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 | North Carolina Central University | 7000 | 27000 | 0.7416 | 6,595 | 971 | 0.8697 | |
| 2 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1055 | 0.9589 | |
| 3 | Southern Utah University | 11800 | 21100 | 0.44 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 4 | University of Central Florida | 12000 | 23600 | 0.4916 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 5 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12200 | 29900 | 0.5919 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | 12400 | 29000 | 0.5718 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 7 | Florida Atlantic University | 12600 | 24800 | 0.491 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 9 | University of West Florida | 12800 | 21500 | 0.4041 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 10 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 13000 | 30400 | 0.5729 | 724 | 965 | 0.7913 | |
| 11 | California State University-Northridge | 13100 | 23200 | 0.435 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.9219 | |
| 12 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 13 | Boston University | 13600 | 88800 | 0.8472 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 13 | Northern Arizona University | 13600 | 25400 | 0.4662 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 13 | University of North Alabama | 13600 | 28200 | 0.518 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13700 | 19400 | 0.2939 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 17 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13900 | 25000 | 0.4431 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 18 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14300 | 26500 | 0.4594 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 19 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14400 | 41100 | 0.6502 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 20 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 14600 | 31600 | 0.5372 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 21 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 22 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 15500 | 32300 | 0.5208 | 2,836 | 1170 | 0.3787 | |
| 22 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 15500 | 24800 | 0.3744 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 24 | Livingstone College | 15600 | 29900 | 0.4788 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 25 | James Madison University | 15700 | 28600 | 0.4503 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 26 | California State University-Long Beach | 15800 | 25800 | 0.3877 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 26 | New York University | 15800 | 91800 | 0.8277 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 28 | Western Carolina University | 16400 | 19600 | 0.1633 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 29 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16600 | 30700 | 0.4596 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 29 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.4533 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 31 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 31 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16800 | 23100 | 0.2725 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 33 | University of Georgia | 17000 | 27100 | 0.3731 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 34 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17100 | 27400 | 0.3757 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 35 | Eastern Illinois University | 17400 | 27700 | 0.3713 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 35 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 17400 | 24300 | 0.2841 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 37 | Husson University | 17800 | 48100 | 0.6293 | 2,762 | 1115 | 0.8095 | |
| 37 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 17800 | 28800 | 0.3822 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 37 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 22400 | 0.2057 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 40 | San Francisco State University | 18000 | 33300 | 0.4594 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 40 | Virginia State University | 18000 | 29300 | 0.3863 | 4,829 | 935 | 0.891 | |
| 42 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 18100 | 26700 | 0.3226 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 43 | Colorado Mesa University | 18300 | 24800 | 0.2596 | 9,473 | 1050 | 0.9829 | |
| 43 | Delaware State University | 18300 | 33100 | 0.4474 | 4,941 | 960 | 0.6167 | |
| 45 | College of Coastal Georgia | 18600 | 32900 | 0.4352 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 46 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.479 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 47 | University of Mississippi | 18900 | 45500 | 0.5851 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 48 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.395 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 49 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 50 | Davis & Elkins College | 20000 | 48300 | 0.5856 | 683 | 1025 | 0.5823 | |
| 51 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 52 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20300 | 28600 | 0.2907 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 53 | South Dakota State University | 20600 | 25200 | 0.1814 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 54 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20700 | 30000 | 0.3105 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 54 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 56 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 57 | Central Connecticut State University | 21000 | 34000 | 0.3821 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 58 | Montana State University | 21100 | 27100 | 0.2211 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 59 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 60 | Madonna University | 21900 | 50400 | 0.5655 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.9293 | |
| 61 | Stockton University | 22000 | 32100 | 0.3145 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 62 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 62 | Cleary University | 22200 | 47200 | 0.53 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 64 | Ball State University | 22400 | 22400 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 65 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 22500 | 32000 | 0.2967 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 66 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 66 | Florida State University | 22600 | 25000 | 0.0962 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 68 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 69 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5993 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 70 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 71 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23600 | 25700 | 0.0817 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 71 | The University of Alabama | 23600 | 29900 | 0.211 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 73 | Keystone College | 23900 | 42900 | 0.4426 | 894 | 1035 | 0.848 | |
| 73 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36000 | 0.3359 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 75 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24100 | 39200 | 0.3853 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 75 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 37100 | 0.3508 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 75 | University of the Virgin Islands | 24100 | 37000 | 0.349 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 78 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 79 | University of New Orleans | 24300 | 31000 | 0.2161 | 5,476 | 1125 | 0.6677 | |
| 80 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 24400 | 76300 | 0.6804 | 7,703 | 1105 | 0.9556 | |
| 80 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 24400 | 37400 | 0.3473 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 82 | Saint Cloud State University | 24500 | 35100 | 0.303 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 83 | Northern Michigan University | 24700 | 32900 | 0.2495 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 83 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 24700 | 42300 | 0.4158 | 1,905 | 965 | 0.5754 | |
| 85 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 86 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 87 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 88 | Lakeland University | 26000 | 56500 | 0.5404 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 89 | Fort Hays State University | 26200 | 35200 | 0.256 | 10,206 | 1120 | 0.9177 | |
| 89 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3864 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 89 | Roosevelt University | 26200 | 43300 | 0.3947 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 92 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 26300 | 39000 | 0.3255 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 93 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 26700 | 28800 | 0.072 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 94 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 95 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 27100 | 55200 | 0.5088 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 95 | Flagler College | 27100 | 37800 | 0.2833 | 2,409 | 1100 | 0.8076 | |
| 97 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 98 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 98 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 100 | North Dakota State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0815 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 101 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4449 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 102 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 103 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5052 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 104 | Framingham State University | 28600 | 38100 | 0.2496 | 2,817 | 1125 | 0.8491 | |
| 105 | Salem State University | 29400 | 38900 | 0.244 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 106 | Montclair State University | 29500 | 36300 | 0.1874 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 107 | California State University-East Bay | 29800 | 43000 | 0.3067 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 108 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 109 | Belmont University | 30300 | 67800 | 0.5529 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 109 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 111 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30500 | 78100 | 0.6096 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 112 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 30600 | 31100 | 0.0161 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 112 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 30600 | 43700 | 0.2995 | 1,002 | 1115 | 0.8898 | |
| 114 | Culinary Institute of America | 30700 | 69500 | 0.558 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 115 | Georgia State University | 30800 | 44400 | 0.306 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 116 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 31100 | 63700 | 0.5114 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 117 | Siena Heights University | 31200 | 46300 | 0.3259 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 118 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 119 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32400 | 47600 | 0.3192 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 120 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32500 | 34700 | 0.0633 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 120 | Widener University | 32500 | 75300 | 0.5682 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 122 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 122 | Southeastern University | 32700 | 60500 | 0.4592 | 10,351 | 1130 | 0.6165 | |
| 124 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 125 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 126 | Appalachian State University | 33500 | 35800 | 0.0642 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 127 | Lasell University | 33600 | 47000 | 0.2849 | 1,293 | 1139 | 0.927 | |
| 127 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 33600 | 46200 | 0.2729 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 129 | Stephen F Austin State University | 33700 | 42800 | 0.2126 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 130 | Western Kentucky University | 34200 | 41900 | 0.1839 | 14,151 | 960 | 0.9387 | |
| 131 | Charleston Southern University | 34400 | 48400 | 0.2905 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 132 | University of Denver | 34700 | 76800 | 0.5481 | 6,619 | 1349 | 0.7729 | |
| 132 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 134 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 135 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35400 | 52500 | 0.326 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 135 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4506 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 137 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 138 | Florida International University | 36300 | 36800 | 0.0136 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 139 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 139 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36400 | 53300 | 0.317 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 141 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 142 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 143 | San Diego State University | 40100 | 40500 | 0.0099 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 144 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 145 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 40300 | 40300 | 0 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 146 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3861 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 147 | Temple University | 40600 | 56100 | 0.2762 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 148 | Endicott College | 40700 | 63200 | 0.3559 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 149 | Webber International University | 40800 | 44400 | 0.0806 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 150 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 53900 | 0.2319 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 150 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 152 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3591 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 153 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 154 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 155 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 156 | Mercyhurst University | 42600 | 66400 | 0.3586 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 156 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 158 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4464 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 159 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2742 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 160 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 161 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 161 | University of Delaware | 47200 | 53200 | 0.1127 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 163 | College of Charleston | 49700 | 59000 | 0.1577 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 164 | Drexel University | 51200 | 82600 | 0.38 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 165 | Lynn University | 51600 | 64200 | 0.1963 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 166 | University of San Francisco | 53500 | 83200 | 0.3568 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 167 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 168 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 56100 | 0.0036 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.