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 | 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 | California State University-Los Angeles | 5300 | 69100 | 0.9237 | 22,077 | 965 | 0.9124 | |
| 4 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22200 | 0.6405 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 5 | California State University-Northridge | 8200 | 22000 | 0.6264 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 6 | Middlebury College | 8700 | 94500 | 0.908 | 2,640 | 1499 | 0.1277 | |
| 7 | Colgate University | 9200 | 95800 | 0.9039 | 3,193 | 1488 | 0.1388 | |
| 7 | Rhode Island College | 9200 | 30200 | 0.6961 | 5,695 | 995 | 0.8557 | |
| 9 | California State University-East Bay | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6887 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 10 | Portland State University | 10000 | 43300 | 0.7691 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 11 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 10300 | 10300 | 0 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 10700 | 21100 | 0.4936 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 13 | Southern Utah University | 10900 | 51400 | 0.7879 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 14 | California State University-Stanislaus | 11100 | 31200 | 0.6448 | 8,494 | 950 | 0.9558 | |
| 14 | Worcester State University | 11100 | 34900 | 0.6814 | 4,485 | 1090 | 0.8799 | |
| 16 | Marshall University | 11200 | 39800 | 0.7184 | 9,960 | 1070 | 0.9663 | |
| 17 | Fayetteville State University | 11400 | 18200 | 0.3734 | 6,542 | 900 | 0.689 | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 11500 | 20500 | 0.4386 | 5,063 | 1069 | 0.8756 | |
| 19 | California State University-Fresno | 11600 | 19600 | 0.4106 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 19 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | 11600 | 56000 | 0.7928 | 2,304 | 990 | 0.8351 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 11800 | 19300 | 0.3886 | 10,743 | 1075 | 0.9598 | |
| 22 | Eastern Illinois University | 11900 | 24300 | 0.5125 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 23 | Fitchburg State University | 12000 | 33800 | 0.6445 | 3,000 | 1090 | 0.8885 | |
| 23 | Vassar College | 12000 | 93100 | 0.8712 | 2,514 | 1488 | 0.2093 | |
| 25 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 26 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 12300 | 24900 | 0.5052 | 5,677 | 985 | 0.9301 | |
| 27 | Mount Holyoke College | 12600 | 89900 | 0.8599 | 2,135 | 1419 | 0.3841 | |
| 28 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 12900 | 26600 | 0.5151 | 9,040 | 1119 | 0.9666 | |
| 29 | Central Connecticut State University | 13200 | 34200 | 0.6138 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 29 | Framingham State University | 13200 | 31000 | 0.5744 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 31 | Louisiana Tech University | 13300 | 42900 | 0.6899 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 31 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 31 | University of South Florida | 13300 | 22400 | 0.4067 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 34 | Aquinas College | 13700 | 86000 | 0.8407 | 1,103 | 1035 | 0.9726 | |
| 34 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 61700 | 0.7774 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 13800 | 22200 | 0.3792 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 37 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 38 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5826 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 38 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 38 | San Francisco State University | 14200 | 47700 | 0.7025 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 41 | California State University-San Bernardino | 14400 | 32700 | 0.5594 | 15,948 | 1020 | 0.943 | |
| 42 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 31400 | 0.5374 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 42 | Bridgewater State University | 14500 | 37300 | 0.612 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 44 | California State University-San Marcos | 14600 | 24700 | 0.4097 | 15,770 | 990 | 0.9513 | |
| 44 | University of North Alabama | 14600 | 37300 | 0.6087 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 46 | Wayne State College | 14700 | 30200 | 0.5139 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 47 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | 14800 | 57100 | 0.7404 | 15,735 | 1069 | 0.8797 | |
| 48 | Sonoma State University | 14900 | 26700 | 0.442 | 4,449 | 1050 | 0.9841 | |
| 49 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 49 | West Virginia University | 15000 | 73100 | 0.7945 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 51 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 15200 | 26000 | 0.4149 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 52 | California State University-Chico | 15400 | 23500 | 0.3443 | 13,599 | 1054 | 0.9107 | |
| 53 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23000 | 0.322 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 53 | Jacksonville State University | 15600 | 27000 | 0.423 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 53 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 29800 | 0.4782 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 56 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 15900 | 24700 | 0.3557 | 8,329 | 1209 | 0.385 | |
| 57 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 26000 | 0.3809 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 58 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16300 | 64800 | 0.7481 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 59 | Indiana State University | 16400 | 32400 | 0.494 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 60 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 16600 | 41200 | 0.5978 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 60 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 62 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 16900 | 26600 | 0.365 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 63 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3726 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 63 | University of South Alabama | 17000 | 22400 | 0.2415 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 65 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 17400 | 29400 | 0.4086 | 6,229 | 1174 | 0.8942 | |
| 66 | University at Albany | 17500 | 30800 | 0.4319 | 12,889 | 1245 | 0.7044 | |
| 66 | University of Kentucky | 17500 | 36500 | 0.5208 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 68 | California State University-Sacramento | 17600 | 30700 | 0.4265 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 68 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 70 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 70 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 25200 | 0.2814 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 72 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 73 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,250 | 1165 | 0.8466 | |
| 74 | San Diego State University | 18500 | 28900 | 0.3599 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 75 | California State University-Fullerton | 18800 | 41600 | 0.5479 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 76 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 19300 | 29900 | 0.3563 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 77 | Emory & Henry University | 19600 | 52400 | 0.6257 | 1,084 | 1145 | 0.8365 | |
| 78 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 19900 | 39400 | 0.4954 | 3,943 | 1275 | 0.3333 | |
| 79 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 57800 | 0.6503 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 80 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 20300 | 35200 | 0.4229 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 80 | Rowan University | 20300 | 41300 | 0.5088 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 80 | Syracuse University | 20300 | 83600 | 0.7572 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 80 | University of Wyoming | 20300 | 27900 | 0.2742 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 84 | SUNY Oneonta | 20600 | 55300 | 0.6281 | 4,815 | 1090 | 0.7696 | |
| 85 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 20900 | 24900 | 0.1606 | 5,823 | 1115 | 0.8619 | |
| 86 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | 21000 | 24300 | 0.1383 | 3,207 | 1084 | 0.9751 | |
| 87 | University of Northern Iowa | 21200 | 24800 | 0.144 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 88 | Salisbury University | 21400 | 29300 | 0.2697 | 6,477 | 1245 | 0.8826 | |
| 89 | Rocky Mountain College | 21500 | 52000 | 0.5863 | 779 | 1055 | 0.7775 | |
| 90 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36200 | 0.3949 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 91 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 22400 | 42500 | 0.4729 | 14,249 | 1084 | 0.7761 | |
| 92 | Park University | 22500 | 31300 | 0.2816 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 93 | Concordia University-Nebraska | 22600 | 85400 | 0.7353 | 3,007 | 1135 | 0.8572 | |
| 93 | Saint Cloud State University | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3849 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 95 | University of Southern Mississippi | 22800 | 23100 | 0.013 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 96 | Calvin University | 22900 | 55500 | 0.5871 | 3,359 | 1232 | 0.6791 | |
| 96 | Pennsylvania Western University | 22900 | 34400 | 0.334 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 98 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 23100 | 34900 | 0.3385 | 4,371 | 1084 | 0.865 | |
| 99 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 100 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 23800 | 35700 | 0.333 | 6,113 | 1279 | 0.6267 | |
| 101 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 102 | Elmhurst University | 24000 | 67000 | 0.642 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 102 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24000 | 38500 | 0.3764 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 104 | Augustana College | 24500 | 72800 | 0.6628 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 105 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 106 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 24900 | 36800 | 0.3235 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 106 | University of Northern Colorado | 24900 | 39100 | 0.3633 | 6,598 | 1080 | 0.945 | |
| 108 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 25300 | 31100 | 0.1856 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 109 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25400 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 110 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 25900 | 28400 | 0.0902 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 111 | Gustavus Adolphus College | 26100 | 75500 | 0.6544 | 1,906 | 1273 | 0.6099 | |
| 112 | Indiana University-Southeast | 26200 | 29800 | 0.1197 | 3,200 | 1095 | 0.842 | |
| 113 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 114 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4019 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 114 | University of Central Arkansas | 26700 | 31200 | 0.1461 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 116 | Weber State University | 27100 | 31500 | 0.1399 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 117 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 38800 | 0.2963 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 118 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 27500 | 43800 | 0.3725 | 18,028 | 1059 | 0.7996 | |
| 119 | University of Central Oklahoma | 27600 | 33800 | 0.1833 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 120 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 121 | University of Mary Washington | 30000 | 33000 | 0.0909 | 3,531 | 1279 | 0.7413 | |
| 122 | George Mason University | 30700 | 35700 | 0.1399 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 122 | University of North Dakota | 30700 | 33700 | 0.0908 | 11,837 | 1189 | 0.8157 | |
| 124 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 30900 | 75700 | 0.5915 | 1,652 | 1281 | 0.6441 | |
| 125 | Western Michigan University | 31200 | 31200 | 0 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 126 | Pittsburg State University | 31300 | 37100 | 0.1564 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 127 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 31900 | 35200 | 0.0938 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 128 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 129 | Villanova University | 32100 | 92900 | 0.6548 | 6,933 | 1466 | 0.2814 | |
| 130 | University of Louisville | 32300 | 42100 | 0.2325 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 131 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 132 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 133 | George Washington University | 34300 | 81800 | 0.5808 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 133 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 34300 | 59100 | 0.4194 | 23,091 | 1354 | 0.382 | |
| 133 | University of Vermont | 34300 | 66300 | 0.4821 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 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 | |
| 138 | University of Nevada-Reno | 34700 | 45800 | 0.2425 | 20,204 | 1109 | 0.8313 | |
| 140 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 141 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0683 | 13,433 | 1145 | 0.8844 | |
| 142 | Carthage College | 35700 | 61800 | 0.4218 | 2,914 | 1125 | 0.8445 | |
| 143 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | 36100 | 36100 | 0 | 16,131 | 1275 | 0.6472 | |
| 144 | University of Connecticut | 36900 | 66200 | 0.4429 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 145 | University of Maine at Farmington | 37100 | 40800 | 0.0908 | 1,661 | 1062 | 0.9832 | |
| 145 | University of West Georgia | 37100 | 47300 | 0.2155 | 10,075 | 1035 | 0.7995 | |
| 147 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 148 | Frostburg State University | 37500 | 42500 | 0.1176 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 148 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 150 | University of St Thomas | 38000 | 74800 | 0.492 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 151 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 152 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39300 | 40300 | 0.0248 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 153 | The University of Montana | 40200 | 57400 | 0.2997 | 8,014 | 1184 | 0.9586 | |
| 154 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 40300 | 42700 | 0.0561 | 14,657 | 1190 | 0.7583 | |
| 155 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 81800 | 0.5061 | 33,534 | 1399 | 0.0941 | |
| 156 | Kansas State University | 40900 | 41900 | 0.0239 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 157 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42400 | 63300 | 0.3303 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 158 | University of Arizona | 42500 | 48600 | 0.1254 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 159 | Illinois State University | 43500 | 49100 | 0.1134 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 159 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45100 | 0.0355 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 161 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 162 | Montclair State University | 44600 | 47000 | 0.0511 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 163 | Towson University | 46300 | 46400 | 0.0022 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 164 | University at Buffalo | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 165 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47500 | 61500 | 0.2286 | 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 | 49500 | 58900 | 0.1596 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 168 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 50600 | 63800 | 0.2065 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 169 | University of Iowa | 51800 | 54400 | 0.0472 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 170 | University of Georgia | 52000 | 52100 | 0.0019 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 171 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58600 | 61200 | 0.0419 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 172 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 172 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 59100 | 61600 | 0.0416 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 174 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 60400 | 63000 | 0.0407 | 38,463 | 1324 | 0.7589 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.