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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 | University of Michigan-Flint | 5000 | 43700 | 0.8861 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 5600 | 40700 | 0.8615 | 35,358 | 1448 | 0.1642 | |
| 3 | Northwestern University | 6500 | 90200 | 0.9278 | 9,060 | 1533 | 0.0769 | |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 6900 | 41500 | 0.8347 | 38,572 | 1455 | 0.3659 | |
| 5 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 7700 | 36100 | 0.7877 | 10,368 | 1064 | 0.999 | |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8600 | 98000 | 0.9125 | 9,164 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 7 | Lamar University | 9100 | 22900 | 0.6019 | 8,387 | 1040 | 0.8353 | |
| 8 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9400 | 41400 | 0.7736 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 9 | Portland State University | 10000 | 43300 | 0.7691 | 14,932 | 1174 | 0.8586 | |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10100 | 41500 | 0.7567 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 11 | Saint Xavier University | 10200 | 57000 | 0.8208 | 3,100 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 12 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 10300 | 10300 | 0 | 6,029 | 1075 | 0.9173 | |
| 13 | Fairmont State University | 10500 | 21600 | 0.513 | 3,090 | 970 | 0.9862 | |
| 14 | Savannah State University | 10700 | 50900 | 0.7901 | 2,966 | 950 | 1 | |
| 15 | Concord University | 10800 | 49200 | 0.78 | 1,638 | 1015 | 0.9728 | |
| 16 | Texas A&M University-Commerce | 11300 | 39000 | 0.7105 | 9,666 | 1040 | 0.7498 | |
| 17 | University of Illinois Chicago | 12200 | 30200 | 0.5969 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 31100 | 0.6022 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 19 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 19900 | 0.3558 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13100 | 19400 | 0.3248 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 21 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 27100 | 0.5121 | 29,727 | 990 | 0.9229 | |
| 21 | University of North Florida | 13200 | 30500 | 0.5671 | 14,837 | 1124 | 0.6815 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13200 | 27400 | 0.519 | 18,667 | 1090 | 0.9711 | |
| 24 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 24 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 13300 | 40800 | 0.6742 | 6,761 | 1105 | 0.8475 | |
| 26 | Coastal Carolina University | 13400 | 27200 | 0.5074 | 11,471 | 1160 | 0.7003 | |
| 27 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 13500 | 13500 | 0 | 1,973 | 1189 | 0.8142 | |
| 28 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 13900 | 26800 | 0.482 | 4,789 | 1040 | 0.6671 | |
| 29 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 14100 | 22800 | 0.3816 | 10,995 | 1090 | 0.7476 | |
| 30 | University of North Georgia | 14200 | 21400 | 0.3364 | 19,321 | 1100 | 0.9618 | |
| 31 | Mercy University | 14600 | 46400 | 0.6858 | 6,692 | 1135 | 0.8724 | |
| 32 | University of California-Riverside | 14700 | 66000 | 0.7777 | 24,034 | 1199 | 0.8609 | |
| 32 | Wayne State College | 14700 | 30200 | 0.5139 | 3,886 | 0 | 1 | |
| 34 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 35 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 15100 | 44000 | 0.6571 | 308 | 1144 | 0.9053 | |
| 36 | Christopher Newport University | 15200 | 42800 | 0.6453 | 4,369 | 1189 | 0.8604 | |
| 37 | Jacksonville State University | 15500 | 38200 | 0.5938 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 38 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 16000 | 43700 | 0.6333 | 475 | 1195 | 0.9418 | |
| 39 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16300 | 64800 | 0.7481 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 40 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16500 | 27600 | 0.4027 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 41 | Emporia State University | 16600 | 30900 | 0.463 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 42 | Southern University at New Orleans | 16700 | 41700 | 0.5997 | 2,179 | 950 | 0.789 | |
| 43 | Boston College | 16900 | 97700 | 0.8273 | 9,677 | 1484 | 0.1422 | |
| 44 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17000 | 36500 | 0.5346 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 45 | SUNY at Fredonia | 17100 | 27800 | 0.3854 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 46 | College of Charleston | 17200 | 33900 | 0.4931 | 10,596 | 1234 | 0.73 | |
| 46 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 17200 | 20700 | 0.169 | 8,673 | 1095 | 0.9156 | |
| 48 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | 17300 | 44200 | 0.6093 | 1,829 | 1149 | 0.945 | |
| 49 | Westfield State University | 17500 | 37600 | 0.5347 | 3,868 | 1105 | 0.8671 | |
| 50 | State University of New York at Oswego | 17600 | 27700 | 0.3645 | 5,293 | 1179 | 0.7989 | |
| 51 | Morgan State University | 17800 | 42200 | 0.5786 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 51 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17800 | 44000 | 0.5951 | 586 | 1140 | 0.9577 | |
| 53 | Angelo State University | 18100 | 23100 | 0.2191 | 10,103 | 1045 | 0.7981 | |
| 53 | Kennesaw State University | 18100 | 27400 | 0.3391 | 46,069 | 1119 | 0.7944 | |
| 53 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | 18100 | 69500 | 0.7401 | 711 | 1030 | 0.8214 | |
| 56 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 57 | SUNY Brockport | 18400 | 26200 | 0.2972 | 5,816 | 1195 | 0.7068 | |
| 58 | Texas A&M University-Victoria | 18600 | 45400 | 0.5907 | 2,627 | 1000 | 0.5253 | |
| 59 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 18700 | 45300 | 0.5869 | 504 | 1200 | 0.9095 | |
| 60 | Valdosta State University | 18900 | 29600 | 0.3614 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 61 | Norwich University | 19100 | 100600 | 0.8104 | 2,626 | 1186 | 0.7444 | |
| 61 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19100 | 32900 | 0.42 | 653 | 1145 | 0.7972 | |
| 63 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 19200 | 54000 | 0.6441 | 3,991 | 1010 | 0.9654 | |
| 64 | Rutgers University-Newark | 19600 | 39200 | 0.5005 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 65 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20300 | 57800 | 0.648 | 1,109 | 1175 | 0.9088 | |
| 65 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20300 | 57800 | 0.6485 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 65 | Syracuse University | 20300 | 83600 | 0.7572 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 68 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 68 | Stockton University | 20400 | 45800 | 0.5547 | 7,583 | 1134 | 0.901 | |
| 70 | Grove City College | 20500 | 39700 | 0.4842 | 2,247 | 1248 | 0.667 | |
| 71 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 20700 | 38100 | 0.4566 | 2,710 | 1218 | 0.9374 | |
| 72 | Thiel College | 21100 | 69100 | 0.6945 | 830 | 1065 | 0.7189 | |
| 73 | Lincoln University | 21200 | 46500 | 0.5445 | 1,926 | 920 | 0 | |
| 73 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 75 | Luther College | 21300 | 75400 | 0.7183 | 1,384 | 1226 | 0.8398 | |
| 75 | Texas Southern University | 21300 | 38900 | 0.4524 | 6,844 | 915 | 0.9691 | |
| 77 | Grambling State University | 21400 | 39600 | 0.4599 | 4,313 | 950 | 0.4486 | |
| 77 | Salisbury University | 21400 | 29300 | 0.2697 | 6,477 | 1245 | 0.8826 | |
| 79 | Alabama State University | 21700 | 43200 | 0.4979 | 3,521 | 945 | 0.9755 | |
| 80 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 21900 | 39100 | 0.4402 | 2,907 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 80 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36200 | 0.3949 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 82 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22500 | 53400 | 0.5791 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 83 | Houghton University | 22700 | 51300 | 0.5576 | 958 | 1277 | 0.89 | |
| 84 | Pennsylvania Western University | 22900 | 34400 | 0.334 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 85 | Robert Morris University | 23000 | 58000 | 0.6043 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 86 | Dakota State University | 23100 | 25600 | 0.0977 | 3,085 | 1174 | 0.9241 | |
| 87 | Florida Memorial University | 23200 | 51000 | 0.5446 | 1,206 | 0 | 0.8526 | |
| 88 | Columbia College | 23600 | 40200 | 0.413 | 876 | 1025 | 0.8878 | |
| 89 | Dominican University | 23800 | 56000 | 0.5754 | 2,642 | 1005 | 0.8879 | |
| 90 | University of North Texas | 23900 | 37400 | 0.3607 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 91 | Elmhurst University | 24000 | 67000 | 0.642 | 3,170 | 1133 | 0.7501 | |
| 91 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 24000 | 47900 | 0.4985 | 2,280 | 1224 | 0.9675 | |
| 93 | Western Oregon University | 24600 | 24600 | 0 | 3,034 | 1120 | 0.8345 | |
| 94 | University of South Florida | 24700 | 36500 | 0.3229 | 39,093 | 1255 | 0.4071 | |
| 95 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 24900 | 36800 | 0.3235 | 15,273 | 1115 | 0.8089 | |
| 95 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 24900 | 62800 | 0.6039 | 1,495 | 1075 | 0.8761 | |
| 97 | Coppin State University | 25100 | 27500 | 0.0874 | 1,908 | 950 | 0.4583 | |
| 98 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 25700 | 28300 | 0.0907 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5885 | |
| 98 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 25700 | 53800 | 0.522 | 971 | 1030 | 0.9334 | |
| 100 | Loyola University Maryland | 25800 | 78800 | 0.6727 | 4,013 | 1329 | 0.6986 | |
| 100 | Northwood University | 25800 | 54500 | 0.5271 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 102 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 26100 | 49600 | 0.4735 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 103 | Bemidji State University | 26400 | 26400 | 0 | 3,751 | 1075 | 0.5598 | |
| 104 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 105 | Central Connecticut State University | 27900 | 30400 | 0.0823 | 9,463 | 1020 | 0.793 | |
| 106 | Wayne State University | 28100 | 46800 | 0.3998 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 107 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28500 | 36500 | 0.2194 | 11,691 | 1074 | 0.7722 | |
| 108 | Bethune-Cookman University | 28900 | 32300 | 0.1051 | 2,739 | 910 | 0.8824 | |
| 109 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 110 | California Lutheran University | 29600 | 71700 | 0.5874 | 2,160 | 1218 | 0.7631 | |
| 111 | Thomas Jefferson University | 29900 | 70000 | 0.5735 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8098 | |
| 111 | Towson University | 29900 | 30100 | 0.0066 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 113 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 30100 | 33200 | 0.0932 | 7,088 | 1100 | 0.7448 | |
| 114 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30200 | 54600 | 0.4463 | 3,120 | 1193 | 0.3992 | |
| 115 | University of Toledo | 30400 | 42000 | 0.2756 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 116 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 30500 | 36900 | 0.1737 | 5,687 | 1305 | 0.7863 | |
| 117 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30600 | 33200 | 0.0773 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 118 | Suffolk University | 31000 | 83500 | 0.6288 | 4,247 | 1209 | 0.8228 | |
| 119 | Northern Kentucky University | 31600 | 32100 | 0.0156 | 10,136 | 1110 | 0.9666 | |
| 120 | Cleveland State University | 31700 | 32100 | 0.0125 | 9,418 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 120 | Hampton University | 31700 | 54800 | 0.4215 | 4,046 | 1005 | 0.6358 | |
| 122 | Central College | 31900 | 38700 | 0.1758 | 1,050 | 1159 | 0.8698 | |
| 122 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 31900 | 35200 | 0.0938 | 32,041 | 1324 | 0.4358 | |
| 124 | McKendree University | 32300 | 52900 | 0.39 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 124 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5902 | 3,689 | 1245 | 0.8006 | |
| 126 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 32900 | 59400 | 0.4461 | 11,087 | 1326 | 0.7397 | |
| 127 | Harding University | 33200 | 47800 | 0.3047 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 128 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 17,556 | 1090 | 0.5386 | |
| 129 | Elizabethtown College | 33600 | 57500 | 0.4154 | 1,935 | 1214 | 0.8892 | |
| 130 | Pace University | 33800 | 75700 | 0.5538 | 5,520 | 1273 | 0.7827 | |
| 131 | Charleston Southern University | 33900 | 48400 | 0.3007 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 132 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 133 | George Washington University | 34300 | 81800 | 0.5808 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 134 | Averett University | 34500 | 57600 | 0.4012 | 1,244 | 1054 | 0.5659 | |
| 135 | Adelphi University | 34800 | 63300 | 0.4511 | 5,097 | 1241 | 0.7215 | |
| 136 | University of South Alabama | 36100 | 40200 | 0.1021 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 137 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36300 | 39900 | 0.0894 | 3,893 | 1015 | 0.9839 | |
| 138 | Rowan University | 36500 | 53600 | 0.3189 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 139 | East Carolina University | 36600 | 42700 | 0.1421 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 140 | Frostburg State University | 37500 | 42500 | 0.1176 | 3,436 | 1095 | 0.907 | |
| 140 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 37500 | 40100 | 0.064 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 142 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 38000 | 55500 | 0.3156 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8296 | |
| 143 | Stony Brook University | 39400 | 53000 | 0.2559 | 18,616 | 1410 | 0.4818 | |
| 144 | Drexel University | 39700 | 86400 | 0.5408 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 145 | Saint Michael's College | 39800 | 75800 | 0.4748 | 1,051 | 1280 | 0.8976 | |
| 146 | Immaculata University | 40000 | 48600 | 0.177 | 1,889 | 1264 | 0.8656 | |
| 147 | Furman University | 40100 | 84600 | 0.5258 | 2,304 | 1372 | 0.4869 | |
| 148 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41500 | 55300 | 0.2497 | 21,388 | 1369 | 0.5945 | |
| 149 | University of Mount Olive | 41800 | 50400 | 0.1699 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 150 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42900 | 58500 | 0.2665 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 151 | Merrimack College | 43300 | 78800 | 0.4501 | 4,123 | 1124 | 0.6927 | |
| 152 | James Madison University | 43500 | 45100 | 0.0355 | 21,358 | 1259 | 0.6879 | |
| 153 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 44000 | 71800 | 0.3872 | 4,182 | 1317 | 0.8783 | |
| 154 | Radford University | 45000 | 47600 | 0.0539 | 6,206 | 1050 | 0.8939 | |
| 155 | Mercer University | 45400 | 65400 | 0.3058 | 4,719 | 1263 | 0.643 | |
| 156 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 47200 | 57100 | 0.1733 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 157 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47500 | 61500 | 0.2286 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 158 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | 48400 | 60000 | 0.1943 | 5,492 | 1210 | 0.7026 | |
| 158 | University of Kentucky | 48400 | 59900 | 0.1916 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 160 | University of Utah | 51100 | 53700 | 0.0478 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 161 | University of Colorado Boulder | 55200 | 70900 | 0.2206 | 32,244 | 1351 | 0.7809 | |
| 162 | Molloy University | 55800 | 62300 | 0.1044 | 3,396 | 1188 | 0.6633 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 164 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 58600 | 61200 | 0.0419 | 26,490 | 1183 | 0.8863 | |
| 165 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60800 | 63600 | 0.044 | 1,078 | 1217 | 0.9646 | |
| 166 | Clemson University | 61100 | 63700 | 0.0403 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 167 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 61300 | 66900 | 0.0837 | 9,827 | 1329 | 0.6737 | |
| 168 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 63700 | 63700 | 0 | 1,709 | 1218 | 0.9653 | |
| 169 | Fordham University | 74500 | 143900 | 0.4824 | 10,582 | 1406 | 0.5931 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.