0.2269 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 128 | University of Illinois Chicago | 32700 | 51300 | 0.3625 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 129 | Allegheny College | 33000 | 77600 | 0.5752 | 1,125 | 1243 | 0.5877 | |
| 129 | Ursinus College | 33000 | 83700 | 0.6059 | 1,378 | 1303 | 0.9285 | |
| 131 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 132 | Utica University | 33400 | 48600 | 0.3129 | 2,191 | 1214 | 0.9187 | |
| 133 | Elizabethtown College | 33600 | 57500 | 0.4154 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 135 | Berry College | 34400 | 62400 | 0.4488 | 2,262 | 1219 | 0.7315 | |
| 136 | University of Idaho | 34500 | 48700 | 0.2916 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 137 | Samford University | 34600 | 93800 | 0.6312 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 138 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 34700 | 46400 | 0.2519 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 139 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35000 | 42000 | 0.1667 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 140 | Cedarville University | 35400 | 57000 | 0.3784 | 5,794 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 141 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 35900 | 54000 | 0.3352 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 142 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 36000 | 39700 | 0.0932 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 143 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36300 | 39900 | 0.0894 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 144 | Fort Lewis College | 36700 | 41400 | 0.1136 | 3,392 | 1109 | 0.7732 | |
| 145 | Loyola University New Orleans | 36900 | 74600 | 0.5052 | 2,871 | 1150 | 0.9058 | |
| 146 | Beloit College | 37100 | 81700 | 0.5457 | 997 | 1296 | 0.7039 | |
| 147 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 37500 | 40100 | 0.064 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 148 | Xavier University | 37600 | 68100 | 0.4481 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 149 | Widener University | 37700 | 79400 | 0.5254 | 2,975 | 1179 | 0.7093 | |
| 150 | East Tennessee State University | 38400 | 38500 | 0.0026 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 151 | Loyola University Chicago | 38800 | 73100 | 0.469 | 12,640 | 1262 | 0.751 | |
| 151 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38800 | 38800 | 0 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 151 | Westmont College | 38800 | 80300 | 0.5168 | 1,311 | 1315 | 0.8059 | |
| 154 | Arcadia University | 39000 | 71600 | 0.4551 | 2,163 | 1159 | 0.7448 | |
| 154 | Saint Vincent College | 39000 | 64600 | 0.3959 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 156 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39300 | 40300 | 0.0248 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 157 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 158 | Saint Francis University | 39900 | 67300 | 0.407 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 159 | Boise State University | 40000 | 50100 | 0.2014 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 160 | University of Redlands | 41300 | 90700 | 0.5448 | 1,941 | 1233 | 0.8272 | |
| 161 | Butler University | 41400 | 68400 | 0.395 | 4,418 | 1269 | 0.8209 | |
| 162 | Susquehanna University | 41800 | 85600 | 0.5116 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 163 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 164 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85300 | 0.5016 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 165 | Saint Louis University | 42700 | 84300 | 0.4932 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 166 | Arkansas State University | 43000 | 44600 | 0.0358 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 167 | Merrimack College | 43300 | 78800 | 0.4501 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 168 | Appalachian State University | 46500 | 46500 | 0 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 169 | University of Kentucky | 48400 | 59900 | 0.1916 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 170 | Marymount Manhattan College | 49100 | 74900 | 0.3446 | 1,601 | 1224 | 0.8261 | |
| 171 | Chapman University | 49900 | 94000 | 0.4693 | 7,630 | 1336 | 0.7206 | |
| 172 | Northwest Nazarene University | 51500 | 87600 | 0.412 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 173 | University of Georgia | 52000 | 52100 | 0.0019 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 174 | Molloy University | 55800 | 62300 | 0.1044 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 175 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,405 | 1284 | 0.74 | |
| 176 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 177 | Mercyhurst University | 61100 | 68000 | 0.1014 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 178 | Santa Clara University | 69100 | 85400 | 0.1909 | 6,695 | 1399 | 0.4788 | |
| 179 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75000 | 0.04 | 30,260 | 1333 | 0.2895 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.