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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 | College of the Ozarks | 6700 | 34300 | 0.8058 | 1,500 | 1130 | 0.1097 | |
| 2 | California State University-Northridge | 8100 | 36500 | 0.7791 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic University | 8900 | 26900 | 0.6703 | 25,626 | 1150 | 0.5497 | |
| 4 | California State University-East Bay | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6887 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 5 | Saint Xavier University | 10200 | 57000 | 0.8208 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 6 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10900 | 27300 | 0.6018 | 13,448 | 1075 | 0.9683 | |
| 6 | Southern Utah University | 10900 | 51400 | 0.7879 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 6 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 10900 | 31800 | 0.6576 | 27,963 | 1090 | 0.8395 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 11100 | 28100 | 0.6048 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 10 | Eastern Illinois University | 11900 | 24300 | 0.5125 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 11 | University of West Florida | 12000 | 22200 | 0.459 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 12 | Northern Arizona University | 12100 | 30400 | 0.6012 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 13 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 14 | Boston University | 12300 | 93200 | 0.868 | 18,289 | 1475 | 0.1283 | |
| 15 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13000 | 40500 | 0.6789 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 16 | Livingstone College | 13100 | 43100 | 0.6963 | 925 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13100 | 19400 | 0.3248 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 18 | University of South Florida | 13300 | 22400 | 0.4067 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 20 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 21 | Western Carolina University | 13500 | 16500 | 0.1817 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 22 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5826 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 23 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 23 | San Francisco State University | 14200 | 47700 | 0.7025 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 26 | University of the Virgin Islands | 14300 | 29600 | 0.5176 | 1,650 | 900 | 0.9936 | |
| 27 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14400 | 20300 | 0.29 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 28 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 31400 | 0.5374 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 29 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 14600 | 30100 | 0.5156 | 2,477 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 29 | University of North Alabama | 14600 | 37300 | 0.6087 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 31 | Troy University | 14800 | 26700 | 0.4456 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 32 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 33 | Ball State University | 15000 | 22400 | 0.3305 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 33 | Colorado Mesa University | 15000 | 66200 | 0.774 | 9,459 | 1050 | 0.8314 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 15000 | 73100 | 0.7945 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 36 | Northern Michigan University | 15200 | 33100 | 0.5408 | 6,650 | 1100 | 0.8505 | |
| 36 | University of Mississippi | 15200 | 27000 | 0.4369 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 38 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 39 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23000 | 0.322 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 40 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 15800 | 28500 | 0.4463 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 41 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 15900 | 90700 | 0.8247 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 41 | Kansas State University | 15900 | 26400 | 0.3957 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 43 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 26000 | 0.3809 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 44 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4058 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 45 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 16600 | 41200 | 0.5978 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 45 | California State University-Long Beach | 16600 | 25800 | 0.3567 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 45 | Morgan State University | 16600 | 30700 | 0.4588 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 48 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 16700 | 24300 | 0.3129 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 49 | University of South Alabama | 17000 | 22400 | 0.2415 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 50 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4925 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 50 | College of Charleston | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4931 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 50 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 29000 | 0.4071 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 53 | James Madison University | 17500 | 28900 | 0.3943 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 53 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 17500 | 44100 | 0.6035 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 55 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 55 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4715 | 1,094 | 1109 | 0.8917 | |
| 57 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 45800 | 0.6097 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 58 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 59 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 18200 | 18400 | 0.0109 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 59 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 61 | Bellevue University | 18300 | 41000 | 0.5532 | 11,037 | 0 | 1 | |
| 61 | Columbia College | 18300 | 60700 | 0.698 | 1,566 | 950 | 0.966 | |
| 63 | North Carolina Central University | 18400 | 33000 | 0.4426 | 7,232 | 865 | 0.8605 | |
| 64 | Delaware State University | 18700 | 62600 | 0.7012 | 4,581 | 930 | 0.4658 | |
| 65 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 66 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 19100 | 33700 | 0.433 | 5,130 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 66 | Husson University | 19100 | 48100 | 0.6023 | 2,865 | 1174 | 0.8143 | |
| 68 | Stockton University | 19800 | 32100 | 0.383 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 69 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20000 | 55300 | 0.6381 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.89 | |
| 70 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20200 | 57800 | 0.6503 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 71 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 72 | Saint Leo University | 20600 | 50000 | 0.5878 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 73 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 20700 | 38100 | 0.4566 | 2,710 | 1218 | 0.9374 | |
| 73 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 20700 | 40900 | 0.4944 | 1,709 | 1218 | 0.9653 | |
| 73 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 20700 | 48300 | 0.5715 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 73 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 77 | College of Coastal Georgia | 20800 | 51600 | 0.5967 | 3,609 | 1005 | 0.9885 | |
| 77 | Ferris State University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3295 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 79 | University of New Orleans | 20900 | 30000 | 0.3029 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 80 | Grand Canyon University | 21700 | 34000 | 0.3613 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 80 | South Dakota State University | 21700 | 25200 | 0.1414 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 80 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21700 | 25900 | 0.1598 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 83 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 21900 | 39100 | 0.4402 | 2,907 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 84 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22300 | 26000 | 0.1421 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 85 | Meredith College | 22500 | 67400 | 0.666 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 86 | Saint Cloud State University | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3849 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 87 | Robert Morris University | 23000 | 58000 | 0.6043 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 88 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 26700 | 0.1336 | 7,290 | 1015 | 0.6409 | |
| 89 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 23300 | 89100 | 0.7384 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9631 | |
| 90 | Central Washington University | 23400 | 27900 | 0.1615 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 91 | Lackawanna College | 23500 | 52100 | 0.5492 | 2,211 | 0 | 0.8619 | |
| 92 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 93 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 94 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24000 | 38500 | 0.3764 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 95 | Montana State University | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 15,142 | 1184 | 0.9938 | |
| 96 | Keystone College | 24500 | 50500 | 0.5153 | 676 | 1020 | 0.7385 | |
| 97 | Fort Hays State University | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1355 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 98 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 25300 | 31100 | 0.1856 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 99 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 25400 | 39400 | 0.3555 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 100 | Southeast Missouri State University | 25600 | 28600 | 0.107 | 7,926 | 1070 | 0.6897 | |
| 101 | Northwood University | 25800 | 54500 | 0.5271 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 102 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 40600 | 0.3497 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 103 | New Jersey City University | 26600 | 39800 | 0.332 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 104 | University of Southern Mississippi | 27200 | 27200 | 0 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 105 | North Dakota State University | 27400 | 30400 | 0.0976 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 106 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 63900 | 0.5647 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 107 | Central Connecticut State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0823 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 108 | Flagler College | 28100 | 61900 | 0.5456 | 2,359 | 1175 | 0.787 | |
| 109 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4447 | 927 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 110 | Roosevelt University | 28400 | 47600 | 0.4043 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 111 | Iowa State University | 28700 | 45200 | 0.3663 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 112 | Georgia State University | 29000 | 45700 | 0.3652 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 112 | New York University | 29000 | 92100 | 0.6851 | 29,471 | 1520 | 0.0906 | |
| 114 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 115 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30100 | 78300 | 0.6157 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 115 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 30100 | 33200 | 0.0932 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 117 | Southeastern University | 30800 | 79400 | 0.6123 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 118 | Kent State University at Kent | 30900 | 37500 | 0.1751 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 118 | Warner University | 30900 | 41000 | 0.2455 | 803 | 931 | 0.4281 | |
| 118 | Western Kentucky University | 30900 | 42800 | 0.2783 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 121 | Lasell University | 31100 | 50800 | 0.3881 | 1,347 | 1095 | 0.7457 | |
| 122 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 32400 | 38400 | 0.1562 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 122 | Wilkes University | 32400 | 61900 | 0.4769 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 124 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 125 | Belmont University | 33200 | 72300 | 0.5412 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 126 | Charleston Southern University | 33900 | 48400 | 0.3007 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 126 | St. John's University-New York | 33900 | 83800 | 0.5958 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 128 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 129 | Culinary Institute of America | 34800 | 91000 | 0.6176 | 2,935 | 1050 | 0.9486 | |
| 130 | Auburn University | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 130 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35000 | 42000 | 0.1667 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 132 | Bay Path University | 35200 | 57500 | 0.388 | 1,178 | 1110 | 0.8514 | |
| 133 | Mount Mercy University | 35300 | 61200 | 0.4237 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8248 | |
| 134 | Temple University | 35600 | 57200 | 0.3774 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 135 | San Diego State University | 35900 | 37100 | 0.0324 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 135 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 35900 | 54000 | 0.3352 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 137 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 36600 | 37600 | 0.0266 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 138 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36900 | 53600 | 0.3117 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 139 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 140 | Washington State University | 37500 | 53600 | 0.2998 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 141 | Framingham State University | 38100 | 38100 | 0 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 142 | Baldwin Wallace University | 39000 | 69800 | 0.4415 | 2,532 | 1210 | 0.7739 | |
| 143 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 144 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 145 | Drexel University | 39700 | 86400 | 0.5408 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 145 | Endicott College | 39700 | 65400 | 0.3928 | 3,195 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 145 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 39700 | 64500 | 0.3848 | 2,138 | 1148 | 0.9469 | |
| 148 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40300 | 66000 | 0.3892 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 148 | Webber International University | 40300 | 44400 | 0.0917 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 150 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 40900 | 58700 | 0.3035 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 151 | Virginia State University | 41600 | 42800 | 0.028 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 152 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 153 | Merrimack College | 43300 | 78800 | 0.4501 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 154 | Campbell University | 43700 | 68700 | 0.3646 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 155 | Montclair State University | 44600 | 47000 | 0.0511 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 156 | Oregon State University | 44800 | 61900 | 0.2766 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 157 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 62400 | 0.2365 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 158 | University of Kentucky | 48400 | 59900 | 0.1916 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 159 | Lipscomb University | 48800 | 69900 | 0.3023 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 160 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 161 | Lynn University | 51500 | 71600 | 0.2807 | 3,020 | 1135 | 0.7425 | |
| 162 | University of Georgia | 52000 | 52100 | 0.0019 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 163 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 58000 | 0.0741 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 164 | University of San Francisco | 54700 | 87200 | 0.3727 | 5,171 | 1333 | 0.7176 | |
| 165 | Dallas Baptist University | 55800 | 84300 | 0.3381 | 2,938 | 1073 | 0.9131 | |
| 166 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58600 | 61200 | 0.0419 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 167 | Mercyhurst University | 61100 | 68000 | 0.1014 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.