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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 | Northwestern University | 6500 | 90200 | 0.9278 | 9,060 | 1533 | 0.0769 | |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 6900 | 41600 | 0.8335 | 38,572 | 1455 | 0.3659 | |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8600 | 98000 | 0.9125 | 9,164 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 4 | California State University-East Bay | 9000 | 45100 | 0.8008 | 9,909 | 940 | 0.9739 | |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10100 | 41500 | 0.7567 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 6 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 11300 | 39000 | 0.7105 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 7 | Brown University | 11900 | 94000 | 0.8733 | 7,951 | 1500 | 0.0634 | |
| 8 | Louisiana Tech University | 12300 | 42900 | 0.7132 | 11,071 | 1189 | 0.9073 | |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 31100 | 0.6022 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 12600 | 12600 | 0 | 25,312 | 1134 | 0.7395 | |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13200 | 27400 | 0.519 | 18,667 | 1090 | 0.9711 | |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 13 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14600 | 23900 | 0.389 | 6,045 | 1193 | 0.8938 | |
| 15 | West Virginia University | 14700 | 73100 | 0.7986 | 18,206 | 1120 | 0.8514 | |
| 16 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 17 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 15200 | 25800 | 0.4099 | 5,386 | 995 | 0.9092 | |
| 18 | Florida State University | 15600 | 23000 | 0.322 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 19 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 15900 | 24200 | 0.3436 | 7,637 | 1115 | 0.1865 | |
| 19 | Kansas State University | 15900 | 26400 | 0.3957 | 16,555 | 1163 | 0.875 | |
| 21 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 22 | Francis Marion University | 16400 | 36100 | 0.5453 | 3,793 | 1015 | 0.9508 | |
| 22 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 16400 | 38700 | 0.5755 | 22,223 | 975 | 0.9994 | |
| 24 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 16500 | 26500 | 0.3761 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 25 | Morgan State University | 16600 | 30700 | 0.4588 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 26 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 16900 | 28100 | 0.3992 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 27 | University of Louisville | 17000 | 29100 | 0.4162 | 17,916 | 1134 | 0.7921 | |
| 28 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 20700 | 0.169 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 29 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 30 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 17900 | 47900 | 0.6257 | 21,028 | 1450 | 0.1334 | |
| 30 | Northeastern University | 17900 | 90000 | 0.801 | 22,456 | 1481 | 0.0562 | |
| 32 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 18200 | 18200 | 0 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 32 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 34 | Lehigh University | 19200 | 89800 | 0.7863 | 5,986 | 1436 | 0.2896 | |
| 35 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 19300 | 29900 | 0.3563 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 36 | University of Houston | 19900 | 28400 | 0.2996 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 37 | University of Rhode Island | 20000 | 47400 | 0.5782 | 14,466 | 1197 | 0.7456 | |
| 37 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 76400 | 0.7387 | 20,768 | 1499 | 0.1119 | |
| 39 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 20200 | 38500 | 0.4738 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 40 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 41 | North Dakota State University | 20600 | 25700 | 0.2008 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 42 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.3258 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 42 | South Carolina State University | 20700 | 30000 | 0.3095 | 3,059 | 925 | 0.6797 | |
| 44 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 21300 | 41300 | 0.4843 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 45 | St. Mary's University | 21400 | 82100 | 0.7396 | 2,330 | 1060 | 0.9508 | |
| 46 | Indiana Institute of Technology | 21600 | 48800 | 0.5575 | 1,650 | 1055 | 0.7039 | |
| 47 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 48 | SUNY Maritime College | 22800 | 59200 | 0.6152 | 1,401 | 1164 | 0.785 | |
| 49 | Lamar University | 23500 | 37700 | 0.3765 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 50 | Montana State University | 24400 | 24400 | 0 | 15,142 | 1184 | 0.9938 | |
| 51 | Fort Hays State University | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1355 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 51 | University of South Florida | 24700 | 36500 | 0.3229 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 53 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 54 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | 25400 | 39400 | 0.3555 | 13,039 | 1020 | 0.894 | |
| 55 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,559 | 1404 | 0.3731 | |
| 56 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 25800 | 28400 | 0.0903 | 2,216 | 1268 | 0.7987 | |
| 57 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4019 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 58 | Saint Ambrose University | 27100 | 57700 | 0.5306 | 1,884 | 1065 | 0.8006 | |
| 58 | University of Minnesota Duluth | 27100 | 31300 | 0.1362 | 8,706 | 1230 | 0.8906 | |
| 60 | Methodist University | 28000 | 87900 | 0.6812 | 1,467 | 1185 | 0.7516 | |
| 61 | Wayne State University | 28100 | 46800 | 0.3998 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 62 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 28600 | 43100 | 0.3367 | 22,313 | 1341 | 0.2996 | |
| 63 | Iowa State University | 28700 | 45200 | 0.3663 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 64 | Clemson University | 28800 | 37100 | 0.2253 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 65 | University of Iowa | 29500 | 32100 | 0.0799 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 66 | Mississippi State University | 29900 | 34400 | 0.1326 | 19,093 | 1205 | 0.8363 | |
| 67 | Lawrence Technological University | 30000 | 99100 | 0.6976 | 2,661 | 1149 | 0.8101 | |
| 68 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30100 | 78300 | 0.6157 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 68 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 30100 | 33200 | 0.0932 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 70 | Gannon University | 30400 | 52900 | 0.4257 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 71 | Kent State University at Kent | 30900 | 37500 | 0.1751 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 72 | Western Michigan University | 31200 | 31200 | 0 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 73 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 31900 | 35200 | 0.0938 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 74 | North Carolina State University | 32400 | 54800 | 0.4083 | 29,340 | 1374 | 0.3954 | |
| 75 | Liberty University | 32500 | 44700 | 0.2729 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 76 | Wichita State University | 32600 | 42200 | 0.2269 | 14,906 | 1065 | 0.7224 | |
| 77 | University of Illinois Chicago | 32700 | 51300 | 0.3625 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 78 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | 33000 | 72600 | 0.5451 | 2,836 | 1283 | 0.6711 | |
| 79 | University of Indianapolis | 33700 | 60700 | 0.4442 | 3,394 | 1080 | 0.728 | |
| 80 | University of Vermont | 34300 | 66300 | 0.4821 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 81 | Auburn University | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 82 | Western New England University | 35500 | 70600 | 0.4969 | 2,616 | 1199 | 0.8348 | |
| 83 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 41000 | 0.1318 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 84 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36300 | 39900 | 0.0894 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 85 | North Carolina A & T State University | 36500 | 36700 | 0.0054 | 12,497 | 1075 | 0.5125 | |
| 86 | University of Connecticut | 36900 | 66200 | 0.4429 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 87 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66700 | 0.4394 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 88 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 89 | Kettering University | 37700 | 98700 | 0.6183 | 1,212 | 1204 | 0.7867 | |
| 90 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 38000 | 55500 | 0.3156 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8296 | |
| 91 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41500 | 55300 | 0.2497 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 91 | University of San Diego | 41500 | 85900 | 0.517 | 6,049 | 1298 | 0.5358 | |
| 93 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 94 | University of Arizona | 42500 | 48600 | 0.1254 | 43,294 | 1186 | 0.8351 | |
| 95 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 42900 | 88100 | 0.5129 | 35,358 | 1448 | 0.1642 | |
| 96 | Oregon State University | 44800 | 61900 | 0.2766 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 97 | Colorado Christian University | 45400 | 63600 | 0.2864 | 8,200 | 1110 | 1 | |
| 98 | University at Buffalo | 46400 | 46400 | 0 | 21,192 | 1309 | 0.8059 | |
| 99 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47500 | 61500 | 0.2286 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 99 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 47500 | 47500 | 0 | 6,743 | 1266 | 0.6292 | |
| 101 | Quinnipiac University | 49000 | 79700 | 0.3854 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 102 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 49200 | 58800 | 0.1628 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 103 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 49300 | 67600 | 0.2708 | 40,996 | 1399 | 0.4175 | |
| 104 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 50100 | 85400 | 0.4135 | 5,461 | 1292 | 0.6189 | |
| 105 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 106 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 50600 | 63800 | 0.2065 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 107 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 52600 | 86300 | 0.3905 | 5,833 | 1440 | 0.6725 | |
| 108 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 53400 | 63400 | 0.1578 | 24,019 | 1404 | 0.5989 | |
| 109 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 110 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 58700 | 62100 | 0.0548 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 111 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 112 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 61300 | 66900 | 0.0837 | 9,827 | 1329 | 0.6737 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.