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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 | 9300 | 36500 | 0.7454 | 32,499 | 1005 | 0.881 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10200 | 27800 | 0.632 | 9,129 | 1060 | 0.7445 | |
| 5 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 11000 | 31800 | 0.6544 | 27,082 | 1099 | 0.8459 | |
| 6 | Boston University | 11300 | 91600 | 0.8769 | 18,805 | 1475 | 0.1111 | |
| 7 | Southern Utah University | 12500 | 44000 | 0.7155 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,255 | 1134 | 0.737 | |
| 8 | Saint Xavier University | 12600 | 53300 | 0.7625 | 3,039 | 1125 | 0.8575 | |
| 8 | University of Central Florida | 12600 | 25300 | 0.5014 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 12700 | 34600 | 0.6336 | 8,975 | 1065 | 0.9721 | |
| 12 | West Virginia University | 12800 | 57700 | 0.778 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 13 | University of West Florida | 12900 | 21500 | 0.3995 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 14 | Eastern Illinois University | 13000 | 24300 | 0.4645 | 6,785 | 990 | 0.6535 | |
| 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 Arizona University | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5135 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 13200 | 29000 | 0.5435 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | University of North Alabama | 13200 | 30800 | 0.5707 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 20 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13300 | 20300 | 0.344 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 21 | Youngstown State University | 13400 | 26800 | 0.4996 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 22 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 34500 | 0.6058 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 23 | Fort Hays State University | 13800 | 40700 | 0.6617 | 10,206 | 1110 | 0.9177 | |
| 24 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13900 | 25000 | 0.4455 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 25 | Arkansas Tech University | 14000 | 35900 | 0.6093 | 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 | |
| 28 | Southeast Missouri State University | 14500 | 28200 | 0.4865 | 7,926 | 1080 | 0.6897 | |
| 29 | Central Michigan University | 14600 | 37400 | 0.6102 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 30 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 14900 | 37800 | 0.6066 | 1,905 | 895 | 0.5754 | |
| 31 | Troy University | 15200 | 26700 | 0.4306 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 32 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15300 | 45200 | 0.6609 | 2,233 | 930 | 0.9036 | |
| 32 | Western Carolina University | 15300 | 16500 | 0.0729 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.818 | |
| 34 | Colorado Mesa University | 15400 | 40000 | 0.6142 | 9,473 | 1090 | 0.9829 | |
| 34 | Livingstone College | 15400 | 38100 | 0.5957 | 799 | 855 | 0.7409 | |
| 36 | Ball State University | 15500 | 22400 | 0.3085 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 37 | Central Washington University | 15600 | 27900 | 0.4416 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 38 | California State University-Long Beach | 15800 | 25800 | 0.3877 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 39 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 16200 | 86700 | 0.8134 | 7,703 | 1110 | 0.9292 | |
| 40 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16400 | 31600 | 0.4816 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 40 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16400 | 42600 | 0.6153 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 42 | University of Southern Mississippi | 16500 | 23100 | 0.2857 | 10,193 | 1181 | 0.9912 | |
| 43 | Eastern Michigan University | 16600 | 32000 | 0.4795 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 44 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,989 | 1015 | 0.9151 | |
| 45 | Husson University | 17200 | 48100 | 0.6418 | 2,762 | 1060 | 0.8095 | |
| 46 | Georgia State University | 17400 | 45500 | 0.617 | 27,438 | 1089 | 0.5543 | |
| 46 | University of South Alabama | 17400 | 35200 | 0.5059 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 48 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 17500 | 44900 | 0.6098 | 5,205 | 1118 | 0.744 | |
| 48 | Western Kentucky University | 17500 | 27000 | 0.3515 | 14,151 | 1090 | 0.9387 | |
| 50 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 17700 | 26700 | 0.3376 | 4,894 | 1090 | 0.8596 | |
| 51 | California State University-East Bay | 17900 | 45100 | 0.6034 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 52 | Saint Leo University | 18100 | 50000 | 0.6378 | 7,603 | 1085 | 0.721 | |
| 52 | San Francisco State University | 18100 | 55400 | 0.6733 | 20,756 | 1035 | 0.9615 | |
| 54 | Bay Path University | 18200 | 55400 | 0.6713 | 1,278 | 1110 | 0.7381 | |
| 54 | Salem State University | 18200 | 28500 | 0.3614 | 4,853 | 1100 | 0.9557 | |
| 56 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 18400 | 28200 | 0.3471 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 57 | Madonna University | 18700 | 58300 | 0.6796 | 1,839 | 1005 | 0.5226 | |
| 57 | Northern Michigan University | 18700 | 33100 | 0.4351 | 6,684 | 1100 | 0.8402 | |
| 59 | Eastern Kentucky University | 19000 | 34400 | 0.4471 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 60 | North Carolina Central University | 19100 | 40000 | 0.5223 | 6,595 | 1005 | 0.8697 | |
| 60 | Stockton University | 19100 | 44500 | 0.5711 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 62 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 63 | Central Connecticut State University | 20000 | 29500 | 0.3219 | 8,170 | 1010 | 0.7333 | |
| 64 | Bradley University | 20100 | 48500 | 0.5849 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 64 | University of New Orleans | 20100 | 30200 | 0.3343 | 5,476 | 1050 | 0.6677 | |
| 66 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20500 | 46300 | 0.5571 | 2,634 | 1030 | 0.8841 | |
| 67 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 20600 | 31100 | 0.3359 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 67 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20600 | 38200 | 0.4606 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 69 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 70 | North Dakota State University | 21000 | 25700 | 0.1841 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 71 | Kennesaw State University | 21400 | 27200 | 0.2133 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 71 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 21400 | 42700 | 0.499 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 73 | Belhaven University | 22100 | 43300 | 0.4911 | 1,453 | 1065 | 0.5325 | |
| 73 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1243 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 75 | San Jose State University | 22200 | 41100 | 0.46 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 76 | Cleary University | 22300 | 60900 | 0.6343 | 811 | 1060 | 0.5097 | |
| 77 | Keystone College | 22500 | 48800 | 0.5392 | 894 | 1020 | 0.848 | |
| 77 | Southern Connecticut State University | 22500 | 59600 | 0.6225 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 79 | Florida State University | 22600 | 32500 | 0.3046 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 80 | Columbia College | 22700 | 39700 | 0.4287 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 81 | Montana State University | 23100 | 31500 | 0.2667 | 15,053 | 1184 | 0.8214 | |
| 81 | Saint Cloud State University | 23100 | 36800 | 0.3733 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 81 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 25800 | 0.1023 | 7,290 | 1035 | 0.6409 | |
| 84 | Robert Morris University | 23300 | 58000 | 0.5986 | 3,769 | 1180 | 0.9057 | |
| 85 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 23500 | 50000 | 0.5298 | 3,856 | 1185 | 0.7518 | |
| 86 | New York University | 23600 | 91800 | 0.7427 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 87 | Washington State University | 23800 | 38700 | 0.3859 | 21,455 | 1131 | 0.8664 | |
| 88 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 89 | Temple University | 24900 | 36400 | 0.3162 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 90 | Northwood University | 25200 | 54500 | 0.5381 | 1,989 | 1075 | 0.839 | |
| 91 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 26900 | 0.0445 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 92 | Lakeland University | 25900 | 56500 | 0.541 | 2,318 | 1000 | 0.914 | |
| 93 | Flagler College | 26100 | 61100 | 0.5727 | 2,409 | 1090 | 0.8076 | |
| 93 | Lipscomb University | 26100 | 57800 | 0.5484 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 95 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3878 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 96 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 26300 | 79400 | 0.6689 | 1,997 | 1160 | 0.9526 | |
| 97 | Ashland University | 26500 | 56600 | 0.5322 | 5,180 | 1145 | 0.8053 | |
| 98 | College of Coastal Georgia | 26600 | 42100 | 0.3678 | 3,468 | 985 | 0.9813 | |
| 99 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 27100 | 41500 | 0.3468 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 100 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 29500 | 0.0724 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 101 | California Lutheran University | 28100 | 70000 | 0.5988 | 2,297 | 1258 | 0.7567 | |
| 102 | Bellevue University | 28200 | 32400 | 0.1278 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 102 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4441 | 582 | 1010 | 0.9073 | |
| 104 | Mitchell College | 28500 | 75200 | 0.6213 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 105 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4003 | 2,605 | 995 | 0.9427 | |
| 106 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2142 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 107 | Kansas State University | 29200 | 31400 | 0.0717 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 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 South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 127 | San Diego State University | 35200 | 36100 | 0.0249 | 34,637 | 1208 | 0.3598 | |
| 128 | Virginia State University | 35300 | 42200 | 0.1636 | 4,829 | 926 | 0.891 | |
| 129 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 35400 | 64400 | 0.4507 | 1,889 | 985 | 0.9305 | |
| 130 | Mount Mercy University | 35500 | 61200 | 0.4205 | 1,185 | 1110 | 0.7876 | |
| 131 | Baldwin Wallace University | 35700 | 66700 | 0.4649 | 2,862 | 1194 | 0.757 | |
| 131 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 35700 | 42800 | 0.1648 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 133 | University of Denver | 36400 | 76800 | 0.5257 | 6,619 | 1323 | 0.7729 | |
| 134 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 135 | Lasell University | 37100 | 48500 | 0.2349 | 1,293 | 1212 | 0.927 | |
| 136 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66500 | 0.4373 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 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 | Webber International University | 40700 | 44400 | 0.082 | 879 | 965 | 0.7756 | |
| 142 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41400 | 57000 | 0.2738 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 142 | Endicott College | 41400 | 64200 | 0.3551 | 3,176 | 1255 | 0.7229 | |
| 144 | Campbell University | 41700 | 65100 | 0.3601 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 145 | Montclair State University | 42100 | 46200 | 0.0888 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 146 | Appalachian State University | 43600 | 43600 | 0 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 146 | Merrimack College | 43600 | 78800 | 0.4472 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 148 | Mercyhurst University | 43800 | 66400 | 0.3405 | 2,274 | 1189 | 0.8102 | |
| 149 | Florida Atlantic University | 44400 | 44400 | 0 | 24,942 | 1130 | 0.6613 | |
| 150 | James Madison University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 21,112 | 1260 | 0.7151 | |
| 151 | High Point University | 45700 | 72900 | 0.373 | 5,006 | 1237 | 0.7683 | |
| 152 | University of Georgia | 45900 | 51600 | 0.1108 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 153 | Middle Tennessee State University | 46000 | 46000 | 0 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 154 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 155 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83800 | 0.4176 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 156 | University of Kentucky | 48900 | 56600 | 0.1362 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 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 | Auburn University | 58700 | 58700 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 61400 | 64200 | 0.0436 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 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.