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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 | 6800 | 91800 | 0.9264 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 102300 | 0.909 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,206 | 1015 | 0.7214 | |
| 5 | Tennessee State University | 11400 | 48200 | 0.7627 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7018 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 48200 | 0.7577 | 20,609 | 990 | 0.999 | |
| 6 | Wichita State University | 11700 | 29800 | 0.6086 | 14,280 | 1094 | 0.7211 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 9 | Louisiana Tech University | 13000 | 36900 | 0.6476 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 9 | Saginaw Valley State University | 13000 | 28600 | 0.5467 | 6,152 | 1050 | 0.7207 | |
| 9 | West Virginia University | 13000 | 57700 | 0.7745 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 12 | Northern Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5135 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 14 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 15 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 13600 | 27600 | 0.508 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13800 | 19400 | 0.2887 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 17 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 18 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 19 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 20 | University of North Florida | 14200 | 22400 | 0.3665 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 21 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 21 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 14300 | 28900 | 0.5059 | 8,320 | 1074 | 0.8858 | |
| 23 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 14400 | 26800 | 0.4632 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 24 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14600 | 22600 | 0.3536 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 25 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15100 | 37700 | 0.6009 | 5,241 | 1075 | 0.8613 | |
| 25 | Troy University | 15100 | 32600 | 0.5365 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 27 | Grand Valley State University | 15300 | 25300 | 0.3957 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 28 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15500 | 25600 | 0.3938 | 9,982 | 1125 | 0.7702 | |
| 29 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 29 | Salisbury University | 15600 | 28700 | 0.4563 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 31 | University of Memphis | 15800 | 26400 | 0.4023 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 32 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 16100 | 23200 | 0.306 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 33 | Lamar University | 16200 | 22900 | 0.2922 | 8,218 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 34 | Jacksonville State University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5455 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 34 | Lewis University | 16400 | 57700 | 0.7155 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 36 | Appalachian State University | 16500 | 19500 | 0.1541 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 36 | North Carolina State University | 16500 | 28500 | 0.4199 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 38 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 39 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2697 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 39 | Texas State University | 16800 | 26800 | 0.3727 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 41 | University of Maine | 16900 | 29300 | 0.4235 | 591 | 1199 | 0.9684 | |
| 41 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 16900 | 33600 | 0.4966 | 21,210 | 1171 | 0.9232 | |
| 43 | Weber State University | 17300 | 41300 | 0.5806 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 44 | Greensboro College | 17400 | 37800 | 0.5396 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 45 | Francis Marion University | 17500 | 24100 | 0.2743 | 3,635 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 45 | Georgia State University | 17500 | 26000 | 0.3271 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 47 | University of Miami | 17700 | 96300 | 0.8159 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 48 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 17800 | 50400 | 0.6471 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 48 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3585 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 48 | Virginia State University | 17800 | 29500 | 0.3963 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 51 | Georgia Southern University | 18100 | 23800 | 0.2399 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 51 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 18100 | 27700 | 0.3461 | 31,112 | 1114 | 0.8129 | |
| 51 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 18100 | 36500 | 0.5044 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 54 | Angelo State University | 18500 | 23100 | 0.2005 | 9,779 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 55 | University of West Georgia | 19100 | 48000 | 0.6024 | 9,157 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 56 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19200 | 33700 | 0.4308 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 57 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 965 | 0.4823 | |
| 58 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 58 | Wheaton College | 19400 | 84800 | 0.7712 | 2,119 | 1351 | 0.8998 | |
| 60 | Midwestern State University | 19500 | 28600 | 0.3176 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 61 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 61 | South Carolina State University | 20100 | 42000 | 0.5209 | 2,950 | 910 | 0.8262 | |
| 63 | Georgia College & State University | 20400 | 52400 | 0.6106 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 63 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 65 | Boise State University | 20600 | 59700 | 0.655 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 65 | Utica University | 20600 | 43400 | 0.5249 | 2,333 | 1120 | 0.8679 | |
| 67 | Loyola University New Orleans | 20800 | 72100 | 0.7113 | 3,032 | 1145 | 0.9305 | |
| 67 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3286 | 4,525 | 1000 | 0.7118 | |
| 69 | University of the Incarnate Word | 20900 | 73100 | 0.7143 | 4,638 | 1035 | 0.9815 | |
| 70 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 15,130 | 1095 | 0.5256 | |
| 71 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 71 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 73 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 803 | 1065 | 0.8379 | |
| 74 | Pennsylvania Western University | 21700 | 28200 | 0.2309 | 7,586 | 0 | 0.9433 | |
| 75 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 76 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 22100 | 59900 | 0.6309 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 76 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 76 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 79 | West Texas A & M University | 22200 | 22400 | 0.0089 | 6,930 | 1060 | 0.5863 | |
| 80 | Allegheny College | 22700 | 75400 | 0.6994 | 1,171 | 1269 | 0.5452 | |
| 81 | SUNY Oneonta | 23400 | 49300 | 0.5258 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 82 | Ave Maria University | 24000 | 45400 | 0.4712 | 1,250 | 1193 | 0.4481 | |
| 83 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 24100 | 58100 | 0.5848 | 1,147 | 990 | 0.7246 | |
| 84 | Miami University-Oxford | 24800 | 28400 | 0.1267 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 85 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 25000 | 56100 | 0.5541 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 86 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 87 | Hope College | 25400 | 60100 | 0.5772 | 3,395 | 1245 | 0.7924 | |
| 88 | Northwest Nazarene University | 25500 | 75700 | 0.6635 | 1,043 | 1145 | 0.7159 | |
| 88 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 25500 | 31500 | 0.1906 | 6,817 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 88 | University of Redlands | 25500 | 84200 | 0.6975 | 2,045 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 91 | East Tennessee State University | 25900 | 30600 | 0.1535 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 91 | University of North Dakota | 25900 | 28600 | 0.0923 | 11,033 | 1189 | 0.769 | |
| 93 | Westminster University | 26000 | 81400 | 0.6807 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 94 | Aquinas College | 26200 | 53400 | 0.5098 | 1,019 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 94 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 94 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 26200 | 61400 | 0.5725 | 824 | 1060 | 0.7703 | |
| 94 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 26200 | 53800 | 0.5132 | 2,803 | 1085 | 0.9576 | |
| 98 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 26300 | 43000 | 0.388 | 5,789 | 1060 | 0.5774 | |
| 99 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1150 | 0.9523 | |
| 99 | Oklahoma City University | 26500 | 62200 | 0.5738 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 99 | Washburn University | 26500 | 36300 | 0.2697 | 5,331 | 1095 | 1 | |
| 102 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39700 | 0.325 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 103 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 27000 | 30100 | 0.1042 | 5,086 | 1000 | 0.9821 | |
| 103 | University of Idaho | 27000 | 45200 | 0.4023 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 105 | Capital University | 27200 | 80300 | 0.6614 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 105 | University of Arizona | 27200 | 38500 | 0.2932 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 107 | Cleveland State University | 27300 | 37300 | 0.2682 | 9,418 | 1105 | 0.913 | |
| 108 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6322 | 1,085 | 1243 | 0.8066 | |
| 109 | George Fox University | 27700 | 76800 | 0.6393 | 3,401 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 109 | Marquette University | 27700 | 66200 | 0.5813 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 111 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 27800 | 67800 | 0.5902 | 936 | 995 | 0.8003 | |
| 112 | Villanova University | 27900 | 88800 | 0.6856 | 7,006 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 113 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.4166 | 1,882 | 1220 | 0.6764 | |
| 113 | Mississippi State University | 28200 | 32300 | 0.1279 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 115 | Missouri Valley College | 28300 | 38200 | 0.2592 | 1,558 | 1010 | 0.5269 | |
| 116 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 117 | Beloit College | 30400 | 97600 | 0.6884 | 1,004 | 1298 | 0.6304 | |
| 118 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 119 | Samford University | 30600 | 78000 | 0.6074 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 120 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.6264 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 121 | Azusa Pacific University | 30900 | 66600 | 0.5357 | 2,996 | 1138 | 0.7959 | |
| 121 | Wofford College | 30900 | 73200 | 0.5784 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 123 | Carroll University | 31200 | 61500 | 0.4929 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 124 | Coastal Carolina University | 31300 | 45100 | 0.3061 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 124 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31300 | 59600 | 0.4745 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3296 | |
| 126 | University of Dayton | 31800 | 64200 | 0.5048 | 7,740 | 1284 | 0.6566 | |
| 127 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 127 | Rider University | 32000 | 60600 | 0.472 | 3,196 | 1214 | 0.794 | |
| 129 | Hampton University | 32300 | 62400 | 0.482 | 3,728 | 956 | 0.6225 | |
| 130 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 32400 | 93400 | 0.6533 | 1,525 | 1283 | 0.556 | |
| 131 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 132 | Suffolk University | 32600 | 69700 | 0.5326 | 4,324 | 1209 | 0.822 | |
| 133 | University of Louisville | 33500 | 42000 | 0.2026 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 134 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55900 | 0.3974 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 135 | Loyola University Chicago | 34000 | 68100 | 0.5008 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 136 | Hofstra University | 34700 | 77000 | 0.5492 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 137 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 35700 | 42800 | 0.1648 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 138 | State University of New York at Cortland | 35800 | 39900 | 0.1029 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 139 | Cedarville University | 35900 | 57000 | 0.3709 | 4,916 | 1247 | 0.6488 | |
| 140 | Berry College | 36000 | 60900 | 0.4091 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 140 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 36000 | 42500 | 0.1528 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 142 | Loyola University Maryland | 36300 | 78800 | 0.5394 | 3,881 | 1309 | 0.7549 | |
| 143 | Seattle University | 36500 | 74600 | 0.5105 | 4,103 | 1243 | 0.7703 | |
| 144 | Western Kentucky University | 36600 | 42300 | 0.1348 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 145 | Clark Atlanta University | 36800 | 61700 | 0.4037 | 3,495 | 1000 | 0.6463 | |
| 145 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 36800 | 38900 | 0.0548 | 23,351 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 147 | California State University-Long Beach | 37400 | 38600 | 0.0311 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 148 | Xavier University | 37500 | 67500 | 0.4445 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8669 | |
| 149 | Saint Francis University | 37900 | 62800 | 0.3967 | 2,450 | 1150 | 0.7916 | |
| 150 | Westmont College | 38300 | 80300 | 0.523 | 1,311 | 1324 | 0.7704 | |
| 151 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 152 | Arcadia University | 39400 | 71600 | 0.4491 | 2,030 | 1185 | 0.8022 | |
| 153 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 153 | University of Central Florida | 39600 | 39600 | 0 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 155 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 155 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 157 | University of Wyoming | 40200 | 45300 | 0.1134 | 8,130 | 1159 | 0.9688 | |
| 158 | Arkansas State University | 40300 | 40800 | 0.012 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 159 | Saint Vincent College | 41400 | 64600 | 0.3582 | 1,284 | 0 | 0.6173 | |
| 160 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42300 | 42300 | 0 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 160 | Widener University | 42300 | 79400 | 0.4674 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 162 | Susquehanna University | 42400 | 76800 | 0.4481 | 2,185 | 1204 | 0.7871 | |
| 163 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 43400 | 53700 | 0.1917 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 164 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 165 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 166 | Saint Louis University | 44600 | 80900 | 0.4485 | 10,436 | 1260 | 0.7504 | |
| 167 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 168 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 169 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 170 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 6,800 | 1245 | 0.6857 | |
| 171 | Molloy University | 48900 | 62300 | 0.2152 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 171 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1362 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 173 | Chapman University | 51400 | 94000 | 0.4534 | 7,713 | 1357 | 0.6543 | |
| 174 | Santa Clara University | 57700 | 85400 | 0.3244 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 175 | Presbyterian College | 59800 | 62700 | 0.0462 | 853 | 1105 | 0.6837 | |
| 176 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 177 | University of California-Irvine | 72800 | 74700 | 0.0254 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 178 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82000 | 82000 | 0 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6557 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.