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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 | 10100 | 27800 | 0.6356 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 2 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 3 | California State University-Fresno | 11300 | 19600 | 0.4226 | 21,954 | 995 | 0.9526 | |
| 4 | Northern Arizona University | 11500 | 27900 | 0.5864 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 29200 | 0.5745 | 38,040 | 1418 | 0.452 | |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13200 | 19400 | 0.3197 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 9 | Central Michigan University | 14400 | 37800 | 0.6183 | 10,193 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 10 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 14600 | 26500 | 0.4513 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 11 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15400 | 25600 | 0.3977 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 13 | University of Central Oklahoma | 15500 | 28700 | 0.46 | 10,777 | 1075 | 0.7812 | |
| 14 | Ball State University | 15700 | 22400 | 0.2995 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 14 | University of Central Missouri | 15700 | 26600 | 0.4094 | 7,584 | 1055 | 0.638 | |
| 14 | Western Michigan University | 15700 | 31200 | 0.4963 | 13,027 | 1115 | 0.846 | |
| 17 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 17 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 19 | California State University-Long Beach | 16100 | 25800 | 0.3761 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 20 | California State University-Sacramento | 16200 | 27600 | 0.4134 | 28,820 | 1035 | 0.9399 | |
| 21 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | 16400 | 28200 | 0.4179 | 7,353 | 1085 | 0.9077 | |
| 22 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.5429 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 22 | The University of Texas at Austin | 16500 | 28000 | 0.4111 | 43,165 | 1356 | 0.2664 | |
| 24 | Western Carolina University | 16800 | 19400 | 0.1341 | 10,112 | 1130 | 0.8183 | |
| 25 | Ferris State University | 17000 | 31000 | 0.4523 | 8,991 | 1015 | 0.9139 | |
| 26 | Texas Tech University | 18300 | 27100 | 0.3253 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 27 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 18800 | 26300 | 0.2851 | 4,213 | 1124 | 0.8949 | |
| 28 | Carson-Newman University | 19500 | 51900 | 0.6245 | 1,596 | 1110 | 0.9045 | |
| 28 | Southeast Missouri State University | 19500 | 30600 | 0.3614 | 7,926 | 945 | 0.7352 | |
| 30 | Olivet Nazarene University | 19600 | 61600 | 0.6819 | 2,711 | 1104 | 0.5586 | |
| 31 | Bay Path University | 19700 | 55400 | 0.6442 | 1,177 | 1110 | 0.852 | |
| 31 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1782 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 33 | South Dakota State University | 20400 | 25200 | 0.1896 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 33 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20400 | 39900 | 0.489 | 5,255 | 1109 | 0.7295 | |
| 35 | East Carolina University | 20800 | 23800 | 0.1258 | 21,445 | 1160 | 0.8921 | |
| 36 | University of Memphis | 20900 | 29600 | 0.2942 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 37 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | 21500 | 48900 | 0.5599 | 5,692 | 1124 | 0.9508 | |
| 38 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 21700 | 25400 | 0.1468 | 6,136 | 1159 | 0.8767 | |
| 39 | Florida State University | 22500 | 32400 | 0.306 | 32,720 | 1360 | 0.2422 | |
| 40 | Brenau University | 22800 | 51700 | 0.5587 | 1,273 | 1060 | 0.8778 | |
| 41 | San Jose State University | 23000 | 41100 | 0.4405 | 28,008 | 1124 | 0.8461 | |
| 41 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 23000 | 29000 | 0.2067 | 7,490 | 1140 | 0.918 | |
| 43 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 44 | Judson University | 24100 | 49100 | 0.5086 | 718 | 1015 | 0.4759 | |
| 45 | Abilene Christian University | 24300 | 59000 | 0.5877 | 3,263 | 1189 | 0.6603 | |
| 45 | Columbia College Chicago | 24300 | 63200 | 0.6158 | 5,422 | 0 | 0.8946 | |
| 47 | Park University | 24400 | 31300 | 0.2208 | 4,657 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 48 | Seattle Pacific University | 25800 | 70000 | 0.6314 | 1,776 | 1180 | 0.834 | |
| 49 | Iowa State University | 26000 | 42800 | 0.3912 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 50 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 51 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 52 | California State University-Northridge | 27100 | 36500 | 0.2595 | 32,756 | 1005 | 0.9345 | |
| 53 | Kent State University at Kent | 27400 | 28400 | 0.0352 | 20,841 | 1105 | 0.8634 | |
| 54 | North Dakota State University | 27700 | 30400 | 0.0882 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 55 | Mississippi College | 27800 | 45100 | 0.3834 | 2,883 | 1110 | 0.2911 | |
| 56 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 56 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 58 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 59 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 60 | Pittsburg State University | 29100 | 36200 | 0.1959 | 4,472 | 1055 | 0.8942 | |
| 61 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 29400 | 71800 | 0.5907 | 884 | 1080 | 0.6766 | |
| 62 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 29500 | 66500 | 0.5565 | 545 | 1176 | 0.6135 | |
| 63 | Morgan State University | 29600 | 41900 | 0.2938 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 64 | Salem College | 30200 | 55300 | 0.4537 | 464 | 1080 | 0.7667 | |
| 65 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30300 | 78100 | 0.6118 | 14,267 | 1381 | 0.6693 | |
| 66 | San Francisco State University | 30800 | 47700 | 0.3544 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 67 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 30900 | 33200 | 0.0687 | 14,504 | 1149 | 0.7637 | |
| 67 | Oklahoma Christian University | 30900 | 45000 | 0.3121 | 2,098 | 1129 | 0.9654 | |
| 69 | Kean University | 31300 | 39500 | 0.2077 | 11,758 | 1040 | 0.759 | |
| 70 | Baylor University | 31900 | 70300 | 0.546 | 14,915 | 1321 | 0.5128 | |
| 71 | Lawrence Technological University | 32300 | 71900 | 0.5507 | 2,579 | 1159 | 0.559 | |
| 72 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 72 | Marymount University | 32400 | 72600 | 0.5538 | 2,503 | 1095 | 0.9316 | |
| 74 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 75 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 76 | Liberty University | 33200 | 44600 | 0.2556 | 52,961 | 1174 | 0.9898 | |
| 77 | California Baptist University | 33400 | 65600 | 0.4908 | 8,417 | 1070 | 0.8488 | |
| 78 | Adrian College | 33500 | 70200 | 0.5226 | 1,673 | 1045 | 0.7253 | |
| 78 | Harding University | 33500 | 47800 | 0.2987 | 3,536 | 1184 | 0.7052 | |
| 80 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 80 | University of Bridgeport | 33700 | 60500 | 0.4431 | 1,570 | 1000 | 0.8302 | |
| 80 | Winthrop University | 33700 | 52500 | 0.3583 | 3,969 | 1130 | 0.7925 | |
| 83 | Meredith College | 33900 | 64200 | 0.4721 | 1,206 | 1237 | 0.7418 | |
| 84 | College for Creative Studies | 35400 | 89800 | 0.6061 | 1,376 | 1100 | 0.9194 | |
| 85 | Converse University | 36000 | 37600 | 0.0425 | 1,173 | 1129 | 0.6774 | |
| 86 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 36500 | 47500 | 0.2317 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 87 | University of New Haven | 36800 | 67300 | 0.453 | 4,903 | 1164 | 0.6038 | |
| 88 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 89 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 89 | Cornish College of the Arts | 37500 | 80200 | 0.5325 | 505 | 0 | 0.6221 | |
| 91 | University of Central Arkansas | 38000 | 40200 | 0.0567 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 92 | Queens University of Charlotte | 38100 | 68200 | 0.4411 | 1,225 | 1208 | 0.6208 | |
| 93 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 39900 | 39900 | 0 | 7,924 | 0 | 0.6024 | |
| 94 | Washington State University | 40600 | 56300 | 0.28 | 21,455 | 1125 | 0.8664 | |
| 95 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40700 | 53600 | 0.2408 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 96 | Middle Tennessee State University | 41400 | 46000 | 0.0999 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 97 | University of Florida | 43100 | 45700 | 0.057 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 98 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1076 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 98 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 87400 | 0.4991 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 98 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43800 | 57100 | 0.2328 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 101 | New England Institute of Technology | 44600 | 68200 | 0.3458 | 1,796 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 102 | High Point University | 45400 | 72900 | 0.3771 | 5,135 | 1263 | 0.7531 | |
| 103 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1279 | 0.848 | |
| 104 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 47900 | 67900 | 0.2945 | 3,965 | 1229 | 0.9121 | |
| 105 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 106 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0543 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 107 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 108 | University of Kentucky | 49000 | 58000 | 0.1555 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 109 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 51600 | 52800 | 0.0227 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 110 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1291 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 111 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 53300 | 53300 | 0 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 112 | Moore College of Art and Design | 53500 | 81500 | 0.3437 | 535 | 1292 | 0.5646 | |
| 113 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54300 | 66400 | 0.1823 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 114 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 115 | Pratt Institute-Main | 57200 | 83800 | 0.3175 | 3,967 | 1272 | 0.7325 | |
| 116 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 117 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 118 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 63700 | 63700 | 0 | 10,200 | 1325 | 0.6507 | |
| 119 | The New School | 68100 | 90100 | 0.2442 | 6,591 | 1268 | 0.6347 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.