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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 | University of California-Davis | 10100 | 37800 | 0.732 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 9 | Cornell University | 10300 | 92000 | 0.8877 | 16,128 | 1521 | 0.0841 | |
| 10 | Brigham Young University | 10900 | 29000 | 0.6237 | 32,221 | 1374 | 0.6919 | |
| 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 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 12200 | 26200 | 0.5342 | 21,947 | 1335 | 0.3122 | |
| 15 | Lehigh University | 12300 | 85700 | 0.857 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | 12300 | 29000 | 0.5744 | 11,349 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 17 | Northwestern University | 12600 | 87700 | 0.8563 | 8,846 | 1513 | 0.0722 | |
| 18 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12800 | 24400 | 0.4759 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Austin | 13100 | 30700 | 0.573 | 43,165 | 1335 | 0.2664 | |
| 19 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 13100 | 38500 | 0.6596 | 17,901 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 21 | Northeastern State University | 13300 | 20800 | 0.36 | 5,085 | 1035 | 0.9935 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 13300 | 13300 | 0 | 18,428 | 1090 | 0.9529 | |
| 23 | Florida Gulf Coast University | 13500 | 22500 | 0.4006 | 14,243 | 1125 | 0.7675 | |
| 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 | |
| 26 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 13700 | 32200 | 0.5744 | 39,083 | 1412 | 0.4517 | |
| 28 | Louisiana Tech University | 13800 | 24900 | 0.4451 | 11,071 | 1164 | 0.9073 | |
| 29 | University of North Florida | 13900 | 22400 | 0.3799 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 30 | Northern Arizona University | 14000 | 25400 | 0.4509 | 22,991 | 1145 | 0.8961 | |
| 30 | Texas Tech University | 14000 | 27000 | 0.4813 | 32,580 | 1200 | 0.7265 | |
| 32 | Kansas State University | 14100 | 26100 | 0.4588 | 15,650 | 1164 | 0.8199 | |
| 33 | Missouri Southern State University | 14200 | 20100 | 0.2942 | 3,881 | 1074 | 0.9706 | |
| 33 | University of Houston | 14200 | 23600 | 0.3988 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 33 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 14200 | 22900 | 0.381 | 6,270 | 1140 | 0.8726 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 14200 | 23300 | 0.3905 | 18,614 | 1125 | 0.778 | |
| 37 | University of California-Merced | 14300 | 40300 | 0.6446 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9152 | |
| 37 | University of Idaho | 14300 | 26400 | 0.458 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 39 | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | 14500 | 41100 | 0.6478 | 8,975 | 1045 | 0.9721 | |
| 40 | Case Western Reserve University | 14700 | 80400 | 0.8167 | 6,528 | 1485 | 0.3778 | |
| 40 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 14700 | 25700 | 0.4275 | 46,815 | 1339 | 0.6057 | |
| 42 | Stanford University | 14800 | 71300 | 0.792 | 7,904 | 1535 | 0.0361 | |
| 43 | Murray State University | 15000 | 27000 | 0.4463 | 8,281 | 1124 | 0.8568 | |
| 43 | University of California-Berkeley | 15000 | 43500 | 0.655 | 33,469 | 1407 | 0.1104 | |
| 45 | Central Michigan University | 15200 | 40600 | 0.6257 | 10,219 | 1095 | 0.8982 | |
| 46 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15400 | 28100 | 0.452 | 8,553 | 1054 | 0.8688 | |
| 47 | University of California-Riverside | 15500 | 36500 | 0.5749 | 22,599 | 1199 | 0.7685 | |
| 48 | Grand Valley State University | 16000 | 25300 | 0.368 | 19,002 | 1233 | 0.8302 | |
| 49 | Appalachian State University | 16100 | 19500 | 0.1742 | 19,560 | 1159 | 0.9014 | |
| 49 | Oakland University | 16100 | 28000 | 0.4256 | 12,587 | 1050 | 0.8784 | |
| 51 | University of California-Los Angeles | 16300 | 36700 | 0.5548 | 33,471 | 1399 | 0.0897 | |
| 51 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 16300 | 26800 | 0.392 | 4,478 | 1065 | 0.8132 | |
| 53 | Middle Tennessee State University | 16400 | 23200 | 0.2928 | 17,668 | 1124 | 0.68 | |
| 54 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 23000 | 0.2696 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 55 | Georgia Military College | 16900 | 31800 | 0.468 | 6,575 | 0 | 0 | |
| 55 | Weber State University | 16900 | 22100 | 0.2355 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 57 | Arkansas State University | 17000 | 28100 | 0.3952 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.7959 | |
| 58 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 17200 | 26300 | 0.3464 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 59 | Albany State University | 17400 | 29200 | 0.4043 | 6,018 | 865 | 0.9714 | |
| 59 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 17400 | 24700 | 0.2978 | 8,765 | 1209 | 0.8799 | |
| 61 | Alabama A & M University | 17600 | 35300 | 0.5007 | 5,845 | 940 | 0.6622 | |
| 62 | Morgan State University | 17900 | 19700 | 0.0915 | 9,027 | 965 | 0.8223 | |
| 62 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 17900 | 32100 | 0.443 | 3,856 | 1169 | 0.7518 | |
| 64 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 18300 | 56400 | 0.6761 | 1,215 | 980 | 0.7795 | |
| 65 | East Tennessee State University | 18600 | 26300 | 0.293 | 10,633 | 1124 | 0.8706 | |
| 66 | Eastern Michigan University | 18800 | 36100 | 0.4798 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 67 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 18900 | 18900 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.7816 | |
| 68 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 19000 | 27000 | 0.2967 | 7,505 | 1059 | 0.9633 | |
| 69 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 19100 | 31900 | 0.4013 | 2,737 | 1195 | 0.9281 | |
| 70 | Youngstown State University | 19300 | 29300 | 0.3409 | 8,436 | 1065 | 0.8066 | |
| 71 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 19600 | 27200 | 0.2797 | 31,112 | 1130 | 0.8129 | |
| 72 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 19800 | 31000 | 0.3619 | 60,710 | 1278 | 0.5732 | |
| 73 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1755 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 74 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 20100 | 38800 | 0.4817 | 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 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27100 | 0.2289 | 31,133 | 1456 | 0.448 | |
| 81 | Wayland Baptist University | 20900 | 37300 | 0.4401 | 2,087 | 925 | 0.5596 | |
| 83 | University of St Francis | 21200 | 56000 | 0.6211 | 1,338 | 1030 | 0.653 | |
| 84 | Rutgers University-Newark | 21500 | 38900 | 0.4474 | 7,417 | 1214 | 0.7873 | |
| 85 | Bradley University | 22200 | 48300 | 0.5396 | 3,596 | 1174 | 0.7675 | |
| 86 | Winona State University | 22300 | 29500 | 0.2455 | 5,277 | 1115 | 0.6848 | |
| 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 | Washington State University | 22900 | 36800 | 0.3783 | 14,346 | 1139 | 0.8797 | |
| 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 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 24100 | 37100 | 0.3508 | 23,920 | 1390 | 0.5973 | |
| 97 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 24200 | 39200 | 0.3828 | 28,674 | 980 | 0.9401 | |
| 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 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 24700 | 28500 | 0.1335 | 12,382 | 1242 | 0.8842 | |
| 101 | Elmhurst University | 24800 | 67000 | 0.6301 | 3,170 | 1148 | 0.7357 | |
| 101 | Tiffin University | 24800 | 48000 | 0.4838 | 2,666 | 990 | 0.7977 | |
| 103 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 25000 | 36600 | 0.3173 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 103 | Tuskegee University | 25000 | 42100 | 0.4066 | 2,400 | 1030 | 0.3143 | |
| 105 | New Jersey City University | 25100 | 39800 | 0.3697 | 4,209 | 1015 | 0.8918 | |
| 106 | Bellevue University | 25200 | 25700 | 0.0194 | 11,096 | 0 | 0.995 | |
| 107 | University of Kansas | 25600 | 37600 | 0.3189 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 108 | Binghamton University | 25700 | 32700 | 0.2159 | 14,669 | 1417 | 0.3861 | |
| 109 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 25800 | 36500 | 0.2928 | 14,783 | 1124 | 0.8096 | |
| 109 | Marquette University | 25800 | 65700 | 0.6069 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 109 | Missouri Western State University | 25800 | 39300 | 0.345 | 3,494 | 1015 | 0.9996 | |
| 112 | University of Evansville | 26200 | 64700 | 0.5954 | 1,742 | 1207 | 0.7813 | |
| 113 | Clayton State University | 26400 | 34900 | 0.2438 | 5,301 | 980 | 0.7056 | |
| 114 | Georgia Southern University | 26500 | 26700 | 0.0075 | 23,618 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 114 | University of Arizona | 26500 | 35200 | 0.247 | 45,025 | 1212 | 0.8614 | |
| 116 | University of Arkansas | 26800 | 30800 | 0.1302 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.7431 | |
| 117 | Kennesaw State University | 27000 | 27000 | 0 | 42,840 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 118 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 27300 | 29500 | 0.0748 | 6,124 | 1159 | 0.8747 | |
| 119 | Park University | 27500 | 30800 | 0.1072 | 6,238 | 1035 | 0.6904 | |
| 120 | Central Washington University | 27600 | 27800 | 0.0072 | 10,033 | 1060 | 0.9061 | |
| 120 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 27600 | 41900 | 0.3412 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 120 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | 27600 | 36700 | 0.2476 | 41,303 | 1338 | 0.7975 | |
| 120 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 27600 | 27600 | 0 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 120 | University of North Texas | 27600 | 37400 | 0.2622 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 125 | John Carroll University | 27700 | 72100 | 0.6159 | 2,339 | 1292 | 0.809 | |
| 126 | Mississippi State University | 28100 | 32300 | 0.13 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 127 | Marietta College | 28300 | 62200 | 0.5451 | 1,023 | 1075 | 0.7929 | |
| 128 | Clarkson University | 28700 | 78000 | 0.6322 | 2,296 | 1302 | 0.7736 | |
| 128 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 28700 | 78100 | 0.6326 | 14,267 | 1363 | 0.6693 | |
| 130 | Oregon State University | 28900 | 36700 | 0.2147 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 131 | Clemson University | 29100 | 37100 | 0.2156 | 23,401 | 1343 | 0.3834 | |
| 132 | University of Toledo | 29400 | 32600 | 0.0983 | 11,013 | 1159 | 0.9202 | |
| 133 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 29900 | 31100 | 0.0385 | 20,592 | 1435 | 0.1407 | |
| 134 | University of South Alabama | 30000 | 35000 | 0.1429 | 9,241 | 1140 | 0.7096 | |
| 135 | San Jose State University | 30300 | 41000 | 0.2608 | 28,008 | 0 | 0.8461 | |
| 136 | Gannon University | 30400 | 45300 | 0.329 | 2,768 | 1174 | 0.7416 | |
| 137 | Alfred University | 30600 | 67100 | 0.5442 | 1,474 | 1214 | 0.7384 | |
| 138 | Southeastern Louisiana University | 31100 | 43700 | 0.2884 | 13,206 | 1125 | 0.9387 | |
| 139 | Point University | 31200 | 43800 | 0.2877 | 2,617 | 975 | 0.6751 | |
| 140 | Portland State University | 31300 | 43000 | 0.2722 | 15,960 | 1176 | 0.9091 | |
| 140 | University of Rhode Island | 31300 | 46700 | 0.3298 | 14,376 | 1148 | 0.7216 | |
| 142 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 32300 | 34700 | 0.0691 | 30,564 | 1298 | 0.416 | |
| 143 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 32400 | 39900 | 0.1879 | 9,967 | 1080 | 0.9475 | |
| 144 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | 32600 | 38500 | 0.1533 | 7,890 | 1105 | 0.2056 | |
| 145 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4017 | 28,422 | 1335 | 0.4167 | |
| 146 | Belmont Abbey College | 33200 | 37700 | 0.1194 | 1,549 | 1075 | 0.9038 | |
| 147 | University of Indianapolis | 33300 | 59900 | 0.4441 | 3,603 | 1080 | 0.6648 | |
| 148 | Wilkes University | 33400 | 61900 | 0.4597 | 1,956 | 1153 | 0.9146 | |
| 149 | Adrian College | 33600 | 70200 | 0.5215 | 1,678 | 1060 | 0.6843 | |
| 149 | Anderson University | 33600 | 52400 | 0.3588 | 3,405 | 1209 | 0.5471 | |
| 151 | College of Charleston | 33700 | 33700 | 0 | 10,880 | 1255 | 0.6003 | |
| 152 | Charleston Southern University | 34200 | 48400 | 0.2932 | 2,914 | 1070 | 0.7609 | |
| 153 | Baylor University | 34600 | 70800 | 0.511 | 14,915 | 1277 | 0.5128 | |
| 154 | University of North Texas at Dallas | 34900 | 37600 | 0.0719 | 3,018 | 920 | 0.9386 | |
| 155 | University of Nevada-Reno | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 18,895 | 1134 | 0.7371 | |
| 156 | University of West Florida | 35600 | 44600 | 0.2019 | 9,661 | 1120 | 0.5687 | |
| 157 | Boise State University | 35800 | 48800 | 0.2664 | 24,030 | 1025 | 0.8721 | |
| 158 | University of Central Arkansas | 36200 | 38400 | 0.0575 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 159 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | 36400 | 38700 | 0.0595 | 1,217 | 1229 | 0.5405 | |
| 160 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 44,904 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 161 | University of Central Florida | 36700 | 39600 | 0.0733 | 59,649 | 1280 | 0.4471 | |
| 162 | East Carolina University | 37100 | 40100 | 0.0748 | 21,445 | 1120 | 0.8922 | |
| 162 | University of Michigan-Flint | 37100 | 39400 | 0.0584 | 5,011 | 1103 | 0.7047 | |
| 164 | University of Connecticut | 37600 | 41800 | 0.1005 | 19,388 | 1324 | 0.5395 | |
| 165 | Hofstra University | 38800 | 74600 | 0.4797 | 6,581 | 1323 | 0.6808 | |
| 166 | Wayne State University | 39300 | 45500 | 0.1362 | 16,173 | 1174 | 0.7786 | |
| 167 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 40300 | 56700 | 0.2893 | 40,754 | 1391 | 0.3915 | |
| 168 | Temple University | 40500 | 56100 | 0.278 | 21,428 | 1245 | 0.8045 | |
| 169 | York College of Pennsylvania | 41400 | 41400 | 0 | 3,308 | 1135 | 0.942 | |
| 170 | Quinnipiac University | 42200 | 79200 | 0.4671 | 6,248 | 1209 | 0.77 | |
| 170 | University of Alaska Anchorage | 42200 | 42200 | 0 | 9,965 | 1095 | 0.5958 | |
| 172 | Bryant University | 42400 | 73800 | 0.4255 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 173 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 42500 | 54900 | 0.2261 | 20,418 | 1375 | 0.5808 | |
| 174 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 43000 | 46200 | 0.0693 | 44,170 | 1327 | 0.4979 | |
| 175 | Florida Institute of Technology | 43400 | 68600 | 0.3675 | 3,677 | 1224 | 0.577 | |
| 176 | University of Florida | 43500 | 45600 | 0.046 | 36,567 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 177 | Texas Christian University | 43700 | 81900 | 0.4664 | 11,049 | 1283 | 0.4449 | |
| 178 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3575 | 5,371 | 1269 | 0.8356 | |
| 179 | University of San Diego | 46000 | 85500 | 0.4619 | 5,851 | 1298 | 0.5238 | |
| 180 | Michigan State University | 47200 | 56200 | 0.1601 | 41,234 | 1223 | 0.848 | |
| 180 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 47200 | 85700 | 0.449 | 5,743 | 1438 | 0.6343 | |
| 182 | University of Kentucky | 51000 | 56000 | 0.0893 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 183 | Drexel University | 51100 | 82600 | 0.3812 | 13,169 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 184 | University of Utah | 51500 | 53700 | 0.0411 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 185 | Rowan University | 53600 | 53600 | 0 | 16,199 | 1214 | 0.783 | |
| 186 | University of California-Irvine | 55000 | 64800 | 0.1512 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2878 | |
| 187 | Auburn University | 55400 | 55400 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 188 | Howard University | 58400 | 61600 | 0.052 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 189 | Michigan Technological University | 59100 | 59100 | 0 | 6,022 | 1256 | 0.8353 | |
| 190 | Elon University | 65900 | 67300 | 0.0208 | 6,452 | 1244 | 0.6635 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.