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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 | California State University-East Bay | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6887 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 4 | Saint Xavier University | 10200 | 57000 | 0.8208 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 5 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 27500 | 0.6258 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 6 | Southern Utah University | 10500 | 51400 | 0.7957 | 13,176 | 1140 | 0.9998 | |
| 7 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10900 | 22900 | 0.525 | 13,448 | 1075 | 0.9683 | |
| 7 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 10900 | 27400 | 0.6019 | 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 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 13 | Boston University | 12300 | 93200 | 0.868 | 18,289 | 1475 | 0.1283 | |
| 14 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 19900 | 0.3558 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 15 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12900 | 26500 | 0.5126 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 16 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13000 | 40500 | 0.6789 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 17 | Livingstone College | 13100 | 43100 | 0.6963 | 925 | 890 | 0.5925 | |
| 18 | Central Connecticut State University | 13200 | 34200 | 0.6138 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 19 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 19 | University of South Florida | 13300 | 22400 | 0.4067 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 21 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 21 | University of Delaware | 13400 | 34500 | 0.6119 | 19,287 | 1302 | 0.6924 | |
| 23 | University of Georgia | 13500 | 27200 | 0.503 | 32,824 | 1348 | 0.3425 | |
| 23 | Western Carolina University | 13500 | 16500 | 0.1817 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 25 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 14100 | 31000 | 0.5458 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 25 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 27 | Eastern Michigan University | 14200 | 33900 | 0.5826 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 27 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 27 | San Francisco State University | 14200 | 47700 | 0.7025 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 30 | University of the Virgin Islands | 14300 | 29600 | 0.5176 | 1,650 | 900 | 0.9936 | |
| 31 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 31400 | 0.5374 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 32 | University of North Alabama | 14600 | 37300 | 0.6087 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 14700 | 73100 | 0.7986 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 34 | Colorado Mesa University | 14800 | 66200 | 0.7758 | 9,459 | 1050 | 0.8314 | |
| 34 | Troy University | 14800 | 26700 | 0.4456 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 36 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 14900 | 22500 | 0.3374 | 14,434 | 1125 | 0.6344 | |
| 36 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 38 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 15000 | 31600 | 0.5259 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 39 | Northern Michigan University | 15200 | 33100 | 0.5408 | 6,650 | 1100 | 0.8505 | |
| 40 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 41 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 15500 | 25000 | 0.3801 | 2,953 | 975 | 0.8445 | |
| 42 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 15600 | 30100 | 0.4823 | 2,477 | 930 | 0.9641 | |
| 43 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 15800 | 28500 | 0.4463 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 44 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 15900 | 90700 | 0.8247 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 44 | Kansas State University | 15900 | 26400 | 0.3957 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 46 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 26000 | 0.3809 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 47 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 16500 | 26500 | 0.3761 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 47 | Stephen F Austin State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4058 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 49 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 16600 | 41200 | 0.5978 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 49 | Morgan State University | 16600 | 30700 | 0.4588 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 51 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3565 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 52 | Montclair State University | 17100 | 36000 | 0.5256 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 52 | North Carolina Central University | 17100 | 37500 | 0.5444 | 7,232 | 865 | 0.8605 | |
| 54 | James Madison University | 17500 | 28900 | 0.3943 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 54 | University of Kentucky | 17500 | 36500 | 0.5208 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 56 | East Carolina University | 17600 | 26100 | 0.3256 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 56 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4715 | 1,094 | 1109 | 0.8917 | |
| 58 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 45800 | 0.6097 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 59 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 60 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | 18200 | 18400 | 0.0109 | 1,184 | 1015 | 0.7989 | |
| 60 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 62 | Bellevue University | 18300 | 41000 | 0.5532 | 11,037 | 0 | 1 | |
| 62 | Columbia College | 18300 | 60700 | 0.698 | 1,566 | 950 | 0.966 | |
| 64 | Central Washington University | 18400 | 22700 | 0.1892 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 65 | Husson University | 19100 | 48100 | 0.6023 | 2,865 | 1174 | 0.8143 | |
| 66 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 20000 | 55300 | 0.6381 | 2,881 | 1040 | 0.89 | |
| 67 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20300 | 57800 | 0.6485 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 68 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 68 | Stockton University | 20400 | 45800 | 0.5547 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 68 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 20400 | 26100 | 0.2181 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 71 | North Dakota State University | 20600 | 25700 | 0.2008 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 71 | 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 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 20700 | 48300 | 0.5715 | 1,817 | 905 | 0.4118 | |
| 75 | College of Coastal Georgia | 20800 | 51600 | 0.5967 | 3,609 | 1005 | 0.9885 | |
| 75 | Ferris State University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3295 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 77 | University of New Orleans | 20900 | 30000 | 0.3029 | 5,419 | 1040 | 0.7431 | |
| 78 | Iowa State University | 21100 | 25700 | 0.1794 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 79 | Grand Canyon University | 21700 | 34000 | 0.3613 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 79 | South Dakota State University | 21700 | 25200 | 0.1414 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 81 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 21900 | 39100 | 0.4402 | 2,907 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 82 | Florida State University | 22200 | 32100 | 0.3082 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 83 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22300 | 26000 | 0.1421 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 84 | Meredith College | 22500 | 67400 | 0.666 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 85 | Saint Cloud State University | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3849 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 85 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 33400 | 0.3232 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 87 | University of Southern Mississippi | 22800 | 23100 | 0.013 | 10,371 | 1181 | 0.926 | |
| 88 | Robert Morris University | 23000 | 58000 | 0.6043 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 89 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 26700 | 0.1336 | 7,290 | 1015 | 0.6409 | |
| 90 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | 23300 | 89100 | 0.7384 | 2,012 | 1174 | 0.9631 | |
| 91 | Lackawanna College | 23500 | 52100 | 0.5492 | 2,211 | 0 | 0.8619 | |
| 92 | Northern Arizona University | 23900 | 47000 | 0.4927 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 92 | 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 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 24700 | 37700 | 0.3446 | 5,130 | 1099 | 0.8645 | |
| 98 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 99 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25400 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 100 | Southeast Missouri State University | 25600 | 28600 | 0.107 | 7,926 | 1070 | 0.6897 | |
| 101 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 101 | Northwood University | 25800 | 54500 | 0.5271 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 103 | New Jersey City University | 26600 | 39800 | 0.332 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 104 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 38800 | 0.2963 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 105 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27400 | 30000 | 0.0855 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 106 | Delaware State University | 27700 | 62600 | 0.5574 | 4,581 | 930 | 0.4658 | |
| 107 | Mitchell College | 27800 | 63900 | 0.5647 | 442 | 817 | 0.9466 | |
| 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 | Georgia State University | 29000 | 45700 | 0.3652 | 26,785 | 1089 | 0.5722 | |
| 111 | New York University | 29000 | 92100 | 0.6851 | 29,471 | 1520 | 0.0906 | |
| 113 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30100 | 78300 | 0.6157 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 113 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 30100 | 33200 | 0.0932 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 115 | University of South Carolina Beaufort | 30400 | 38500 | 0.2105 | 2,162 | 1025 | 0.725 | |
| 116 | Southeastern University | 30800 | 79400 | 0.6123 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 117 | Kent State University at Kent | 30900 | 37500 | 0.1751 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 117 | Warner University | 30900 | 41000 | 0.2455 | 803 | 931 | 0.4281 | |
| 119 | Lasell University | 31100 | 50800 | 0.3881 | 1,347 | 1095 | 0.7457 | |
| 120 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 32300 | 43900 | 0.2643 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 121 | Wilkes University | 32400 | 61900 | 0.4769 | 2,055 | 1188 | 0.9397 | |
| 122 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 123 | Belmont University | 33200 | 72300 | 0.5412 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 124 | Charleston Southern University | 33900 | 48400 | 0.3007 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 124 | St. John's University-New York | 33900 | 83800 | 0.5958 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 126 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 127 | Culinary Institute of America | 34800 | 91000 | 0.6176 | 2,935 | 1050 | 0.9486 | |
| 128 | Auburn University | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 128 | Southern Connecticut State University | 35000 | 42000 | 0.1667 | 7,252 | 965 | 0.9482 | |
| 130 | Bay Path University | 35200 | 57500 | 0.388 | 1,178 | 1110 | 0.8514 | |
| 131 | Mount Mercy University | 35300 | 61200 | 0.4237 | 1,139 | 1110 | 0.8248 | |
| 132 | San Diego State University | 35900 | 37100 | 0.0324 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 132 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 35900 | 54000 | 0.3352 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 134 | University of South Alabama | 36100 | 40200 | 0.1021 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 135 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 136 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 36900 | 53600 | 0.3117 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 137 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 138 | Washington State University | 37500 | 53600 | 0.2998 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 139 | Middle Tennessee State University | 37800 | 48300 | 0.2174 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 140 | Framingham State University | 38100 | 38100 | 0 | 2,782 | 1190 | 0.8366 | |
| 141 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38800 | 38800 | 0 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 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 | University of Mississippi | 40100 | 45200 | 0.1128 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 149 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 40300 | 66000 | 0.3892 | 3,908 | 1050 | 0.8844 | |
| 149 | Webber International University | 40300 | 44400 | 0.0917 | 833 | 950 | 0.694 | |
| 151 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 40900 | 58700 | 0.3035 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 152 | Virginia State University | 41600 | 42800 | 0.028 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 153 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 154 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42400 | 63300 | 0.3303 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 155 | Merrimack College | 43300 | 78800 | 0.4501 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 156 | Campbell University | 43700 | 68700 | 0.3646 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 157 | Oregon State University | 44800 | 61900 | 0.2766 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 158 | Florida Atlantic University | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 25,626 | 1150 | 0.5497 | |
| 159 | Lipscomb University | 48800 | 69900 | 0.3023 | 3,327 | 1214 | 0.6774 | |
| 160 | College of Charleston | 49700 | 62300 | 0.2021 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 161 | Lynn University | 51500 | 71600 | 0.2807 | 3,020 | 1135 | 0.7425 | |
| 162 | University of San Francisco | 54700 | 87200 | 0.3727 | 5,171 | 1333 | 0.7176 | |
| 163 | Dallas Baptist University | 55800 | 84300 | 0.3381 | 2,938 | 1073 | 0.9131 | |
| 164 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 165 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58600 | 61200 | 0.0419 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 166 | Mercyhurst University | 61100 | 68000 | 0.1014 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 167 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 63700 | 63700 | 0 | 1,709 | 1218 | 0.9653 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.