Middle Class Affordability Rankings™ - State of Illinois

Most Affordable Colleges for Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education Majors in Illinois for 2026

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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:

  • Number of people in family: 4
  • Number of students in college: 1
  • Total income: $80,000
  • Total assets: $50,000
Illinois
Rank Institution Typical Net Price Sticker Price % Savings Undergraduates Est. Median SAT Acceptance Rate Save
1 Utah State University 4700 21700 0.7832 25,920 1176 0.9247
#1

#1 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Utah State University
Logan, UT

Sticker Price

$21,700

% Savings

78%

Undergraduates

25,920

Est. Median SAT

1,176

Acceptance Rate

92.5 %

2 Brigham Young University 8000 28600 0.7211 32,221 1374 0.6919
#2

#2 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Brigham Young University
Provo, UT

Sticker Price

$28,600

% Savings

72%

Undergraduates

32,221

Est. Median SAT

1,374

Acceptance Rate

69.2 %

3 Idaho State University 11500 27000 0.5735 10,406 0 0.8396
#3

#3 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID

Sticker Price

$27,000

% Savings

57%

Undergraduates

10,406

Est. Median SAT

--

Acceptance Rate

84.0 %

4 Langston University 12200 35600 0.658 1,743 902 0.6096
#4

#4 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Langston University
Langston, OK

Sticker Price

$35,600

% Savings

66%

Undergraduates

1,743

Est. Median SAT

902

Acceptance Rate

61.0 %

5 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 12700 34600 0.6336 8,975 1045 0.9721
#5

#5 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL

Sticker Price

$34,600

% Savings

63%

Undergraduates

8,975

Est. Median SAT

1,045

Acceptance Rate

97.2 %

6 Northern Illinois University 13200 29000 0.5434 11,349 1070 0.6979
#6

#6 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL

Sticker Price

$29,000

% Savings

54%

Undergraduates

11,349

Est. Median SAT

1,070

Acceptance Rate

69.8 %

7 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 14100 34700 0.5941 7,557 1140 0.9037
#7

#7 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point, WI

Sticker Price

$34,700

% Savings

59%

Undergraduates

7,557

Est. Median SAT

1,140

Acceptance Rate

90.4 %

8 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 14300 28100 0.4911 8,553 1054 0.8688
#8

#8 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL

Sticker Price

$28,100

% Savings

49%

Undergraduates

8,553

Est. Median SAT

1,054

Acceptance Rate

86.9 %

9 Southeast Missouri State University 14500 28200 0.4864 7,926 1080 0.6897
#9

#9 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO

Sticker Price

$28,200

% Savings

49%

Undergraduates

7,926

Est. Median SAT

1,080

Acceptance Rate

69.0 %

10 Pittsburg State University 14600 33300 0.5619 4,491 1055 0.8727
#10

#10 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS

Sticker Price

$33,300

% Savings

56%

Undergraduates

4,491

Est. Median SAT

1,055

Acceptance Rate

87.3 %

11 Chadron State College 15300 25400 0.3979 1,785 0 0
#11

#11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Chadron State College
Chadron, NE

Sticker Price

$25,400

% Savings

40%

Undergraduates

1,785

Est. Median SAT

--

Acceptance Rate

--

12 University of Central Oklahoma 15500 28700 0.46 10,454 1095 0.8176
#12

#12 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK

Sticker Price

$28,700

% Savings

46%

Undergraduates

10,454

Est. Median SAT

1,095

Acceptance Rate

81.8 %

13 Central Washington University 15600 27900 0.4416 10,033 1060 0.9061
#13

#13 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA

Sticker Price

$27,900

% Savings

44%

Undergraduates

10,033

Est. Median SAT

1,060

Acceptance Rate

90.6 %

14 Wayne State College 15700 20000 0.2149 3,902 1075 1
#14

#14 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Wayne State College
Wayne, NE

Sticker Price

$20,000

% Savings

21%

Undergraduates

3,902

Est. Median SAT

1,075

Acceptance Rate

100.0 %

15 SUNY Buffalo State University 17800 44900 0.6031 5,205 1118 0.744
#15

#15 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

SUNY Buffalo State University
Buffalo, NY

Sticker Price

$44,900

% Savings

60%

Undergraduates

5,205

Est. Median SAT

1,118

Acceptance Rate

74.4 %

16 Carson-Newman University 18300 51900 0.6476 1,606 1110 0.9045
#16

#16 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Carson-Newman University
Jefferson City, TN

Sticker Price

$51,900

% Savings

65%

Undergraduates

1,606

Est. Median SAT

1,110

Acceptance Rate

90.5 %

17 Eastern Kentucky University 19000 34400 0.4471 12,726 1055 0.9695
#17

#17 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY

Sticker Price

$34,400

% Savings

45%

Undergraduates

12,726

Est. Median SAT

1,055

Acceptance Rate

97.0 %

18 Western Michigan University 19500 31200 0.3747 13,860 1104 0.846
#18

#18 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI

Sticker Price

$31,200

% Savings

37%

Undergraduates

13,860

Est. Median SAT

1,104

Acceptance Rate

84.6 %

19 South Dakota State University 20500 25200 0.1866 10,728 1120 0.9834
#19

#19 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Sticker Price

$25,200

% Savings

19%

Undergraduates

10,728

Est. Median SAT

1,120

Acceptance Rate

98.3 %

20 CUNY Queens College 22500 29300 0.2318 13,464 1146 0.6434
#20

#20 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY

Sticker Price

$29,300

% Savings

23%

Undergraduates

13,464

Est. Median SAT

1,146

Acceptance Rate

64.3 %

21 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus 23300 36800 0.367 14,783 1124 0.8096
#21

#21 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Bowling Green, OH

Sticker Price

$36,800

% Savings

37%

Undergraduates

14,783

Est. Median SAT

1,124

Acceptance Rate

81.0 %

22 SUNY Oneonta 23400 49300 0.5258 4,681 1190 0.6959
#22

#22 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY

Sticker Price

$49,300

% Savings

53%

Undergraduates

4,681

Est. Median SAT

1,190

Acceptance Rate

69.6 %

23 University of Idaho 26900 45200 0.4045 9,574 1119 0.7553
#23

#23 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Idaho
Moscow, ID

Sticker Price

$45,200

% Savings

40%

Undergraduates

9,574

Est. Median SAT

1,119

Acceptance Rate

75.5 %

24 University of Wisconsin-Stout 27300 29500 0.0748 6,124 1159 0.8747
#24

#24 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI

Sticker Price

$29,500

% Savings

7%

Undergraduates

6,124

Est. Median SAT

1,159

Acceptance Rate

87.5 %

25 North Dakota State University 27800 30400 0.0858 9,762 1110 0.9496
#25

#25 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND

Sticker Price

$30,400

% Savings

9%

Undergraduates

9,762

Est. Median SAT

1,110

Acceptance Rate

95.0 %

26 Messiah University 28400 54200 0.4762 2,618 1241 0.7897
#26

#26 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA

Sticker Price

$54,200

% Savings

48%

Undergraduates

2,618

Est. Median SAT

1,241

Acceptance Rate

79.0 %

27 Minnesota State University, Mankato 34000 37200 0.0861 12,897 1110 0.9133
#27

#27 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, MN

Sticker Price

$37,200

% Savings

9%

Undergraduates

12,897

Est. Median SAT

1,110

Acceptance Rate

91.3 %

28 University of Central Arkansas 36200 38400 0.0575 8,268 1110 0.8949
#28

#28 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR

Sticker Price

$38,400

% Savings

6%

Undergraduates

8,268

Est. Median SAT

1,110

Acceptance Rate

89.5 %

29 Western Kentucky University 36600 42300 0.1348 14,151 1090 0.9387
#29

#29 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY

Sticker Price

$42,300

% Savings

13%

Undergraduates

14,151

Est. Median SAT

1,090

Acceptance Rate

93.9 %

30 East Carolina University 37100 40100 0.0748 21,445 1120 0.8922
#30

#30 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

East Carolina University
Greenville, NC

Sticker Price

$40,100

% Savings

7%

Undergraduates

21,445

Est. Median SAT

1,120

Acceptance Rate

89.2 %

31 University of Georgia 45900 51600 0.1108 31,514 1336 0.3719
#31

#31 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Georgia
Athens, GA

Sticker Price

$51,600

% Savings

11%

Undergraduates

31,514

Est. Median SAT

1,336

Acceptance Rate

37.2 %

School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.

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