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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 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11700 | 41000 | 0.7142 | 724 | 965 | 0.7913 | |
| 5 | New York University | 12000 | 91800 | 0.869 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 7 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 8 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13000 | 20300 | 0.3588 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 9 | Western Carolina University | 14500 | 19600 | 0.2602 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 11 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 14600 | 31600 | 0.5381 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 12 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 13 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 15 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 15500 | 32300 | 0.5208 | 2,836 | 1170 | 0.3787 | |
| 15 | Stephen F Austin State University | 15500 | 22600 | 0.3137 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 17 | Livingstone College | 15600 | 29900 | 0.4788 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 18 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 19 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 16400 | 31300 | 0.4766 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 19 | Middle Tennessee State University | 16400 | 23200 | 0.2928 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 21 | Southeast Missouri State University | 16600 | 30300 | 0.453 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 22 | Ferris State University | 16800 | 31000 | 0.4588 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 23 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 17100 | 27400 | 0.3757 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 24 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17200 | 26300 | 0.3464 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 24 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 17200 | 24300 | 0.2923 | 2,067 | 1025 | 0.6918 | |
| 26 | Eastern Illinois University | 17400 | 27700 | 0.3709 | 6,785 | 1020 | 0.6535 | |
| 27 | San Francisco State University | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4714 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 28 | Husson University | 17800 | 48100 | 0.6293 | 2,762 | 1115 | 0.8095 | |
| 29 | Delaware State University | 18300 | 33100 | 0.4474 | 4,941 | 960 | 0.6167 | |
| 30 | University of Mississippi | 18700 | 45500 | 0.5895 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 31 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.4798 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 32 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.395 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 33 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 34 | Western Kentucky University | 19500 | 26800 | 0.2725 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 35 | University of Southern Mississippi | 19800 | 26300 | 0.2468 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 36 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1755 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 37 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20100 | 28600 | 0.2977 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 38 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 39 | Salem State University | 20500 | 28500 | 0.2807 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 39 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 20500 | 30000 | 0.3172 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 41 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38100 | 0.4588 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 42 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 43 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 44 | Central Connecticut State University | 21000 | 34000 | 0.3821 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 45 | Northern Arizona University | 21300 | 32000 | 0.3343 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 45 | Saint Peter's University | 21300 | 66300 | 0.6785 | 2,101 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 47 | Madonna University | 21900 | 50400 | 0.5655 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.9293 | |
| 48 | South Dakota State University | 22000 | 25200 | 0.1271 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 49 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 49 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 22200 | 33900 | 0.3449 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 51 | Cleary University | 22300 | 47200 | 0.5279 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 52 | Ball State University | 22400 | 22400 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 52 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 22400 | 32000 | 0.2999 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 54 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 54 | Florida State University | 22600 | 25000 | 0.0962 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 56 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 22900 | 22900 | 0 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 57 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.5998 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 58 | Saint Leo University | 23400 | 50000 | 0.5318 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 59 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 60 | University of Kentucky | 23800 | 36000 | 0.3386 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 61 | Keystone College | 23900 | 42900 | 0.4426 | 894 | 1035 | 0.848 | |
| 62 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 63 | University of the Virgin Islands | 24100 | 37000 | 0.349 | 1,569 | 925 | 0.9898 | |
| 64 | Meredith College | 24200 | 65900 | 0.6327 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 64 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 66 | University of New Orleans | 24300 | 31000 | 0.2161 | 5,476 | 1125 | 0.6677 | |
| 67 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 24400 | 76300 | 0.6804 | 7,703 | 1105 | 0.9556 | |
| 67 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 24400 | 37400 | 0.3473 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 69 | Saint Cloud State University | 24500 | 35100 | 0.303 | 8,013 | 1094 | 0.9495 | |
| 70 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 24700 | 42300 | 0.4158 | 1,905 | 965 | 0.5754 | |
| 71 | Northern Michigan University | 24800 | 32900 | 0.2465 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 72 | Montana State University | 24900 | 31400 | 0.207 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 73 | Flagler College | 25100 | 37800 | 0.3362 | 2,409 | 785 | 0.8076 | |
| 73 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 75 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 76 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.5417 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 76 | Northwood University | 25900 | 54500 | 0.5252 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 78 | California State University-Northridge | 26000 | 36600 | 0.2897 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.9219 | |
| 79 | Fort Hays State University | 26200 | 35200 | 0.256 | 10,206 | 1120 | 0.9177 | |
| 80 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 26300 | 36800 | 0.2853 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 80 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 26300 | 39000 | 0.3255 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 82 | University of North Alabama | 26900 | 41500 | 0.352 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 83 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 84 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 27100 | 55200 | 0.5088 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 85 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0748 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 86 | Southern Utah University | 27400 | 35600 | 0.2301 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 86 | Troy University | 27400 | 32600 | 0.1594 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 88 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 89 | North Dakota State University | 27800 | 30400 | 0.0858 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 90 | California State University-Long Beach | 28000 | 38400 | 0.2712 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 91 | Florida Atlantic University | 28100 | 39200 | 0.2834 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 91 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28100 | 50700 | 0.4455 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 93 | College of Coastal Georgia | 28400 | 43200 | 0.3422 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 93 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 95 | Lipscomb University | 28500 | 57600 | 0.5052 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 95 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.401 | 2,605 | 1015 | 0.9427 | |
| 97 | Framingham State University | 28600 | 38100 | 0.2496 | 2,817 | 1125 | 0.8491 | |
| 98 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 99 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2147 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 100 | California State University-East Bay | 29900 | 43000 | 0.3044 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 100 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 29900 | 34000 | 0.1205 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 102 | Kent State University at Kent | 30000 | 37500 | 0.2 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 102 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 104 | Belmont University | 30200 | 67800 | 0.554 | 7,167 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 105 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 106 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 30600 | 43700 | 0.2995 | 1,002 | 1115 | 0.8898 | |
| 107 | Culinary Institute of America | 30700 | 69500 | 0.558 | 3,011 | 1050 | 0.981 | |
| 108 | Georgia State University | 30800 | 44400 | 0.306 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 109 | Siena Heights University | 31000 | 46300 | 0.3287 | 1,669 | 1000 | 0.6656 | |
| 110 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 31100 | 63700 | 0.5114 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 111 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 112 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 32200 | 39200 | 0.1788 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 113 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 34700 | 0.0691 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 114 | Southern New Hampshire University | 32400 | 47600 | 0.3192 | 159,653 | 965 | 0.9612 | |
| 115 | Widener University | 32500 | 75300 | 0.5682 | 2,811 | 1155 | 0.8402 | |
| 116 | California Lutheran University | 32700 | 65800 | 0.5027 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 116 | Southeastern University | 32700 | 60500 | 0.4592 | 10,351 | 1130 | 0.6165 | |
| 118 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 119 | Colorado Mesa University | 33000 | 40000 | 0.1735 | 9,473 | 1050 | 0.9829 | |
| 120 | Virginia State University | 33300 | 42200 | 0.2111 | 4,829 | 935 | 0.891 | |
| 121 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 122 | Lasell University | 33500 | 47000 | 0.287 | 1,293 | 1139 | 0.927 | |
| 123 | Stockton University | 33600 | 44500 | 0.2451 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 124 | College of Charleston | 33700 | 33700 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 125 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 126 | Auburn University | 34400 | 34400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 127 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 128 | DePaul University | 34900 | 56200 | 0.3791 | 14,188 | 1218 | 0.7589 | |
| 128 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34900 | 37600 | 0.0719 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 130 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35300 | 64400 | 0.4522 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 131 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35400 | 52500 | 0.326 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 132 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 133 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 47300 | 0.2452 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 134 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36200 | 53300 | 0.3207 | 1,044 | 1095 | 0.7209 | |
| 135 | Ashland University | 36400 | 52700 | 0.3091 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 135 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5259 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 137 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 138 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 139 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 140 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 141 | Washington State University | 38500 | 53900 | 0.2859 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 142 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38600 | 44600 | 0.1345 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 143 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,152 | 1070 | 0.8814 | |
| 143 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 39600 | 53700 | 0.2627 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 145 | San Diego State University | 40100 | 40500 | 0.0099 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 146 | University of Georgia | 40300 | 46000 | 0.1242 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 147 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.387 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 148 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 149 | Webber International University | 40600 | 44400 | 0.0835 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 150 | Endicott College | 40800 | 63200 | 0.3544 | 3,176 | 1215 | 0.7229 | |
| 151 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41300 | 53900 | 0.2337 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 152 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 153 | Campbell University | 41600 | 65100 | 0.3611 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 154 | St. John's University-New York | 42100 | 80100 | 0.4742 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 155 | Mercyhurst University | 42500 | 66400 | 0.3601 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 156 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 157 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4481 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 158 | Montclair State University | 46300 | 46600 | 0.0064 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 159 | James Madison University | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 160 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 160 | University of Delaware | 47200 | 53200 | 0.1127 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 162 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 163 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 164 | Lynn University | 51500 | 64200 | 0.1979 | 2,861 | 1130 | 0.7347 | |
| 165 | University of San Francisco | 53500 | 83200 | 0.3568 | 5,321 | 1292 | 0.6171 | |
| 166 | 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.