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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 | Savannah State University | 6900 | 29000 | 0.7616 | 2,966 | 925 | 0.4614 | |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | 7400 | 91800 | 0.9194 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8300 | 97100 | 0.915 | 9,164 | 1535 | 0.0399 | |
| 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9800 | 20400 | 0.5201 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 5 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | 10300 | 10300 | 0 | 6,139 | 1070 | 0.9052 | |
| 6 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 11600 | 27800 | 0.5818 | 20,885 | 1420 | 0.1534 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 9 | Fort Hays State University | 12800 | 22600 | 0.4363 | 10,172 | 1075 | 0.9026 | |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Flint | 13000 | 46300 | 0.719 | 5,011 | 1109 | 0.7046 | |
| 11 | East Texas A&M University | 13200 | 30000 | 0.5601 | 9,992 | 1045 | 0.9224 | |
| 11 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 13200 | 25700 | 0.4862 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9419 | |
| 11 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13200 | 19400 | 0.3197 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 14 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 13500 | 13500 | 0 | 1,973 | 1189 | 0.8135 | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 47300 | 0.7099 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 17 | Alabama State University | 14200 | 31300 | 0.5476 | 3,521 | 945 | 0.9755 | |
| 18 | Dickinson State University | 14300 | 25000 | 0.4271 | 1,339 | 990 | 0.3702 | |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 20 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14400 | 37400 | 0.6144 | 7,622 | 1075 | 0.9254 | |
| 21 | Northern Kentucky University | 14600 | 25900 | 0.4369 | 10,163 | 1090 | 0.6765 | |
| 21 | Northwestern University | 14600 | 88300 | 0.8348 | 9,399 | 1527 | 0.0769 | |
| 23 | Wayne State College | 15100 | 20300 | 0.2561 | 3,902 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 15200 | 28700 | 0.4704 | 6,761 | 1105 | 0.8475 | |
| 25 | James Madison University | 15600 | 28900 | 0.4608 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 26 | University of California-Riverside | 15900 | 36500 | 0.564 | 22,600 | 1199 | 0.7639 | |
| 27 | Jacksonville State University | 16000 | 27000 | 0.4081 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 28 | Emporia State University | 16100 | 22900 | 0.2971 | 2,396 | 1075 | 0.9771 | |
| 28 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16100 | 23400 | 0.3124 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 30 | Frostburg State University | 16200 | 26600 | 0.3907 | 3,422 | 1095 | 0.8918 | |
| 31 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 32 | Goshen College | 16500 | 55900 | 0.705 | 780 | 995 | 0.8407 | |
| 32 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 16500 | 40600 | 0.593 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 34 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 16700 | 35700 | 0.5323 | 12,122 | 1283 | 0.8304 | |
| 35 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 16800 | 44500 | 0.6221 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 35 | Westfield State University | 16800 | 33100 | 0.4931 | 3,868 | 1085 | 0.8141 | |
| 37 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 28500 | 0.3823 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 38 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 17700 | 17700 | 0 | 18,288 | 1090 | 0.9068 | |
| 39 | Boston College | 17800 | 97600 | 0.8174 | 10,314 | 1490 | 0.1643 | |
| 40 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | 17900 | 35300 | 0.4926 | 1,813 | 1109 | 0.9484 | |
| 41 | College of Charleston | 18000 | 33900 | 0.4696 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 41 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 18000 | 54300 | 0.6684 | 10,051 | 1064 | 0.9234 | |
| 41 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 18000 | 39000 | 0.5379 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 44 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | 18200 | 28600 | 0.3634 | 4,218 | 1030 | 0.9489 | |
| 45 | Angelo State University | 18300 | 23100 | 0.2067 | 9,702 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 46 | SUNY Brockport | 18400 | 26200 | 0.2972 | 5,816 | 1195 | 0.7068 | |
| 47 | University of Houston-Victoria | 18900 | 25000 | 0.2442 | 2,627 | 1095 | 0.959 | |
| 48 | Saint Xavier University | 19500 | 53300 | 0.6329 | 3,098 | 1050 | 0.843 | |
| 49 | Norwich University | 19600 | 73800 | 0.7342 | 2,626 | 1186 | 0.7444 | |
| 50 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 29000 | 0.3212 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 51 | Central Connecticut State University | 19800 | 29500 | 0.3286 | 8,170 | 1075 | 0.7333 | |
| 52 | University of Colorado Boulder | 19900 | 31900 | 0.3767 | 32,244 | 1351 | 0.7808 | |
| 53 | Cleveland State University | 20000 | 30900 | 0.3523 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 54 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 20100 | 22800 | 0.1184 | 10,632 | 1075 | 0.8859 | |
| 55 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20400 | 39900 | 0.489 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 56 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | 20600 | 57800 | 0.6431 | 1,932 | 1193 | 0.9278 | |
| 57 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27300 | 0.2346 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 58 | Albright College | 21000 | 49300 | 0.5739 | 1,230 | 1050 | 0.7633 | |
| 59 | Luther College | 21300 | 71900 | 0.7033 | 1,384 | 1226 | 0.7154 | |
| 60 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 21500 | 36400 | 0.4088 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 61 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 21800 | 37300 | 0.4156 | 26,221 | 1204 | 0.8854 | |
| 62 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 63 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22200 | 30100 | 0.2629 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 63 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22200 | 33600 | 0.339 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 65 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,472 | 1075 | 0.8459 | |
| 66 | New Mexico Highlands University | 22500 | 27200 | 0.1726 | 1,603 | 0 | 0 | |
| 67 | Brigham Young University-Hawaii | 22600 | 25400 | 0.1104 | 2,906 | 1125 | 0.4696 | |
| 68 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 22900 | 45900 | 0.5015 | 502 | 1189 | 0.9641 | |
| 69 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 70 | Dakota State University | 23100 | 25600 | 0.0977 | 3,066 | 1192 | 0.8805 | |
| 70 | Florida Memorial University | 23100 | 42000 | 0.4495 | 1,206 | 0 | 0.8526 | |
| 72 | Houghton University | 23200 | 44300 | 0.4763 | 1,162 | 1277 | 0.8866 | |
| 72 | Robert Morris University | 23200 | 58000 | 0.6011 | 4,325 | 1145 | 0.8989 | |
| 74 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 23600 | 24900 | 0.0522 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 75 | University of Kentucky | 23700 | 36400 | 0.348 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 76 | Dominican University | 24000 | 56000 | 0.5721 | 2,690 | 1005 | 0.9032 | |
| 77 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 77 | Stockton University | 24100 | 32100 | 0.2491 | 7,565 | 1135 | 0.8894 | |
| 79 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | 24200 | 36300 | 0.3337 | 5,444 | 1220 | 0.7064 | |
| 80 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 24400 | 30600 | 0.2026 | 10,200 | 1325 | 0.6507 | |
| 81 | Western Oregon University | 24600 | 24600 | 0 | 3,167 | 1040 | 0.981 | |
| 82 | Doane University | 25300 | 71000 | 0.644 | 1,315 | 1125 | 0.9801 | |
| 83 | Bethune-Cookman University | 25800 | 32700 | 0.2111 | 2,738 | 910 | 0.8824 | |
| 84 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 26000 | 28300 | 0.0806 | 3,375 | 1090 | 0.5876 | |
| 85 | Stony Brook University | 26100 | 33200 | 0.2129 | 18,263 | 1410 | 0.4904 | |
| 86 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 26200 | 28400 | 0.0802 | 14,504 | 1149 | 0.7637 | |
| 87 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 26400 | 36800 | 0.2828 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 87 | Columbia College | 26400 | 46900 | 0.4372 | 5,207 | 1145 | 0.4714 | |
| 87 | Southern University at New Orleans | 26400 | 42300 | 0.3757 | 2,179 | 950 | 0.789 | |
| 90 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 91 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 26700 | 41500 | 0.3564 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 92 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 93 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2788 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 94 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 95 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 95 | Rowan University | 27400 | 41300 | 0.3369 | 16,100 | 1219 | 0.7766 | |
| 95 | University of North Georgia | 27400 | 38600 | 0.2905 | 18,322 | 1100 | 0.6794 | |
| 98 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 27800 | 36700 | 0.2427 | 1,880 | 1185 | 0.9867 | |
| 98 | Syracuse University | 27800 | 83100 | 0.6653 | 15,957 | 1363 | 0.4592 | |
| 100 | Fairmont State University | 27900 | 32200 | 0.1336 | 3,088 | 970 | 0.9862 | |
| 101 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 102 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28500 | 32300 | 0.1176 | 11,160 | 1069 | 0.5967 | |
| 103 | Elmhurst University | 28600 | 67000 | 0.5734 | 3,213 | 1148 | 0.7364 | |
| 104 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 105 | Clemson University | 29100 | 37100 | 0.2176 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 106 | University of Toledo | 29300 | 32600 | 0.1006 | 11,013 | 1229 | 0.9202 | |
| 107 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 29600 | 31600 | 0.0633 | 6,835 | 1090 | 0.7147 | |
| 108 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 29800 | 39700 | 0.2495 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 109 | Grambling State University | 30100 | 35300 | 0.1474 | 4,313 | 950 | 0.4486 | |
| 109 | Mercy University | 30100 | 44500 | 0.3237 | 6,774 | 1135 | 0.8584 | |
| 111 | Oklahoma Baptist University | 30400 | 54700 | 0.4443 | 1,427 | 1025 | 0.4941 | |
| 112 | Central College | 30500 | 36800 | 0.1713 | 1,084 | 1145 | 0.8617 | |
| 112 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30500 | 54600 | 0.4411 | 3,163 | 1165 | 0.9347 | |
| 114 | Lincoln University | 30600 | 34500 | 0.1129 | 1,926 | 0 | 0 | |
| 115 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 30800 | 36900 | 0.166 | 5,552 | 1305 | 0.7255 | |
| 116 | University of North Florida | 31300 | 33000 | 0.0516 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 117 | Hampton University | 31400 | 54800 | 0.427 | 3,728 | 947 | 0.6225 | |
| 118 | Saint Michael's College | 31700 | 68500 | 0.5375 | 1,120 | 1240 | 0.8451 | |
| 119 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3896 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 120 | Washington Adventist University | 32200 | 37800 | 0.1483 | 513 | 995 | 0.4618 | |
| 121 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5891 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 122 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 122 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 32900 | 45100 | 0.2705 | 10,767 | 1326 | 0.7243 | |
| 124 | State University of New York at Oswego | 33000 | 40200 | 0.1792 | 5,517 | 1180 | 0.8055 | |
| 125 | Tarleton State University | 33300 | 33300 | 0 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 126 | Immaculata University | 33600 | 47900 | 0.2987 | 1,652 | 1245 | 0.8576 | |
| 127 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 128 | LeTourneau University | 33900 | 54800 | 0.3817 | 3,187 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 129 | Salisbury University | 34000 | 41700 | 0.1845 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 129 | Thomas Jefferson University | 34000 | 68100 | 0.501 | 3,772 | 1255 | 0.8097 | |
| 131 | SUNY at Fredonia | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1391 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 132 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2948 | 3,126 | 1060 | 0.9646 | |
| 133 | Coastal Carolina University | 34700 | 45100 | 0.2304 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 134 | University of South Florida | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 135 | Adelphi University | 35100 | 63300 | 0.4465 | 5,325 | 1237 | 0.6591 | |
| 135 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 137 | Christopher Newport University | 35300 | 36200 | 0.0249 | 4,369 | 1189 | 0.8604 | |
| 138 | Averett University | 35400 | 57200 | 0.3813 | 1,244 | 1054 | 0.5659 | |
| 139 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | 36400 | 41600 | 0.1268 | 5,386 | 1050 | 0.9092 | |
| 140 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 36600 | 39900 | 0.0823 | 5,086 | 1124 | 0.949 | |
| 141 | Furman University | 36700 | 82900 | 0.5571 | 2,383 | 1359 | 0.4295 | |
| 141 | Loyola University Maryland | 36700 | 78800 | 0.5343 | 3,881 | 1303 | 0.7549 | |
| 141 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 36700 | 38900 | 0.0586 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 144 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 145 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 146 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 147 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38400 | 53100 | 0.2767 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 148 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 149 | University of South Alabama | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 150 | Wayne State University | 40400 | 46200 | 0.1256 | 16,012 | 1174 | 0.8116 | |
| 151 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 152 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 41500 | 55200 | 0.2481 | 25,900 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 153 | University of Mount Olive | 42100 | 50400 | 0.1643 | 1,944 | 1075 | 0.7575 | |
| 154 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4477 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 154 | Radford University | 43500 | 45700 | 0.0499 | 6,161 | 1070 | 0.8953 | |
| 156 | Towson University | 45500 | 46400 | 0.0194 | 16,264 | 1098 | 0.8197 | |
| 157 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 67900 | 0.2945 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 158 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 159 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 160 | Mercer University | 48900 | 63700 | 0.2324 | 4,690 | 1273 | 0.6889 | |
| 161 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 49800 | 62200 | 0.1995 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 162 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 50800 | 84700 | 0.4003 | 34,454 | 1435 | 0.1564 | |
| 163 | University of Utah | 51400 | 53700 | 0.0425 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 164 | Dallas Baptist University | 56400 | 63400 | 0.1104 | 2,785 | 1109 | 0.8884 | |
| 165 | Molloy University | 59800 | 62300 | 0.0402 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 166 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60400 | 64100 | 0.0577 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 167 | Thiel College | 60500 | 69100 | 0.1244 | 833 | 1065 | 0.7155 | |
| 168 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 169 | Fordham University | 69600 | 95100 | 0.268 | 10,582 | 1406 | 0.5931 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.