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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 | United States Air Force Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,114 | 1335 | 0.1409 | |
| 1 | United States Military Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,507 | 1335 | 0.1161 | |
| 3 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 4 | Mount Holyoke College | 9500 | 89900 | 0.8946 | 2,135 | 1419 | 0.3841 | |
| 5 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 10300 | 10300 | 0 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 6 | Colgate University | 10600 | 95800 | 0.889 | 3,193 | 1488 | 0.1388 | |
| 7 | California State University-Fresno | 11400 | 19600 | 0.4221 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 7 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 9 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 10 | Marshall University | 11800 | 36600 | 0.6773 | 9,960 | 1070 | 0.9663 | |
| 11 | Vassar College | 12100 | 92400 | 0.8693 | 2,514 | 1488 | 0.2093 | |
| 12 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 12200 | 24900 | 0.5092 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 13 | Fayetteville State University | 12300 | 26300 | 0.5326 | 6,542 | 900 | 0.689 | |
| 14 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 15 | Eastern Illinois University | 12700 | 24300 | 0.4766 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 16 | University of Arizona | 12900 | 30900 | 0.5835 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 17 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 19 | University of Georgia | 13700 | 26600 | 0.485 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 63200 | 0.7838 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 21 | Middlebury College | 13900 | 89900 | 0.8454 | 2,640 | 1499 | 0.1277 | |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 14000 | 19000 | 0.2634 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 23 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 23 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 25 | Pittsburg State University | 14900 | 23900 | 0.376 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 26 | Wayne State College | 15100 | 20300 | 0.2561 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 27 | California State University-Chico | 15200 | 23500 | 0.3528 | 13,599 | 1054 | 0.9107 | |
| 27 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 29 | Western Michigan University | 15400 | 31200 | 0.5059 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 30 | Fitchburg State University | 15600 | 33700 | 0.5372 | 3,000 | 1090 | 0.8885 | |
| 30 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 30 | University of West Georgia | 15600 | 24600 | 0.3662 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 33 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 34 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 35 | Worcester State University | 15900 | 31700 | 0.4978 | 4,485 | 1090 | 0.8799 | |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16000 | 22300 | 0.2822 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 36 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 38 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 38 | Portland State University | 16100 | 26100 | 0.3834 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 40 | University of Southern Maine | 16300 | 23000 | 0.291 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 41 | Eastern Michigan University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5459 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 42 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16600 | 64800 | 0.7439 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 43 | West Virginia University | 16800 | 40900 | 0.589 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 44 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3574 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 45 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 17200 | 25700 | 0.3307 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 46 | Central Connecticut State University | 17400 | 34000 | 0.4877 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 46 | Rhode Island College | 17400 | 27400 | 0.3654 | 5,695 | 995 | 0.8557 | |
| 46 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 17400 | 29900 | 0.4173 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 49 | Salem State University | 17500 | 28500 | 0.3859 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 50 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 50 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17600 | 26600 | 0.3387 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 52 | University at Albany | 17700 | 30800 | 0.4254 | 12,889 | 1245 | 0.7044 | |
| 52 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 17700 | 23500 | 0.2472 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 54 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 54 | Towson University | 18200 | 29900 | 0.3909 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 56 | California State University-Fullerton | 18300 | 20600 | 0.1113 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 56 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 58 | University of Central Oklahoma | 19100 | 22700 | 0.1586 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 59 | University of South Alabama | 19200 | 22400 | 0.1431 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 60 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19500 | 33700 | 0.4216 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 61 | Emory & Henry University | 19600 | 52400 | 0.6257 | 1,084 | 1145 | 0.8365 | |
| 62 | California State University-Los Angeles | 19700 | 38000 | 0.4816 | 22,077 | 965 | 0.9124 | |
| 62 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1786 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 64 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 19900 | 29100 | 0.3162 | 6,229 | 1174 | 0.8942 | |
| 64 | Youngstown State University | 19900 | 34000 | 0.4147 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 66 | San Diego State University | 20100 | 28900 | 0.3046 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 66 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20100 | 39900 | 0.4965 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 66 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 20100 | 32300 | 0.3775 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 69 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | 20700 | 24300 | 0.1476 | 3,207 | 1084 | 0.9751 | |
| 70 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 20900 | 24900 | 0.1606 | 5,823 | 1115 | 0.8619 | |
| 71 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 21100 | 24000 | 0.1202 | 5,063 | 1069 | 0.8756 | |
| 72 | Louisiana Tech University | 21300 | 26100 | 0.1841 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 73 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 21400 | 26300 | 0.1865 | 6,113 | 1279 | 0.6267 | |
| 74 | Rocky Mountain College | 21500 | 52000 | 0.5863 | 779 | 1055 | 0.7775 | |
| 75 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 76 | Florida State University | 22400 | 32400 | 0.3091 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 77 | Indiana University-Southeast | 22600 | 25900 | 0.1269 | 3,200 | 1095 | 0.842 | |
| 78 | Concordia University-Nebraska | 22800 | 61100 | 0.6267 | 3,007 | 1135 | 0.8572 | |
| 79 | Saint Cloud State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3775 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 79 | San Jose State University | 22900 | 41100 | 0.4429 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 81 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23000 | 29000 | 0.2067 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 82 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 23200 | 34500 | 0.3279 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 83 | Aquinas College | 23400 | 53400 | 0.5622 | 1,103 | 1035 | 0.9726 | |
| 83 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 85 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23600 | 24900 | 0.0522 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 86 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.3479 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 87 | Calvin University | 23900 | 53500 | 0.5532 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 88 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 89 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6602 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 89 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 24700 | 24700 | 0 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 91 | Pennsylvania Western University | 24900 | 34400 | 0.2759 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 92 | Illinois State University | 25100 | 36400 | 0.3118 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 93 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | 25200 | 38300 | 0.3422 | 2,304 | 990 | 0.8351 | |
| 94 | California State University-Stanislaus | 25500 | 36800 | 0.3072 | 8,494 | 950 | 0.9558 | |
| 95 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 25600 | 34900 | 0.2668 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 96 | University of North Dakota | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0977 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 97 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26300 | 36800 | 0.2855 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 97 | Gustavus Adolphus College | 26300 | 75500 | 0.6519 | 1,906 | 1273 | 0.6099 | |
| 99 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 100 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26800 | 0.0112 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 100 | University of Southern Mississippi | 26500 | 26500 | 0 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 102 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.0793 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 103 | University of Idaho | 26700 | 45200 | 0.4089 | 9,656 | 1104 | 0.7476 | |
| 104 | California State University-Northridge | 27000 | 36500 | 0.2597 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 104 | Kansas State University | 27000 | 31400 | 0.1412 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 106 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 106 | Rowan University | 27400 | 41300 | 0.3369 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 108 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 27500 | 43800 | 0.3725 | 18,028 | 1059 | 0.7996 | |
| 109 | Villanova University | 27800 | 88800 | 0.6867 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 110 | California State University-San Bernardino | 27900 | 39100 | 0.2863 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 110 | Syracuse University | 27900 | 83100 | 0.6641 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 112 | Bridgewater State University | 28000 | 35500 | 0.2113 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 112 | California State University-San Marcos | 28000 | 38300 | 0.2689 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 114 | Elmhurst University | 28200 | 67000 | 0.5793 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 115 | University of North Texas | 28400 | 37400 | 0.2405 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 116 | Jacksonville State University | 29100 | 38200 | 0.2381 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 117 | California State University-East Bay | 29400 | 45100 | 0.3483 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 117 | Montclair State University | 29400 | 36300 | 0.1902 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 117 | University of Mary Washington | 29400 | 32400 | 0.0925 | 3,531 | 1279 | 0.7413 | |
| 120 | Sonoma State University | 29500 | 41200 | 0.284 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 121 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 29700 | 31600 | 0.0601 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 122 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 123 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 124 | Frostburg State University | 30900 | 43000 | 0.2815 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 124 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30900 | 33200 | 0.069 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 126 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31000 | 59100 | 0.4752 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 127 | University of Louisville | 31200 | 42000 | 0.257 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 128 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31600 | 75700 | 0.5823 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 129 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 130 | Framingham State University | 33200 | 38100 | 0.1286 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 130 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 132 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 133 | Salisbury University | 34000 | 41700 | 0.1845 | 6,477 | 1245 | 0.8826 | |
| 134 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 34200 | 41600 | 0.1779 | 9,040 | 1119 | 0.9666 | |
| 134 | University of St Thomas | 34200 | 70300 | 0.5138 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 136 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 34500 | 39400 | 0.1245 | 3,943 | 1275 | 0.3333 | |
| 136 | University of Vermont | 34500 | 66300 | 0.4799 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 138 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 139 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 140 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 35300 | 37600 | 0.0609 | 13,433 | 1145 | 0.8844 | |
| 141 | Carthage College | 35800 | 61800 | 0.4207 | 2,914 | 1125 | 0.8445 | |
| 142 | Temple University | 35900 | 56400 | 0.3636 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 143 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 36100 | 36100 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 144 | University of Northern Colorado | 36200 | 39100 | 0.0742 | 6,598 | 1080 | 0.945 | |
| 145 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36300 | 53100 | 0.3162 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 146 | Hofstra University | 36400 | 76900 | 0.5266 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 147 | University of Connecticut | 37100 | 53600 | 0.3081 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 148 | University of Nevada-Reno | 37300 | 45800 | 0.1857 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 149 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 150 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 151 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0569 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 152 | University of Denver | 39200 | 76900 | 0.4905 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 153 | SUNY Oneonta | 39500 | 41700 | 0.0527 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 154 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 39600 | 42500 | 0.0683 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 155 | The University of Montana | 39800 | 45000 | 0.1155 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 156 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1168 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 157 | Appalachian State University | 40200 | 40600 | 0.0099 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 158 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 81800 | 0.5061 | 33,534 | 1399 | 0.0941 | |
| 159 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 48500 | 0.1628 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 160 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 42400 | 42400 | 0 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 161 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 56200 | 0.2421 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 162 | University at Buffalo | 43300 | 46700 | 0.0728 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 163 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 164 | James Madison University | 45200 | 45200 | 0 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 165 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59700 | 0.2124 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 166 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 167 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49700 | 59400 | 0.1633 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 168 | University of Iowa | 52100 | 54400 | 0.0421 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 169 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1293 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 170 | George Mason University | 53400 | 61000 | 0.1246 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 171 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53600 | 62800 | 0.1465 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 172 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58900 | 61200 | 0.0374 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 173 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 59300 | 61600 | 0.0372 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 174 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 60700 | 63000 | 0.0364 | 38,463 | 1324 | 0.7589 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.