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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 | Stephen F Austin State University | 10000 | 27800 | 0.6392 | 9,905 | 1055 | 0.8339 | |
| 2 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,199 | 1005 | 0.7769 | |
| 3 | California State University-Fresno | 11400 | 19600 | 0.4221 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 4 | California State University-Sacramento | 11700 | 30700 | 0.6186 | 28,619 | 1015 | 0.9357 | |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 11900 | 25700 | 0.5363 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13200 | 19400 | 0.3197 | 14,865 | 1175 | 0.9113 | |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 63200 | 0.7838 | 39,193 | 1418 | 0.4081 | |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 10 | Central Michigan University | 14500 | 37800 | 0.6157 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 10 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14500 | 26500 | 0.4515 | 23,003 | 1164 | 0.7367 | |
| 12 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 15000 | 22400 | 0.3299 | 4,056 | 1090 | 0.4151 | |
| 13 | Western Michigan University | 15300 | 26500 | 0.423 | 13,714 | 1089 | 0.9121 | |
| 14 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 15 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 16300 | 28200 | 0.4215 | 7,425 | 1074 | 0.9147 | |
| 15 | University of Florida | 16300 | 22500 | 0.2755 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 17 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5431 | 10,034 | 1055 | 0.7772 | |
| 17 | Ferris State University | 16500 | 31000 | 0.4685 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 17 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16500 | 28000 | 0.4111 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 20 | Western Carolina University | 16900 | 19400 | 0.1289 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 21 | Sam Houston State University | 17000 | 27000 | 0.3705 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 22 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 23 | University of Memphis | 17500 | 26400 | 0.3378 | 15,538 | 1080 | 0.7878 | |
| 24 | Morgan State University | 17600 | 28500 | 0.3823 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 25 | University of Central Oklahoma | 19100 | 22700 | 0.1586 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 26 | Carson-Newman University | 19300 | 51900 | 0.6283 | 1,912 | 1075 | 0.6381 | |
| 27 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19700 | 79300 | 0.7523 | 2,704 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 27 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1786 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 29 | Bay Path University | 20100 | 55400 | 0.637 | 1,178 | 1110 | 0.8514 | |
| 29 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20100 | 39900 | 0.4965 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 29 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45200 | 0.5559 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 32 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.19 | 10,883 | 1115 | 0.9618 | |
| 33 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.326 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 34 | North Dakota State University | 20800 | 25700 | 0.1902 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 35 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21000 | 48900 | 0.5702 | 5,274 | 1103 | 0.9513 | |
| 36 | Florida State University | 22400 | 32400 | 0.3091 | 34,271 | 1369 | 0.2383 | |
| 37 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 38 | San Jose State University | 22900 | 41100 | 0.4429 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 39 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23000 | 29000 | 0.2067 | 7,753 | 1140 | 0.9245 | |
| 40 | Brenau University | 23200 | 51700 | 0.5509 | 1,336 | 1105 | 0.9317 | |
| 41 | Abilene Christian University | 23500 | 59000 | 0.6013 | 5,101 | 1149 | 0.6615 | |
| 41 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 43 | Judson University | 24100 | 49100 | 0.5087 | 697 | 1010 | 0.8905 | |
| 44 | University of Central Missouri | 24300 | 35800 | 0.3225 | 10,397 | 1055 | 0.7439 | |
| 45 | Columbia College Chicago | 24400 | 63200 | 0.6143 | 4,346 | 0 | 0.738 | |
| 45 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 24400 | 30600 | 0.2026 | 9,827 | 1329 | 0.6737 | |
| 45 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 48 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 49 | Seattle Pacific University | 25700 | 70000 | 0.6328 | 1,657 | 1174 | 0.9301 | |
| 50 | Southeast Missouri State University | 25800 | 28600 | 0.0974 | 7,926 | 1070 | 0.6897 | |
| 51 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3914 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 52 | Northern Arizona University | 26300 | 43200 | 0.3921 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 53 | University of the Incarnate Word | 26900 | 61400 | 0.5621 | 4,651 | 1010 | 0.9947 | |
| 54 | California State University-Northridge | 27000 | 36500 | 0.2597 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 55 | George Fox University | 27500 | 69400 | 0.6041 | 3,530 | 1168 | 0.9282 | |
| 56 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27700 | 30000 | 0.0763 | 6,227 | 1184 | 0.9171 | |
| 57 | Mississippi Christian University | 27800 | 45100 | 0.3836 | 2,583 | 1222 | 0.8416 | |
| 58 | Texas State University | 27900 | 28000 | 0.0036 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 59 | Winthrop University | 28300 | 38600 | 0.2665 | 4,289 | 1130 | 0.8281 | |
| 60 | University of North Texas | 28400 | 37400 | 0.2405 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 61 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2153 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 62 | Pittsburg State University | 29100 | 36200 | 0.1959 | 4,561 | 1055 | 0.5487 | |
| 63 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 885 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 64 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29500 | 66500 | 0.5565 | 545 | 1176 | 0.6135 | |
| 65 | Salem College | 30200 | 55300 | 0.4538 | 464 | 1080 | 0.789 | |
| 66 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30600 | 78100 | 0.608 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 67 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 68 | California State University-Long Beach | 30900 | 38900 | 0.2058 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 68 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30900 | 33200 | 0.069 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 68 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3123 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 71 | Kent State University at Kent | 31200 | 37500 | 0.1678 | 21,144 | 1104 | 0.7603 | |
| 72 | Kean University | 31300 | 39500 | 0.2077 | 11,932 | 1040 | 0.7811 | |
| 73 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 32100 | 36700 | 0.1252 | 42,565 | 1339 | 0.7887 | |
| 74 | Lawrence Technological University | 32200 | 71900 | 0.552 | 2,661 | 1149 | 0.8101 | |
| 75 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5372 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 75 | Marymount University | 32400 | 72600 | 0.5538 | 2,503 | 1095 | 0.9316 | |
| 77 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 78 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,247 | 1209 | 0.8228 | |
| 79 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 80 | Baylor University | 33400 | 70300 | 0.5247 | 14,183 | 1302 | 0.5222 | |
| 81 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5227 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 81 | Harding University | 33500 | 47800 | 0.299 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 83 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 83 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 83 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 86 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,212 | 1239 | 0.7506 | |
| 86 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 34,447 | 1273 | 0.8804 | |
| 88 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 89 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 38900 | 0.0848 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 90 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 35900 | 47500 | 0.2444 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 91 | Converse University | 36000 | 37600 | 0.0425 | 1,182 | 1129 | 0.6787 | |
| 92 | East Carolina University | 36900 | 42700 | 0.1356 | 21,693 | 1065 | 0.9003 | |
| 93 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,732 | 1108 | 0.9117 | |
| 94 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38000 | 68200 | 0.4426 | 1,210 | 1244 | 0.805 | |
| 94 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0569 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 96 | Washington State University | 38100 | 53900 | 0.2932 | 21,400 | 1131 | 0.861 | |
| 97 | California Baptist University | 39900 | 65600 | 0.3917 | 8,707 | 1024 | 0.8139 | |
| 98 | Appalachian State University | 40200 | 40600 | 0.0099 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 99 | University of New Haven | 41000 | 67300 | 0.3906 | 4,969 | 1219 | 0.5589 | |
| 100 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 43300 | 75900 | 0.4298 | 7,880 | 0 | 0.6701 | |
| 101 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1078 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 102 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 43900 | 67900 | 0.3534 | 4,182 | 1317 | 0.8783 | |
| 103 | Marist University | 44100 | 110500 | 0.6009 | 5,644 | 1279 | 0.5599 | |
| 104 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 105 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,718 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 106 | High Point University | 45300 | 72900 | 0.3785 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 107 | Drexel University | 47700 | 83900 | 0.4315 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 108 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 109 | University of Kentucky | 49000 | 58000 | 0.1552 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 110 | Michigan State University | 49200 | 56200 | 0.1245 | 41,415 | 1212 | 0.8324 | |
| 111 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 50500 | 58800 | 0.1411 | 25,054 | 1225 | 0.7762 | |
| 112 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 52300 | 52800 | 0.0095 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 113 | Moore College of Art and Design | 53500 | 81500 | 0.3437 | 535 | 1292 | 0.5646 | |
| 114 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57600 | 83800 | 0.3127 | 3,734 | 1249 | 0.8638 | |
| 115 | Mercyhurst University | 66000 | 68000 | 0.0294 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 116 | The New School | 68100 | 90100 | 0.2442 | 7,171 | 1268 | 0.5718 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.