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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 | Boston University | 5700 | 88800 | 0.9363 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 2 | North Carolina Central University | 7000 | 27000 | 0.7416 | 6,595 | 971 | 0.8697 | |
| 3 | Arkansas Tech University | 9900 | 22900 | 0.5671 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 4 | Southern Utah University | 11800 | 21100 | 0.44 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 5 | New York University | 12000 | 91800 | 0.869 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 6 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 12100 | 30400 | 0.6025 | 724 | 965 | 0.7913 | |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 8 | University of the Virgin Islands | 12400 | 23900 | 0.4819 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 8 | University of West Florida | 12400 | 21500 | 0.4227 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 10 | Florida Atlantic University | 12600 | 24800 | 0.491 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 12 | California State University-Northridge | 13000 | 23200 | 0.4406 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.9219 | |
| 12 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13000 | 20300 | 0.3588 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 14 | University of South Florida | 13700 | 17100 | 0.1987 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 15 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13800 | 25000 | 0.4483 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 16 | Kansas State University | 14100 | 26100 | 0.4588 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 17 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14200 | 26500 | 0.463 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 18 | Western Carolina University | 14500 | 19600 | 0.2602 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 20 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 14600 | 31600 | 0.5381 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 21 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 22 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 23 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 24 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 25 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 15500 | 32300 | 0.5208 | 2,836 | 1170 | 0.3787 | |
| 25 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 15500 | 24800 | 0.3744 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 27 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23100 | 0.3246 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 27 | Livingstone College | 15600 | 29900 | 0.4788 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 29 | Troy University | 15900 | 26700 | 0.4044 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 30 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 31 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 16300 | 32100 | 0.4916 | 1,002 | 1115 | 0.8898 | |
| 32 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.453 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 32 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 16600 | 25200 | 0.3411 | 1,905 | 965 | 0.5754 | |
| 34 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 35 | University of Georgia | 17000 | 27100 | 0.373 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 36 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17200 | 26300 | 0.3464 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 37 | Eastern Illinois University | 17400 | 27700 | 0.3709 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 38 | San Francisco State University | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4714 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 39 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17700 | 26700 | 0.3376 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 40 | California State University-East Bay | 17800 | 29700 | 0.4012 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 40 | Husson University | 17800 | 48100 | 0.6293 | 2,762 | 1115 | 0.8095 | |
| 40 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 22400 | 0.2057 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 43 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 17900 | 32100 | 0.443 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 44 | Colorado Mesa University | 18100 | 24800 | 0.2705 | 9,473 | 1050 | 0.9829 | |
| 45 | University of New Orleans | 18300 | 29500 | 0.3797 | 5,476 | 1125 | 0.6677 | |
| 46 | Framingham State University | 18600 | 31000 | 0.4001 | 2,817 | 1125 | 0.8491 | |
| 47 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.4798 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 48 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 49 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 50 | Western Kentucky University | 19500 | 26800 | 0.2725 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 51 | Georgia State University | 19800 | 26000 | 0.2386 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 51 | University of Southern Mississippi | 19800 | 26300 | 0.2468 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 53 | Davis & Elkins College | 19900 | 48300 | 0.5883 | 683 | 1025 | 0.5823 | |
| 54 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 43700 | 0.5405 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 55 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 56 | Salem State University | 20500 | 28500 | 0.2807 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 56 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20500 | 30000 | 0.3172 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 58 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38100 | 0.4588 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 59 | San Diego State University | 20700 | 28100 | 0.2635 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 59 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 61 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 62 | Montana State University | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2285 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 62 | North Dakota State University | 20900 | 25700 | 0.1868 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 64 | Central Connecticut State University | 21000 | 34000 | 0.3821 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 65 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3339 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 65 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 67 | Stockton University | 21500 | 32100 | 0.33 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 68 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21800 | 25400 | 0.1427 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 69 | Madonna University | 21900 | 50400 | 0.5655 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.9293 | |
| 70 | South Dakota State University | 22000 | 25200 | 0.1271 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 71 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 71 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 22200 | 33900 | 0.3449 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 73 | Cleary University | 22300 | 47200 | 0.5279 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 74 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 22400 | 32000 | 0.2999 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 75 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 76 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5998 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 77 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 77 | The University of Alabama | 23400 | 29900 | 0.2177 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 79 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 80 | Keystone College | 23900 | 42900 | 0.4426 | 894 | 1035 | 0.848 | |
| 81 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 82 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 82 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 84 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 24400 | 76300 | 0.6804 | 7,703 | 1105 | 0.9556 | |
| 84 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 24400 | 37400 | 0.3473 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 86 | Saint Cloud State University | 24500 | 35100 | 0.303 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 87 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 24600 | 32900 | 0.2523 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 88 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 89 | Flagler College | 25100 | 37800 | 0.3362 | 2,409 | 785 | 0.8076 | |
| 89 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 91 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 92 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25900 | 0.0193 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 93 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 94 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5417 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 94 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 96 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 97 | Fort Hays State University | 26200 | 35200 | 0.256 | 10,206 | 1120 | 0.9177 | |
| 97 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 26200 | 31800 | 0.1762 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 99 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 26300 | 39000 | 0.3255 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 100 | University of North Alabama | 26900 | 41500 | 0.352 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 101 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 102 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 27100 | 55200 | 0.5088 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 103 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 104 | California State University-Long Beach | 28000 | 38400 | 0.2712 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 105 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.4455 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 106 | College of Coastal Georgia | 28400 | 43200 | 0.3422 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 106 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 108 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.505 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 108 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.401 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 110 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 111 | Delaware State University | 29300 | 36700 | 0.2018 | 4,941 | 960 | 0.6167 | |
| 112 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29900 | 34000 | 0.1205 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 113 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 114 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 115 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 116 | Culinary Institute of America | 30700 | 69500 | 0.558 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 117 | Siena Heights University | 31000 | 46300 | 0.3287 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 118 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 31100 | 63700 | 0.5114 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 119 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 31300 | 38500 | 0.1871 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 120 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 32200 | 39200 | 0.1788 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 121 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32500 | 47600 | 0.3171 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 121 | Widener University | 32500 | 75300 | 0.5682 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 123 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 123 | Southeastern University | 32700 | 60500 | 0.4592 | 10,351 | 1130 | 0.6165 | |
| 125 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 126 | Virginia State University | 33300 | 42200 | 0.2111 | 4,829 | 935 | 0.891 | |
| 127 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 128 | Lasell University | 33500 | 47000 | 0.287 | 1,293 | 1139 | 0.927 | |
| 129 | Stephen F Austin State University | 33700 | 42800 | 0.2126 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 130 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 131 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 132 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35300 | 64400 | 0.4522 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 133 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35400 | 52500 | 0.326 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 134 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 135 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36200 | 53300 | 0.3207 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 136 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 136 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5259 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 138 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 139 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 140 | Washington State University | 38500 | 53900 | 0.2859 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 141 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38800 | 52900 | 0.2664 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 142 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 142 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 39600 | 53700 | 0.2627 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 144 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 40300 | 40300 | 0 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 145 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.387 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 146 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 147 | Webber International University | 40600 | 44400 | 0.0835 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 148 | Endicott College | 40800 | 63200 | 0.3544 | 3,176 | 1215 | 0.7229 | |
| 149 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41300 | 53900 | 0.2337 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 150 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 151 | Campbell University | 41600 | 65100 | 0.3611 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 152 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 153 | Saint Joseph's University | 42300 | 74500 | 0.4321 | 4,828 | 1234 | 0.8639 | |
| 154 | Mercyhurst University | 42600 | 66400 | 0.3586 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 154 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 156 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4481 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 157 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 158 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 159 | Montclair State University | 46300 | 46600 | 0.0064 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 160 | James Madison University | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 161 | University of Delaware | 47200 | 53200 | 0.1127 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 162 | College of Charleston | 49600 | 59000 | 0.1594 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 163 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 164 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 165 | Lynn University | 51500 | 64200 | 0.1979 | 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.