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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 | 7900 | 47200 | 0.8331 | 1,454 | 1135 | 0.1199 | |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 8200 | 43500 | 0.8122 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 3 | California State University-Northridge | 9400 | 22400 | 0.5783 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 4 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10000 | 22900 | 0.5643 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 5 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 27400 | 0.5982 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | University of North Alabama | 12300 | 28200 | 0.5642 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 8 | Southern Utah University | 12500 | 44000 | 0.7155 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 9 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 9 | University of Central Florida | 12600 | 25300 | 0.5014 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 13 | Eastern Illinois University | 13000 | 24300 | 0.4645 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 13 | West Virginia University | 13000 | 57700 | 0.7745 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 15 | University of the Virgin Islands | 13100 | 39600 | 0.6693 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 16 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 13200 | 54500 | 0.7577 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 18 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13300 | 25700 | 0.4825 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 19 | Middle Tennessee State University | 13400 | 23200 | 0.4223 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 19 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 21 | Kansas State University | 13600 | 26100 | 0.4773 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 22 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.6617 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 23 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13900 | 22500 | 0.3818 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 23 | University of West Florida | 13900 | 39000 | 0.6431 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14100 | 35900 | 0.6065 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4911 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 27 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 14400 | 32200 | 0.5534 | 2,836 | 1135 | 0.3787 | |
| 27 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14400 | 26500 | 0.4563 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 29 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4865 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 30 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 30 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14600 | 22600 | 0.3536 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 32 | University of Georgia | 14800 | 26600 | 0.4446 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 33 | Troy University | 15200 | 26700 | 0.4306 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 34 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 45200 | 0.6609 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 35 | Colorado Mesa University | 15400 | 40000 | 0.6142 | 9,473 | 1090 | 0.9829 | |
| 35 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 37 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 38 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 22700 | 0.3124 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 38 | Florida State University | 15600 | 22900 | 0.3184 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 40 | California State University-Long Beach | 15800 | 25800 | 0.3877 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 41 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 42 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16400 | 31600 | 0.4816 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 42 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16400 | 31300 | 0.4766 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 42 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16400 | 42600 | 0.6153 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 45 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16500 | 23100 | 0.2857 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 46 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 47 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 48 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 49 | Husson University | 17200 | 48100 | 0.6418 | 2,762 | 1060 | 0.8095 | |
| 50 | Georgia State University | 17400 | 45500 | 0.617 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 50 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17400 | 26300 | 0.3363 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 50 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 53 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17800 | 44900 | 0.6031 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 54 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 54 | San Francisco State University | 18100 | 55400 | 0.6733 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 54 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 18100 | 46600 | 0.6122 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 57 | Bay Path University | 18200 | 55400 | 0.6713 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 58 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 59 | North Carolina Central University | 18600 | 27600 | 0.3259 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 60 | California State University-East Bay | 18700 | 30100 | 0.3793 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 60 | Madonna University | 18700 | 58300 | 0.6796 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.5226 | |
| 60 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 63 | University of Mississippi | 18800 | 45000 | 0.5828 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 64 | Stockton University | 19100 | 44500 | 0.5711 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 65 | Salem State University | 19300 | 35100 | 0.4499 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 66 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 67 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 67 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 69 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20200 | 45200 | 0.5537 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 70 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 20300 | 40900 | 0.5042 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 71 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20500 | 46300 | 0.5571 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 72 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38200 | 0.4606 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 73 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1841 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 74 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 74 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 76 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21900 | 25400 | 0.1388 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 77 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4911 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 77 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 77 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22100 | 59600 | 0.6292 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 80 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 81 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 82 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 83 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 84 | Montana State University | 23100 | 31500 | 0.2667 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 84 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3733 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 84 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1023 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 87 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5986 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 88 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 23500 | 50000 | 0.5298 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 89 | New York University | 23600 | 91800 | 0.7427 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 90 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 91 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3859 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 92 | University of Kentucky | 23900 | 36100 | 0.3386 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 93 | Northern Arizona University | 24100 | 43700 | 0.4487 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 94 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 95 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.541 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 96 | Flagler College | 26100 | 61100 | 0.5727 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 96 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5484 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 98 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 99 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 100 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 101 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 42100 | 0.3678 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 102 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 103 | Bellevue University | 28200 | 32400 | 0.1278 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 103 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4441 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 105 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 106 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4003 | 2,605 | 995 | 0.9427 | |
| 107 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2142 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 108 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 29300 | 38500 | 0.2391 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 108 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 33900 | 0.1358 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 110 | Southeastern University | 29800 | 60500 | 0.5072 | 10,351 | 1110 | 0.6165 | |
| 110 | York College of Pennsylvania | 29800 | 45800 | 0.3496 | 3,308 | 1140 | 0.942 | |
| 112 | Framingham State University | 29900 | 38100 | 0.2152 | 2,817 | 1165 | 0.8491 | |
| 113 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 114 | Culinary Institute of America | 30400 | 74600 | 0.5922 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 115 | Meredith College | 30500 | 64200 | 0.5251 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 115 | University of North Texas | 30500 | 37400 | 0.1844 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 117 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30800 | 78100 | 0.6056 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 118 | Siena Heights University | 31100 | 46300 | 0.3272 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 119 | New Jersey City University | 31600 | 39800 | 0.2062 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 120 | Liberty University | 31900 | 44300 | 0.2799 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 121 | DePaul University | 32000 | 67100 | 0.5231 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 122 | Belmont University | 32500 | 69900 | 0.5359 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 122 | St. John's University-New York | 32500 | 78000 | 0.583 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 124 | Southern New Hampshire University | 33000 | 52800 | 0.3751 | 2,615 | 965 | 0.8443 | |
| 125 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 126 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 35000 | 37600 | 0.0701 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 126 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 128 | San Diego State University | 35200 | 36100 | 0.0249 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 129 | Virginia State University | 35300 | 42200 | 0.1636 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 130 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 131 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4205 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 132 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 133 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 134 | Western Kentucky University | 36600 | 42300 | 0.1348 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 135 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 135 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 137 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38600 | 38600 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 138 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38700 | 53400 | 0.2754 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 139 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1095 | 0.8814 | |
| 140 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40500 | 66000 | 0.3865 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 141 | Temple University | 40600 | 55300 | 0.266 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 142 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.082 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 143 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 143 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 145 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3601 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 146 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46200 | 0.0888 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 147 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 148 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 148 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 150 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 151 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 152 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 153 | High Point University | 45700 | 72900 | 0.373 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 154 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 155 | University of Delaware | 47700 | 61300 | 0.2229 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 156 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 157 | Lynn University | 51500 | 66000 | 0.2197 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 158 | University of San Francisco | 53600 | 84800 | 0.3678 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 159 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53700 | 64200 | 0.1635 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 160 | Dallas Baptist University | 55900 | 71900 | 0.2224 | 2,785 | 1104 | 0.8884 | |
| 161 | The University of Alabama | 57100 | 57100 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 162 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.0921 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 163 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 164 | College of Charleston | 61600 | 61600 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.