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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 | Utah State University | 0 | 30000 | 1 | 25,920 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 2 | University of California-Davis | 10100 | 37800 | 0.732 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 3 | Kentucky State University | 10300 | 17400 | 0.4069 | 1,546 | 925 | 0.9251 | |
| 4 | Cornell University | 10700 | 92000 | 0.8834 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 5 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10800 | 22900 | 0.5293 | 12,726 | 1055 | 0.9695 | |
| 6 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 11300 | 34400 | 0.6706 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 7 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 12400 | 29900 | 0.5852 | 12,498 | 1010 | 0.8896 | |
| 8 | Bacone College | 12500 | 36800 | 0.6605 | 106 | 875 | 0.545 | |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5679 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 10 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 12900 | 37100 | 0.6518 | 4,218 | 1020 | 0.9307 | |
| 11 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4863 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 11 | Texas State University | 13200 | 23200 | 0.4313 | 36,268 | 1100 | 0.8908 | |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 32200 | 0.5744 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 14 | Indiana State University | 13800 | 25900 | 0.4679 | 6,224 | 1140 | 0.8077 | |
| 14 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 16 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 17 | University of Houston | 14300 | 23600 | 0.3946 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 17 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 19 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14400 | 41100 | 0.6502 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 20 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 21 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 15000 | 25700 | 0.4158 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 22 | California State University-San Marcos | 15300 | 24700 | 0.3813 | 14,977 | 970 | 0.951 | |
| 23 | California State University-Long Beach | 15500 | 25800 | 0.3993 | 35,843 | 1135 | 0.4628 | |
| 24 | Alcorn State University | 16000 | 24400 | 0.3446 | 2,532 | 925 | 0.4533 | |
| 24 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 16000 | 28800 | 0.4443 | 7,595 | 1075 | 0.9226 | |
| 26 | University of Arizona | 16100 | 30900 | 0.4797 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 27 | Lamar University | 16200 | 22900 | 0.2922 | 8,206 | 1045 | 0.857 | |
| 28 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 16500 | 30700 | 0.4629 | 6,910 | 1053 | 0.9734 | |
| 29 | Illinois State University | 17700 | 29300 | 0.3982 | 19,107 | 1115 | 0.8815 | |
| 30 | California State University-East Bay | 17900 | 29700 | 0.3978 | 10,562 | 940 | 0.9681 | |
| 31 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 32 | SUNY Oneonta | 18700 | 29300 | 0.3618 | 4,681 | 1190 | 0.6959 | |
| 33 | Benedict College | 18900 | 38300 | 0.5071 | 1,694 | 935 | 0.673 | |
| 34 | Houston Christian University | 19000 | 56800 | 0.6655 | 2,899 | 1090 | 0.8458 | |
| 34 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.3947 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 36 | Brigham Young University | 19100 | 29000 | 0.3411 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 36 | Gallaudet University | 19100 | 44200 | 0.5673 | 919 | 875 | 0.6094 | |
| 38 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19900 | 24500 | 0.1874 | 19,888 | 1209 | 0.8517 | |
| 38 | The University of Texas at Austin | 19900 | 26900 | 0.2601 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 40 | Davis & Elkins College | 20200 | 47500 | 0.5742 | 683 | 1025 | 0.5823 | |
| 41 | Iowa State University | 20300 | 24200 | 0.1626 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 42 | Montclair State University | 20400 | 36300 | 0.4383 | 18,712 | 1058 | 0.8789 | |
| 43 | George Mason University | 20500 | 33500 | 0.3882 | 28,331 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 44 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 22000 | 44700 | 0.5077 | 2,978 | 1222 | 0.7223 | |
| 45 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 46 | South Dakota State University | 22300 | 25200 | 0.1144 | 10,728 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 47 | Columbia College | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3864 | 1,268 | 950 | 0.9614 | |
| 48 | Florida State University | 22800 | 25000 | 0.0881 | 32,711 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 49 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 50 | Southern Virginia University | 24300 | 38200 | 0.3641 | 967 | 1070 | 0.9973 | |
| 51 | Stephens College | 24700 | 58600 | 0.5781 | 354 | 1185 | 0.9185 | |
| 52 | Rockford University | 24900 | 59000 | 0.5771 | 968 | 1045 | 0.5704 | |
| 53 | Temple University | 25100 | 36300 | 0.3088 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 54 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 55 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 26300 | 48900 | 0.4619 | 5,692 | 1090 | 0.9508 | |
| 56 | Texas Woman's University | 26400 | 41300 | 0.3608 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.9613 | |
| 57 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 58 | University of Mount Union | 26600 | 50900 | 0.4771 | 1,927 | 1105 | 0.8013 | |
| 59 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 30800 | 0.1328 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 60 | California State University-San Bernardino | 26800 | 38000 | 0.2945 | 14,993 | 920 | 0.9318 | |
| 61 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 26900 | 28800 | 0.0654 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 62 | Kent State University at Kent | 27400 | 28400 | 0.0352 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 62 | Southern Utah University | 27400 | 35600 | 0.2301 | 13,126 | 1140 | 0.8179 | |
| 64 | Southern Wesleyan University | 27600 | 43500 | 0.3656 | 887 | 1090 | 1 | |
| 65 | Seattle Pacific University | 27700 | 62600 | 0.5576 | 1,776 | 1188 | 0.8339 | |
| 65 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | 27700 | 31400 | 0.1178 | 14,019 | 1159 | 0.7781 | |
| 67 | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 28100 | 45700 | 0.3852 | 3,361 | 1160 | 0.7887 | |
| 67 | North Dakota State University | 28100 | 30400 | 0.0752 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 69 | Mitchell College | 28400 | 65900 | 0.5687 | 500 | 817 | 0.7336 | |
| 70 | Mississippi State University | 28500 | 32300 | 0.1201 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 71 | Connecticut College | 28900 | 83300 | 0.6534 | 1,990 | 1287 | 0.3704 | |
| 71 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2125 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 73 | Oklahoma Christian University | 29500 | 43100 | 0.3164 | 2,012 | 1159 | 0.9707 | |
| 74 | Westminster College | 29800 | 57500 | 0.4814 | 1,136 | 1190 | 0.9256 | |
| 75 | Sonoma State University | 30200 | 40200 | 0.2489 | 5,412 | 1095 | 0.9473 | |
| 76 | Syracuse University | 30400 | 83100 | 0.6342 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 77 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 78 | State University of New York at Oswego | 31400 | 38300 | 0.1799 | 5,517 | 1174 | 0.8057 | |
| 79 | Samford University | 31800 | 65200 | 0.5122 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 80 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 32100 | 44800 | 0.2835 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 81 | Southern Nazarene University | 32400 | 48400 | 0.3301 | 1,465 | 1055 | 0.7703 | |
| 82 | Liberty University | 32800 | 43900 | 0.2528 | 52,823 | 1181 | 0.9932 | |
| 82 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32800 | 34700 | 0.0547 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 84 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 32900 | 44100 | 0.2539 | 581 | 1129 | 0.9821 | |
| 85 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,130 | 0 | 0.5256 | |
| 86 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 87 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 33800 | 40900 | 0.1737 | 1,236 | 1203 | 0.9811 | |
| 88 | Hope International University | 34200 | 56700 | 0.3971 | 564 | 1070 | 0.3298 | |
| 89 | Nova Southeastern University | 34300 | 56300 | 0.3905 | 7,307 | 1165 | 0.7324 | |
| 90 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 91 | University of Vermont | 34700 | 66300 | 0.4767 | 12,276 | 1379 | 0.653 | |
| 92 | University of Nevada-Reno | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 93 | Abilene Christian University | 35700 | 60700 | 0.4115 | 3,233 | 1129 | 0.6604 | |
| 93 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 35700 | 43500 | 0.1794 | 13,179 | 1110 | 0.8883 | |
| 95 | University of Maine | 36000 | 45100 | 0.2018 | 591 | 1199 | 0.9684 | |
| 96 | Warner Pacific University | 36700 | 41600 | 0.1175 | 350 | 945 | 0.5855 | |
| 97 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 98 | University of Central Oklahoma | 37600 | 38500 | 0.0234 | 10,454 | 1095 | 0.8176 | |
| 99 | Lesley University | 37700 | 54600 | 0.3093 | 1,342 | 1140 | 0.9442 | |
| 100 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 38400 | 44400 | 0.1352 | 22,351 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 100 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 38400 | 38400 | 0 | 14,416 | 1205 | 0.8851 | |
| 102 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 40200 | 40200 | 0 | 11,365 | 1216 | 0.8816 | |
| 103 | University of California-San Diego | 40300 | 61100 | 0.3405 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2677 | |
| 103 | University of Georgia | 40300 | 46000 | 0.1242 | 31,514 | 1336 | 0.3719 | |
| 105 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 40500 | 40500 | 0 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 106 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 41400 | 45200 | 0.0841 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9808 | |
| 107 | University of Connecticut | 41800 | 41800 | 0 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 108 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 109 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43300 | 46200 | 0.0624 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 110 | Merrimack College | 43700 | 78800 | 0.4453 | 4,199 | 1115 | 0.7361 | |
| 111 | The University of Alabama | 48800 | 48800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1233 | 0.7665 | |
| 112 | Binghamton University | 50200 | 52100 | 0.0362 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 113 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 54300 | 59200 | 0.0825 | 24,457 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 114 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 115 | Berea College | 68800 | 70100 | 0.0186 | 1,527 | 1235 | 0.1934 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.