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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 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8200 | 90000 | 0.9093 | 4,535 | 1542 | 0.0455 | |
| 3 | Emory University | 8300 | 92500 | 0.9102 | 7,407 | 1499 | 0.1065 | |
| 4 | University of Pennsylvania | 9200 | 92900 | 0.9009 | 11,478 | 1536 | 0.054 | |
| 5 | Bucknell University | 9600 | 91800 | 0.8959 | 3,920 | 1396 | 0.2893 | |
| 6 | Utah State University | 9700 | 26700 | 0.6361 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 7 | Rice University | 9800 | 89100 | 0.8903 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 8 | University of Notre Dame | 10700 | 86200 | 0.8763 | 8,880 | 1500 | 0.1127 | |
| 9 | Georgetown University | 11200 | 92700 | 0.8792 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 10 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 11 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 31200 | 0.6315 | 6,952 | 995 | 0.9075 | |
| 11 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 11500 | 29100 | 0.6053 | 40,684 | 1331 | 0.3915 | |
| 13 | Felician University | 11800 | 58700 | 0.7991 | 1,870 | 1020 | 0.9401 | |
| 14 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 14 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 12000 | 38800 | 0.6912 | 17,885 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 16 | Wake Forest University | 12100 | 91900 | 0.8679 | 5,490 | 1469 | 0.2167 | |
| 17 | Saginaw Valley State University | 12800 | 28600 | 0.5517 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 18 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 19 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 13500 | 19400 | 0.304 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 19 | Trinity University | 13500 | 69600 | 0.8064 | 2,518 | 1423 | 0.2592 | |
| 21 | University of California-Merced | 14000 | 41900 | 0.666 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 22 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 23 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 23 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5048 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 25 | Troy University | 15400 | 26700 | 0.4231 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 15600 | 31000 | 0.4964 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 27 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15800 | 38500 | 0.5888 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 28 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 16000 | 38700 | 0.5863 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 29 | University of Florida | 16300 | 22500 | 0.2755 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 29 | University of Southern Maine | 16300 | 23000 | 0.291 | 5,525 | 1144 | 0.7923 | |
| 31 | Arkansas State University | 16500 | 28100 | 0.413 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 32 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 16700 | 34300 | 0.5133 | 5,472 | 1333 | 0.906 | |
| 33 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 16800 | 44500 | 0.6221 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 34 | Mid-America Christian University | 17200 | 36800 | 0.533 | 1,806 | 970 | 0.9176 | |
| 34 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17200 | 43500 | 0.6041 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 36 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17600 | 26600 | 0.3387 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 37 | Boston College | 17800 | 97600 | 0.8174 | 10,314 | 1490 | 0.1643 | |
| 38 | Bridgewater State University | 18000 | 25400 | 0.2909 | 8,270 | 1180 | 0.8781 | |
| 39 | University of St Francis | 18200 | 57200 | 0.6816 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 40 | Holy Family University | 18800 | 56200 | 0.666 | 2,643 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 41 | Quincy University | 18900 | 57900 | 0.6733 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 42 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 42 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 19600 | 41400 | 0.5262 | 502 | 1189 | 0.9641 | |
| 44 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6438 | 937 | 1059 | 0.7819 | |
| 44 | Lasell University | 19700 | 48500 | 0.5934 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 44 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 19700 | 30400 | 0.3516 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 44 | University of Northern Iowa | 19700 | 24000 | 0.1782 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 48 | Farmingdale State College | 19800 | 22500 | 0.1203 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 49 | Iowa State University | 19900 | 24200 | 0.1786 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 49 | Ouachita Baptist University | 19900 | 58200 | 0.6583 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 51 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 52 | University of Rochester | 20100 | 93100 | 0.7843 | 6,580 | 1462 | 0.4008 | |
| 52 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 20100 | 45200 | 0.5559 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 54 | Eastern Illinois University | 20400 | 28100 | 0.2731 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 54 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20400 | 23200 | 0.1207 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 56 | Stetson University | 20700 | 79100 | 0.7387 | 2,349 | 1179 | 0.716 | |
| 56 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 20700 | 39200 | 0.4722 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 58 | University of Maryland-College Park | 20900 | 27300 | 0.2346 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 59 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 21500 | 36400 | 0.4088 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 59 | Piedmont University | 21500 | 47200 | 0.5445 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 61 | La Roche University | 21900 | 72600 | 0.6986 | 1,828 | 1059 | 0.7576 | |
| 62 | Sterling College | 22100 | 53900 | 0.5901 | 670 | 1070 | 0.4817 | |
| 63 | Newman University | 22200 | 54000 | 0.5893 | 2,529 | 1069 | 0.7398 | |
| 63 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22200 | 30100 | 0.2629 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 65 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,472 | 1075 | 0.8459 | |
| 65 | New York University | 22400 | 91800 | 0.7556 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 67 | The University of Alabama | 22600 | 31000 | 0.2708 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 68 | Faulkner University | 23100 | 40600 | 0.4315 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 68 | Hamline University | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5907 | 1,806 | 1163 | 0.8763 | |
| 70 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23400 | 45800 | 0.4895 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 71 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 71 | University of South Dakota | 23700 | 26000 | 0.0876 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 73 | Saint Norbert College | 23800 | 63800 | 0.6267 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 73 | Wittenberg University | 23800 | 65400 | 0.636 | 1,227 | 1178 | 0.7235 | |
| 75 | Texas Wesleyan University | 24000 | 64500 | 0.6278 | 1,796 | 1060 | 0.6916 | |
| 76 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 77 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 24200 | 41300 | 0.4141 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 77 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 77 | University of Kansas | 24200 | 37600 | 0.3581 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 80 | Augustana College | 24700 | 72800 | 0.6601 | 2,522 | 1163 | 0.6268 | |
| 80 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 82 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 83 | Walla Walla University | 25600 | 51700 | 0.5046 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 84 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 85 | The University of Findlay | 26100 | 50600 | 0.4838 | 4,062 | 1124 | 0.8337 | |
| 86 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 87 | University of Arkansas | 26600 | 28900 | 0.079 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 88 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 88 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 26800 | 48100 | 0.4432 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 90 | University of Central Arkansas | 27000 | 31200 | 0.137 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 91 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 27200 | 37700 | 0.2788 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 92 | Cornell College | 27400 | 74800 | 0.6335 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 93 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 27800 | 31100 | 0.1056 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 94 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 95 | Roosevelt University | 28500 | 47600 | 0.4017 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 96 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2152 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 96 | University of Iowa | 28800 | 31100 | 0.0733 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 98 | Southern Methodist University | 29000 | 90100 | 0.6781 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 99 | Creighton University | 29200 | 68000 | 0.5709 | 4,377 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 99 | Ferrum College | 29200 | 49500 | 0.4098 | 724 | 990 | 0.8898 | |
| 99 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 37000 | 0.2106 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 102 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 103 | Southern Adventist University | 29700 | 46900 | 0.3665 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 103 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4089 | 722 | 1180 | 0.9425 | |
| 105 | Otterbein University | 30400 | 57300 | 0.4694 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 106 | Jacksonville University | 30800 | 74200 | 0.5847 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5694 | |
| 106 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 108 | Ohio Northern University | 30900 | 63500 | 0.5143 | 2,706 | 1269 | 0.744 | |
| 109 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 110 | McKendree University | 31900 | 52200 | 0.3896 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 111 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5891 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 112 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.5371 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 113 | Drake University | 32600 | 68500 | 0.524 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 114 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 115 | Auburn University | 33700 | 34100 | 0.0117 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 115 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 117 | LeTourneau University | 33900 | 54800 | 0.3817 | 3,187 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 117 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 119 | Washburn University | 34600 | 38400 | 0.0989 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 120 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 121 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 34800 | 61100 | 0.4305 | 624 | 1125 | 0.9664 | |
| 122 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,123 | 1189 | 0.8943 | |
| 123 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 124 | University of Montevallo | 35400 | 44900 | 0.2118 | 2,642 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 125 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 126 | Hardin-Simmons University | 35700 | 49700 | 0.2816 | 1,291 | 1110 | 0.9 | |
| 127 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 36500 | 47500 | 0.2317 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 128 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 129 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 130 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 131 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 132 | Cumberland University | 39200 | 47500 | 0.1745 | 2,745 | 1055 | 0.6733 | |
| 132 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.6152 | |
| 134 | Saint Vincent College | 39300 | 64600 | 0.3915 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 134 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 136 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 136 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39600 | 39800 | 0.005 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 138 | University of Wyoming | 40000 | 45300 | 0.1166 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 139 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 140 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 52100 | 0.2208 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 141 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 142 | Western Washington University | 41800 | 51500 | 0.1885 | 13,752 | 1272 | 0.9325 | |
| 143 | Seattle University | 42000 | 74600 | 0.4368 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 143 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 145 | Bryant University | 42300 | 75900 | 0.4425 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 145 | Old Dominion University | 42300 | 47700 | 0.1132 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 147 | Manhattan University | 43600 | 74100 | 0.4115 | 2,744 | 1274 | 0.7894 | |
| 148 | Illinois State University | 43800 | 49100 | 0.1076 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 149 | Duquesne University | 45200 | 70500 | 0.3586 | 5,371 | 1274 | 0.8356 | |
| 150 | University of California-San Diego | 45900 | 74200 | 0.3813 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 151 | Saint Louis University | 46000 | 80900 | 0.4312 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 152 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59700 | 0.2122 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 153 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48500 | 51200 | 0.0543 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 154 | Drexel University | 48600 | 83900 | 0.4208 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 155 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49500 | 85800 | 0.4229 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 156 | University of Portland | 50800 | 84800 | 0.401 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 157 | University of Utah | 51400 | 53700 | 0.0425 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 158 | George Mason University | 53500 | 61000 | 0.123 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 159 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 53900 | 59200 | 0.0892 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 160 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54300 | 66400 | 0.1823 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 161 | Elon University | 56300 | 68900 | 0.183 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 162 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60300 | 64100 | 0.0592 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 164 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 165 | University of California-Davis | 69800 | 69800 | 0 | 32,273 | 1290 | 0.4183 | |
| 166 | Stonehill College | 70600 | 70600 | 0 | 2,568 | 1150 | 0.6628 | |
| 167 | Loyola Marymount University | 74600 | 95500 | 0.2187 | 7,273 | 1353 | 0.4508 | |
| 168 | The Catholic University of America | 82500 | 82500 | 0 | 3,177 | 1140 | 0.8278 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.