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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 | 6600 | 56000 | 0.8817 | 1,500 | 1130 | 0.1097 | |
| 2 | California State University-Northridge | 8200 | 22000 | 0.6276 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 3 | California State University-East Bay | 9300 | 62400 | 0.8503 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10000 | 27800 | 0.6392 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 5 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 30200 | 0.6594 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 6 | University of the Virgin Islands | 10700 | 24500 | 0.5624 | 1,650 | 900 | 0.9936 | |
| 7 | Eastern Kentucky University | 11800 | 22900 | 0.4856 | 13,448 | 1075 | 0.9683 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 9 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 12600 | 18400 | 0.3159 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 10 | Eastern Illinois University | 12700 | 24300 | 0.4766 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 11 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12800 | 26500 | 0.5164 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 12 | Boston University | 13000 | 101900 | 0.8723 | 18,289 | 1475 | 0.1283 | |
| 13 | Central Connecticut State University | 13200 | 34200 | 0.6138 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 13 | San Francisco State University | 13200 | 47700 | 0.7235 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 15 | Livingstone College | 13300 | 29900 | 0.5558 | 925 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 16 | University of Delaware | 13500 | 34500 | 0.608 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 38400 | 0.6464 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 18 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 14100 | 31000 | 0.5458 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 18 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 20 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5804 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 21 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28100 | 0.4927 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 22 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14500 | 40000 | 0.6375 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 22 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14500 | 28600 | 0.4937 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 24 | Arkansas Tech University | 14600 | 32500 | 0.5512 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 24 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 14600 | 55300 | 0.7355 | 2,477 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 26 | Troy University | 14700 | 39100 | 0.6237 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 27 | Colorado Mesa University | 14800 | 66200 | 0.7758 | 9,459 | 1050 | 0.8314 | |
| 28 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 15000 | 31600 | 0.5259 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 29 | Northern Michigan University | 15200 | 33100 | 0.5408 | 6,650 | 1100 | 0.8505 | |
| 30 | University of Mississippi | 15300 | 37400 | 0.5911 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 31 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 32 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23000 | 0.322 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 33 | Appalachian State University | 16000 | 22800 | 0.2985 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 33 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 16000 | 62800 | 0.7449 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 35 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 16500 | 39900 | 0.5858 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 35 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 37 | Morgan State University | 16600 | 28500 | 0.4173 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 38 | Kansas State University | 16800 | 26400 | 0.3644 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 39 | College of Charleston | 17200 | 43600 | 0.6049 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 40 | Delaware State University | 17300 | 43000 | 0.598 | 4,581 | 930 | 0.4658 | |
| 41 | James Madison University | 17500 | 28900 | 0.3949 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 41 | University of Kentucky | 17500 | 46800 | 0.6264 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 43 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 43 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4715 | 1,094 | 1109 | 0.8917 | |
| 45 | University of South Alabama | 17700 | 40600 | 0.5635 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 46 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 58900 | 0.6966 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 47 | Kennesaw State University | 18000 | 61500 | 0.7069 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 48 | Western Carolina University | 18100 | 20500 | 0.1172 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 49 | Bellevue University | 18300 | 37300 | 0.509 | 11,037 | 0 | 1 | |
| 50 | Columbia College | 18600 | 60700 | 0.6931 | 1,566 | 950 | 0.966 | |
| 51 | San Jose State University | 18700 | 41100 | 0.5452 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 52 | Husson University | 19100 | 48100 | 0.6023 | 2,865 | 1174 | 0.8143 | |
| 53 | Lewis University | 19500 | 57700 | 0.6619 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 53 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 19500 | 30400 | 0.3584 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.89 | |
| 55 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 19600 | 32300 | 0.3934 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 55 | Saint Xavier University | 19600 | 57000 | 0.6559 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 57 | Salem State University | 19800 | 39400 | 0.4979 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 58 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45100 | 0.5547 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 59 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 20400 | 25500 | 0.2 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 60 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 20700 | 38100 | 0.4566 | 2,710 | 1218 | 0.9374 | |
| 60 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 20700 | 48300 | 0.5715 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 62 | College of Coastal Georgia | 20800 | 29400 | 0.2925 | 3,609 | 1005 | 0.9885 | |
| 62 | North Dakota State University | 20800 | 25700 | 0.1902 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 64 | Ferris State University | 21000 | 30200 | 0.3046 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 64 | University of New Orleans | 21000 | 29700 | 0.2929 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 66 | Bradley University | 21800 | 59400 | 0.6334 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 66 | Grand Canyon University | 21800 | 48300 | 0.5487 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 68 | South Dakota State University | 21900 | 25200 | 0.1305 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 68 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 21900 | 31800 | 0.3115 | 27,963 | 1090 | 0.8395 | |
| 70 | Montclair State University | 22000 | 36800 | 0.4025 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 71 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22400 | 35700 | 0.3722 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 72 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,907 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 73 | Fort Hays State University | 22900 | 28500 | 0.196 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 73 | Saint Cloud State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3775 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 75 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23000 | 25800 | 0.1083 | 7,290 | 1015 | 0.6409 | |
| 76 | Robert Morris University | 23100 | 58000 | 0.6012 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 76 | Southern Connecticut State University | 23100 | 41000 | 0.4367 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 78 | University of North Alabama | 23200 | 37300 | 0.3781 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 79 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 23400 | 31100 | 0.2475 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 80 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 23600 | 90700 | 0.7398 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 81 | Lackawanna College | 23800 | 35500 | 0.3293 | 2,211 | 0 | 0.8619 | |
| 82 | Northern Arizona University | 23900 | 48800 | 0.5111 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 83 | Stockton University | 24100 | 32100 | 0.2491 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 83 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 38400 | 0.3726 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 83 | University of Southern Mississippi | 24100 | 30400 | 0.2073 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 86 | Keystone College | 24500 | 50500 | 0.5153 | 676 | 1020 | 0.7385 | |
| 87 | Montana State University | 24600 | 73500 | 0.6655 | 15,142 | 1184 | 0.9938 | |
| 88 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 89 | Meredith College | 25000 | 67400 | 0.6289 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 90 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25400 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 90 | Saint Leo University | 25400 | 50000 | 0.4918 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 92 | Northwood University | 25800 | 75700 | 0.6596 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 92 | Southeast Missouri State University | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0974 | 7,926 | 1070 | 0.6897 | |
| 94 | University of North Texas | 25900 | 36900 | 0.2983 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 95 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 95 | University of West Florida | 26000 | 37400 | 0.3044 | 9,971 | 1120 | 0.5822 | |
| 97 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 40600 | 0.3497 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 98 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 26700 | 39800 | 0.3289 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 99 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 43100 | 0.367 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 100 | Central Washington University | 27700 | 27900 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 100 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27700 | 30000 | 0.0763 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 102 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 63900 | 0.5647 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 103 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 28100 | 69000 | 0.5926 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9631 | |
| 104 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 28200 | 50700 | 0.4452 | 927 | 1010 | 0.7653 | |
| 105 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 106 | Flagler College | 28700 | 60700 | 0.5271 | 2,359 | 1175 | 0.787 | |
| 107 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 28800 | 36200 | 0.2047 | 5,130 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 108 | New York University | 29000 | 92100 | 0.6851 | 29,471 | 1520 | 0.0906 | |
| 109 | University of South Florida | 29600 | 36700 | 0.1934 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 110 | Southern Utah University | 29900 | 40800 | 0.2673 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 111 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78200 | 0.6122 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 112 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 30400 | 38500 | 0.2105 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 113 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 30500 | 31800 | 0.0409 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 114 | Kent State University at Kent | 31200 | 37500 | 0.1678 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 114 | North Carolina Central University | 31200 | 40000 | 0.2199 | 7,232 | 865 | 0.8605 | |
| 116 | San Diego State University | 31300 | 35300 | 0.1133 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 117 | Lasell University | 31400 | 60000 | 0.4764 | 1,347 | 1095 | 0.7457 | |
| 118 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 32000 | 39900 | 0.1981 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 119 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 32300 | 43200 | 0.2524 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 120 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5372 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 121 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44700 | 0.2573 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 122 | Southeastern University | 33400 | 56200 | 0.4054 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 122 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 124 | Warner University | 33500 | 41000 | 0.183 | 803 | 931 | 0.4281 | |
| 125 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.295 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 126 | Georgia State University | 34700 | 45700 | 0.2406 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 127 | Culinary Institute of America | 35000 | 69900 | 0.4995 | 2,935 | 1050 | 0.9486 | |
| 128 | Bay Path University | 35400 | 70900 | 0.5009 | 1,178 | 1110 | 0.8514 | |
| 128 | Mount Mercy University | 35400 | 61200 | 0.4216 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8248 | |
| 130 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 131 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 36400 | 53600 | 0.321 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 132 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 133 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 36800 | 38800 | 0.0515 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 134 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 37100 | 37600 | 0.0133 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 135 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37200 | 69100 | 0.4615 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 136 | DePaul University | 37700 | 66400 | 0.432 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 137 | Washington State University | 38100 | 53900 | 0.2932 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 138 | Framingham State University | 38900 | 48000 | 0.1894 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 139 | Baldwin Wallace University | 39000 | 66100 | 0.4102 | 2,532 | 1210 | 0.7739 | |
| 140 | University of Denver | 39200 | 84100 | 0.5341 | 5,766 | 1292 | 0.8538 | |
| 141 | Drexel University | 39600 | 107600 | 0.6318 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 141 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 143 | University of Central Florida | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 144 | Endicott College | 40300 | 94900 | 0.5753 | 3,195 | 1275 | 0.7121 | |
| 145 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40400 | 66000 | 0.3875 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 146 | Webber International University | 40600 | 44400 | 0.0855 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 147 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 41000 | 64200 | 0.3613 | 2,138 | 1148 | 0.9469 | |
| 148 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 41200 | 57400 | 0.2823 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 149 | Virginia State University | 41600 | 42800 | 0.028 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 150 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41900 | 46500 | 0.099 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 151 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42600 | 57200 | 0.2552 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 152 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4479 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 152 | St. John's University-New York | 43500 | 82800 | 0.4748 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 154 | Campbell University | 44000 | 68700 | 0.3606 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 155 | Florida Atlantic University | 44900 | 44900 | 0 | 25,626 | 1150 | 0.5497 | |
| 155 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2752 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 157 | University of Georgia | 48600 | 51800 | 0.0618 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 158 | Lipscomb University | 48800 | 67900 | 0.2814 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 159 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 160 | Lynn University | 51800 | 71600 | 0.2765 | 3,020 | 1135 | 0.7425 | |
| 161 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 66500 | 0.1925 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 162 | University of San Francisco | 53900 | 87300 | 0.3827 | 5,171 | 1333 | 0.7176 | |
| 163 | Dallas Baptist University | 55800 | 63400 | 0.1199 | 2,938 | 1073 | 0.9131 | |
| 164 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58900 | 61200 | 0.0374 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 165 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 65100 | 65100 | 0 | 1,709 | 1218 | 0.9653 | |
| 166 | Mercyhurst University | 66000 | 76400 | 0.136 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 167 | Auburn University | 75300 | 85500 | 0.1193 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.