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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 California-Los Angeles | 0 | 68600 | 1 | 33,471 | 1399 | 0.0897 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 5200 | 86800 | 0.9398 | 4,576 | 1535 | 0.0485 | |
| 3 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 6700 | 39100 | 0.8296 | 34,454 | 1435 | 0.1564 | |
| 4 | California Institute of Technology | 7600 | 90300 | 0.9157 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 8900 | 94100 | 0.9057 | 9,157 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania | 9000 | 93000 | 0.9034 | 10,013 | 1528 | 0.054 | |
| 7 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 9400 | 30100 | 0.6872 | 1,217 | 1229 | 0.5405 | |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | 9600 | 88600 | 0.8915 | 6,356 | 1543 | 0.0644 | |
| 8 | Washington University in St Louis | 9600 | 96200 | 0.9006 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 10 | University of California-Davis | 10100 | 37800 | 0.732 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 11 | Cornell University | 10700 | 92000 | 0.8834 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 12 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11100 | 27200 | 0.5927 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 13 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 30900 | 0.6273 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 14 | Dalton State College | 12200 | 18900 | 0.3552 | 4,902 | 1020 | 0 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 12500 | 29000 | 0.5679 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 12900 | 27100 | 0.5232 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 17 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 13000 | 24400 | 0.4677 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 18 | Northeastern State University | 13200 | 20800 | 0.3648 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 19 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 20 | University of Delaware | 13700 | 32500 | 0.578 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 20 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 32200 | 0.5744 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 22 | Fort Valley State University | 13800 | 20300 | 0.3208 | 2,558 | 940 | 0.628 | |
| 22 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 22 | University of North Florida | 13800 | 22400 | 0.3844 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 25 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 26 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 14100 | 25000 | 0.4355 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 27 | Missouri Southern State University | 14200 | 20100 | 0.2942 | 3,881 | 1074 | 0.9706 | |
| 27 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 29 | Kansas State University | 14300 | 26100 | 0.4526 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 29 | University of Houston | 14300 | 23600 | 0.3946 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 29 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 32 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14400 | 41100 | 0.6502 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 33 | Carnegie Mellon University | 14700 | 87300 | 0.8314 | 7,824 | 1528 | 0.1166 | |
| 33 | University of California-Merced | 14700 | 40300 | 0.6347 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 35 | Stanford University | 14800 | 71300 | 0.792 | 7,904 | 1535 | 0.0361 | |
| 36 | Case Western Reserve University | 14900 | 80400 | 0.8142 | 6,528 | 1485 | 0.3778 | |
| 37 | University of North Texas | 15000 | 25400 | 0.4101 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 38 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 39 | Murray State University | 15300 | 27000 | 0.4345 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 39 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15300 | 28100 | 0.4555 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 41 | Grand Valley State University | 16200 | 25300 | 0.3601 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 41 | University of Arizona | 16200 | 30900 | 0.4765 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 43 | Georgia Military College | 16900 | 31800 | 0.468 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 43 | Sam Houston State University | 16900 | 23000 | 0.2652 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 45 | Winona State University | 17000 | 23000 | 0.2598 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 46 | Central Washington University | 17100 | 22700 | 0.2464 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 46 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17100 | 26300 | 0.3502 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 48 | Albany State University | 17200 | 29200 | 0.4112 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.9714 | |
| 49 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 17300 | 24700 | 0.2987 | 8,765 | 1209 | 0.8799 | |
| 50 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 17700 | 17700 | 0 | 18,428 | 1090 | 0.9529 | |
| 51 | Morgan State University | 17800 | 19700 | 0.0966 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 51 | University of Rhode Island | 17800 | 34400 | 0.4823 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 53 | Georgia Southern University | 17900 | 23800 | 0.2483 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 53 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 17900 | 32100 | 0.443 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 55 | Northern Arizona University | 18000 | 32000 | 0.4372 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 56 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 18300 | 56400 | 0.6761 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 57 | East Tennessee State University | 18600 | 26300 | 0.293 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 58 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.4792 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 59 | Brigham Young University | 19100 | 29000 | 0.3411 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 60 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 19300 | 31900 | 0.395 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 60 | San Jose State University | 19300 | 29900 | 0.3542 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 60 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 63 | University of Nevada-Reno | 19600 | 28200 | 0.305 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 64 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 19700 | 26500 | 0.2569 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 65 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 20000 | 31000 | 0.3548 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 66 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4812 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 66 | The University of Texas at Austin | 20100 | 26900 | 0.2527 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 66 | University of Northern Iowa | 20100 | 24000 | 0.1618 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 69 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 70 | Iowa State University | 20300 | 24200 | 0.1626 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 71 | Western Michigan University | 20500 | 31200 | 0.3426 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 72 | West Virginia University | 20700 | 28800 | 0.2815 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 73 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2289 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 74 | Western Illinois University | 21100 | 31000 | 0.3205 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 75 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6212 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 76 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 77 | Wayland Baptist University | 21700 | 37300 | 0.4186 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 78 | University of California-Irvine | 22100 | 35300 | 0.3744 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 79 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 79 | Missouri Western State University | 22200 | 28800 | 0.229 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 79 | Northwestern University | 22200 | 87700 | 0.7469 | 8,846 | 1513 | 0.0722 | |
| 82 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 82 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 22700 | 29300 | 0.225 | 4,421 | 1099 | 0.8555 | |
| 82 | University of Memphis | 22700 | 30000 | 0.2437 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 85 | Lewis University | 22900 | 57000 | 0.5984 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 86 | Grove City College | 23100 | 37200 | 0.3791 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 87 | Illinois Institute of Technology | 23900 | 71600 | 0.6664 | 3,135 | 1299 | 0.5493 | |
| 88 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 24000 | 26400 | 0.0902 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 89 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 37100 | 0.3508 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 90 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 91 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 91 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24800 | 26600 | 0.0708 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 91 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 94 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 94 | Binghamton University | 25000 | 32000 | 0.2206 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 96 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 97 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.321 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 98 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 25700 | 27600 | 0.0689 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 99 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 99 | Michigan State University | 25800 | 28900 | 0.1089 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 101 | Tuskegee University | 26100 | 42100 | 0.3805 | 2,400 | 1030 | 0.3143 | |
| 101 | University of Evansville | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5966 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 103 | Clayton State University | 26400 | 34900 | 0.2438 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 104 | Marietta College | 26700 | 62300 | 0.5721 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 104 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 30800 | 0.1328 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 106 | Alfred University | 26800 | 60300 | 0.5551 | 1,474 | 1214 | 0.7384 | |
| 106 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 108 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 26900 | 28800 | 0.0654 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 109 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 110 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 27400 | 40300 | 0.32 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 111 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 27600 | 27600 | 0 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 112 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 112 | Park University | 27700 | 30800 | 0.1007 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 112 | Rowan University | 27700 | 40500 | 0.316 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 112 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 116 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 27900 | 78300 | 0.6438 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 116 | York College of Pennsylvania | 27900 | 41400 | 0.3262 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 118 | Alabama A & M University | 28000 | 42800 | 0.3456 | 5,845 | 940 | 0.6622 | |
| 119 | Lehigh University | 28300 | 85700 | 0.6702 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 120 | Mississippi State University | 28500 | 32300 | 0.1201 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 121 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 28900 | 39700 | 0.2722 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 122 | Clarkson University | 29200 | 78000 | 0.6258 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 123 | Clemson University | 29400 | 37100 | 0.207 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 124 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 29500 | 36500 | 0.1919 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 125 | University of Toledo | 29700 | 32600 | 0.0885 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 126 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 29900 | 31100 | 0.0385 | 20,592 | 1435 | 0.1407 | |
| 126 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 29900 | 52900 | 0.435 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 128 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 129 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 129 | Syracuse University | 30400 | 83100 | 0.6342 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 131 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 30900 | 42400 | 0.2713 | 21,947 | 1335 | 0.3122 | |
| 131 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 30900 | 78100 | 0.6044 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 133 | University of Kentucky | 31000 | 36000 | 0.139 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 134 | New Jersey City University | 31100 | 39800 | 0.2188 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 134 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 31100 | 43700 | 0.2884 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 136 | Point University | 31200 | 43800 | 0.2877 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 137 | North Carolina State University | 31300 | 53000 | 0.4091 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 137 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2718 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 139 | Adrian College | 31900 | 67500 | 0.5272 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 140 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32500 | 38500 | 0.1559 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 141 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 37700 | 0.1194 | 1,549 | 1075 | 0.9038 | |
| 142 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 143 | Appalachian State University | 33500 | 35800 | 0.0642 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 144 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 144 | University of Indianapolis | 33600 | 59900 | 0.4388 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 146 | College of Charleston | 33700 | 33700 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 147 | Arkansas State University | 33800 | 41900 | 0.1932 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 148 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 148 | Charleston Southern University | 34600 | 48400 | 0.2866 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 150 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 34700 | 42200 | 0.1776 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 150 | University of South Florida | 34700 | 34700 | 0 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 152 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 153 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 35700 | 42400 | 0.158 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 154 | Boise State University | 35800 | 48800 | 0.2664 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 155 | Florida International University | 36200 | 36800 | 0.0163 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 156 | University of Central Arkansas | 36500 | 38400 | 0.0491 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 157 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 158 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 158 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 160 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 62000 | 0.3968 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 161 | Washington State University | 38800 | 53900 | 0.2799 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 162 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 39300 | 52900 | 0.2569 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 162 | Wayne State University | 39300 | 45500 | 0.1362 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 164 | Temple University | 40800 | 56100 | 0.2726 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 165 | Marquette University | 41400 | 75100 | 0.4489 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 166 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 41600 | 42500 | 0.0212 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 167 | Hofstra University | 41800 | 74600 | 0.4395 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 167 | University of Connecticut | 41800 | 41800 | 0 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 169 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 170 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 42500 | 52100 | 0.1843 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 171 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 42600 | 55100 | 0.227 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 172 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43300 | 46200 | 0.0624 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 173 | University of California-Riverside | 43500 | 66400 | 0.3448 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 174 | University of Florida | 43700 | 45600 | 0.0416 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 175 | Texas Christian University | 43800 | 81900 | 0.4652 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 176 | Florida Institute of Technology | 44500 | 66400 | 0.3298 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 177 | Oregon State University | 45000 | 61900 | 0.2733 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 178 | Duquesne University | 45600 | 70500 | 0.353 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 179 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 180 | Bryant University | 46400 | 73800 | 0.3713 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 181 | University of San Diego | 46600 | 85500 | 0.4549 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 182 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 48300 | 85700 | 0.4362 | 5,743 | 1438 | 0.6343 | |
| 183 | Drexel University | 51400 | 82600 | 0.3776 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 184 | University of Utah | 51800 | 53700 | 0.0351 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 185 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53600 | 61000 | 0.1226 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 186 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 187 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 188 | Michigan Technological University | 59100 | 59100 | 0 | 6,022 | 1256 | 0.8353 | |
| 189 | Elon University | 66100 | 67300 | 0.0178 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 | |
| 190 | University of California-Berkeley | 74600 | 75500 | 0.0119 | 33,469 | 1407 | 0.1104 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.