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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 | California Institute of Technology | 4300 | 90300 | 0.9522 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University | 4400 | 88600 | 0.9502 | 6,356 | 1543 | 0.0644 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4700 | 86800 | 0.9456 | 4,576 | 1535 | 0.0485 | |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 5000 | 39100 | 0.8731 | 34,454 | 1435 | 0.1564 | |
| 5 | University of Pennsylvania | 5700 | 93000 | 0.9389 | 10,013 | 1528 | 0.054 | |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 6500 | 94100 | 0.9312 | 9,157 | 1535 | 0.0386 | |
| 7 | Washington University in St Louis | 9200 | 96200 | 0.904 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 8 | Cornell University | 10300 | 92000 | 0.8877 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 9 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 10 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11100 | 27200 | 0.5927 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 11 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 11300 | 34400 | 0.6706 | 37,140 | 1442 | 0.4237 | |
| 12 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5884 | 6,951 | 1055 | 0.9437 | |
| 13 | Dalton State College | 12100 | 18900 | 0.3605 | 4,902 | 1020 | 0.4343 | |
| 14 | Lehigh University | 12300 | 85700 | 0.857 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | University of Central Florida | 12400 | 23600 | 0.4746 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 16 | University of West Florida | 12400 | 21500 | 0.4227 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 12400 | 27200 | 0.5443 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 19 | Northwestern University | 12600 | 87700 | 0.8563 | 8,846 | 1513 | 0.0722 | |
| 20 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13000 | 20300 | 0.3588 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 21 | The University of Texas at Austin | 13100 | 30700 | 0.573 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 22 | Northeastern State University | 13300 | 20800 | 0.36 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 22 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13300 | 13300 | 0 | 18,428 | 1090 | 0.9529 | |
| 24 | Carnegie Mellon University | 13600 | 87300 | 0.844 | 7,824 | 1528 | 0.1166 | |
| 24 | University of Delaware | 13600 | 32500 | 0.5829 | 19,119 | 1303 | 0.6356 | |
| 26 | University of South Florida | 13700 | 17100 | 0.1987 | 38,525 | 1239 | 0.4319 | |
| 27 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 27 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 13800 | 25000 | 0.4483 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 29 | Northern Arizona University | 14000 | 25400 | 0.4509 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 29 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 31 | Missouri Southern State University | 14200 | 20100 | 0.2942 | 3,881 | 1074 | 0.9706 | |
| 31 | University of Houston | 14200 | 23600 | 0.3988 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 31 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 27800 | 0.4903 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 31 | West Virginia University | 14200 | 23300 | 0.3905 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 35 | University of California-Merced | 14300 | 40300 | 0.6446 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 35 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 37 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 38 | Case Western Reserve University | 14700 | 80400 | 0.8167 | 6,528 | 1485 | 0.3778 | |
| 38 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 40 | Stanford University | 14800 | 71300 | 0.792 | 7,904 | 1535 | 0.0361 | |
| 41 | University of North Texas | 14900 | 25400 | 0.4141 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 42 | Clayton State University | 15000 | 21700 | 0.3083 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 43 | Florida International University | 15100 | 23700 | 0.3621 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 44 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 45 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 46 | University of California-Riverside | 15500 | 36500 | 0.5749 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 47 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 15700 | 23400 | 0.3295 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 48 | University of Florida | 15900 | 22300 | 0.2871 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 49 | Grand Valley State University | 16000 | 25300 | 0.368 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 50 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 51 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 16300 | 26800 | 0.392 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 52 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2696 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 53 | Georgia Military College | 16900 | 31800 | 0.468 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 54 | Central Washington University | 17100 | 22700 | 0.2464 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 55 | University of Kansas | 17200 | 34900 | 0.5077 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 56 | Albany State University | 17400 | 29200 | 0.4043 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.9714 | |
| 56 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 17400 | 24700 | 0.2976 | 8,765 | 1209 | 0.8799 | |
| 58 | University of Arkansas | 17800 | 27700 | 0.3574 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 58 | University of South Alabama | 17800 | 22400 | 0.2057 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 60 | Morgan State University | 17900 | 19700 | 0.0915 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 60 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 17900 | 32100 | 0.443 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 60 | University of Rhode Island | 17900 | 34400 | 0.4794 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 63 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 18300 | 56400 | 0.6761 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 63 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 18300 | 78300 | 0.7664 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 65 | Eastern Michigan University | 18700 | 36100 | 0.4826 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 66 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 18900 | 18900 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 67 | Kansas State University | 19000 | 31400 | 0.3953 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 67 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 19000 | 27000 | 0.2967 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 69 | San Jose State University | 19200 | 29900 | 0.3576 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 70 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 71 | University of Nevada-Reno | 19500 | 28200 | 0.3085 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 72 | Wayne State University | 19700 | 32300 | 0.3906 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 73 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 19800 | 26500 | 0.2531 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 74 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 36200 | 0.445 | 36,588 | 1367 | 0.6535 | |
| 74 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 43700 | 0.5405 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5499 | |
| 76 | Piedmont University | 20200 | 47200 | 0.572 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 77 | Grove City College | 20400 | 39700 | 0.4868 | 2,341 | 1256 | 0.7232 | |
| 78 | Western Michigan University | 20600 | 31200 | 0.3394 | 13,860 | 1104 | 0.846 | |
| 79 | University of Northern Iowa | 20800 | 24000 | 0.1334 | 7,716 | 1115 | 0.8713 | |
| 79 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3308 | 5,025 | 990 | 0.7496 | |
| 81 | Wayland Baptist University | 20900 | 37300 | 0.4401 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 82 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6211 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 83 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 84 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 85 | Winona State University | 22300 | 29500 | 0.2455 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 86 | Boise State University | 22400 | 41000 | 0.4534 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 87 | Lewis University | 22600 | 57000 | 0.6037 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7128 | |
| 88 | Colorado Christian University | 22700 | 63300 | 0.6412 | 6,730 | 1110 | 0.8328 | |
| 88 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 22700 | 29300 | 0.225 | 4,421 | 1099 | 0.8555 | |
| 88 | University of Memphis | 22700 | 30000 | 0.2437 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 91 | Murray State University | 22900 | 27600 | 0.1707 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 92 | Fort Valley State University | 23500 | 38900 | 0.3956 | 2,558 | 940 | 0.628 | |
| 92 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 23500 | 25700 | 0.0856 | 20,584 | 1134 | 0.9053 | |
| 92 | Syracuse University | 23500 | 83100 | 0.7172 | 15,958 | 1363 | 0.4611 | |
| 95 | Illinois Institute of Technology | 23900 | 71600 | 0.6664 | 3,135 | 1299 | 0.5493 | |
| 96 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 97 | University of Central Arkansas | 24300 | 29500 | 0.1763 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 98 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 24400 | 26600 | 0.0828 | 3,413 | 1085 | 0.5295 | |
| 99 | Calvin University | 24600 | 53000 | 0.536 | 3,356 | 1214 | 0.7091 | |
| 100 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 100 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 102 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 102 | Tuskegee University | 25000 | 42100 | 0.4066 | 2,400 | 1030 | 0.3143 | |
| 104 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 105 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 106 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 107 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 107 | Marquette University | 25800 | 65700 | 0.6069 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 107 | Missouri Western State University | 25800 | 39300 | 0.345 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 110 | Iowa State University | 26100 | 42800 | 0.3894 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 111 | University of Evansville | 26200 | 64700 | 0.5954 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 112 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 112 | University of Arizona | 26500 | 35200 | 0.247 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 114 | Oakland University | 26800 | 39800 | 0.3268 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 115 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 116 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0748 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 117 | Rowan University | 27400 | 40500 | 0.3234 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 118 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 119 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 27600 | 41900 | 0.3412 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 120 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 120 | Weber State University | 27700 | 33300 | 0.1682 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 122 | Alabama A & M University | 28100 | 42800 | 0.3433 | 5,845 | 940 | 0.6622 | |
| 123 | Marietta College | 28300 | 62200 | 0.5451 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 124 | Clarkson University | 28700 | 78000 | 0.6322 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 124 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 126 | University of Toledo | 29400 | 32600 | 0.0983 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 127 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 29900 | 31100 | 0.0385 | 20,592 | 1435 | 0.1407 | |
| 128 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 129 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 30500 | 41800 | 0.2705 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 130 | Alfred University | 30600 | 67100 | 0.5442 | 1,474 | 1214 | 0.7384 | |
| 130 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 30600 | 31100 | 0.0161 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 132 | East Tennessee State University | 30700 | 30700 | 0 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 133 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 30900 | 42400 | 0.2713 | 21,947 | 1335 | 0.3122 | |
| 134 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 31100 | 43700 | 0.2884 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 135 | Point University | 31300 | 43800 | 0.2854 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 135 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2722 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 137 | University of North Florida | 31800 | 37900 | 0.161 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 138 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32600 | 38500 | 0.1533 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 139 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4017 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 140 | Belmont Abbey College | 33300 | 37700 | 0.1168 | 1,549 | 1075 | 0.9038 | |
| 140 | University of Indianapolis | 33300 | 59900 | 0.4441 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 142 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 143 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5215 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 143 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 145 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 146 | Auburn University | 34400 | 34400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 147 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 148 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 35700 | 42400 | 0.158 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 149 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2815 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 150 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 36400 | 38700 | 0.0595 | 1,217 | 1229 | 0.5405 | |
| 151 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 151 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 153 | University of Connecticut | 37600 | 41800 | 0.1005 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 154 | Washington State University | 38500 | 53900 | 0.2859 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 155 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 155 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38800 | 52900 | 0.2664 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 157 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 39600 | 53700 | 0.2627 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 158 | University of California-Los Angeles | 40400 | 68600 | 0.4116 | 33,471 | 1399 | 0.0897 | |
| 159 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 160 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 161 | Arkansas State University | 41900 | 45700 | 0.0834 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 162 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 162 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 162 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 165 | Bryant University | 42400 | 73800 | 0.4255 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 166 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 42500 | 54900 | 0.2261 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 167 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42700 | 52900 | 0.1928 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 168 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0693 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 169 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68600 | 0.3675 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 170 | Texas Christian University | 43700 | 81900 | 0.4664 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 171 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2748 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 172 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 45300 | 45300 | 0 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 172 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3575 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 174 | Middle Tennessee State University | 45800 | 45800 | 0 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 175 | University of San Diego | 46000 | 85500 | 0.4619 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 176 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 176 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 47200 | 85700 | 0.449 | 5,743 | 1438 | 0.6343 | |
| 178 | College of Charleston | 49600 | 59000 | 0.1594 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 179 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 180 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 181 | University of Utah | 51500 | 53700 | 0.0411 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 182 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 52400 | 56100 | 0.0661 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 183 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 53200 | 61000 | 0.1279 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 184 | Howard University | 53500 | 61600 | 0.1315 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 185 | University of California-Irvine | 55000 | 64800 | 0.1512 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 186 | Michigan Technological University | 59100 | 59100 | 0 | 6,022 | 1256 | 0.8353 | |
| 187 | Clemson University | 61400 | 63700 | 0.0346 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 188 | University of California-Davis | 63500 | 63500 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 189 | Elon University | 65900 | 67300 | 0.0208 | 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.