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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 | 9400 | 92900 | 0.8988 | 11,478 | 1536 | 0.054 | |
| 5 | Bucknell University | 9600 | 91800 | 0.8959 | 3,920 | 1396 | 0.2893 | |
| 6 | Rice University | 9800 | 89100 | 0.8903 | 4,789 | 1535 | 0.08 | |
| 7 | University of Notre Dame | 10700 | 86200 | 0.8763 | 8,880 | 1500 | 0.1127 | |
| 8 | Georgetown University | 11400 | 92700 | 0.877 | 7,833 | 1457 | 0.1291 | |
| 8 | Indiana State University | 11400 | 25900 | 0.5607 | 6,224 | 1020 | 0.8077 | |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 11700 | 19400 | 0.3967 | 21,858 | 1283 | 0.6513 | |
| 11 | Eastern Washington University | 11800 | 28600 | 0.5879 | 6,952 | 995 | 0.9075 | |
| 11 | Felician University | 11800 | 58700 | 0.7991 | 1,870 | 1020 | 0.9401 | |
| 13 | University of Houston | 12000 | 28400 | 0.5781 | 39,257 | 1249 | 0.7392 | |
| 14 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 12200 | 25000 | 0.5113 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 14 | Wake Forest University | 12200 | 91900 | 0.8669 | 5,490 | 1469 | 0.2167 | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 17 | University of North Alabama | 13000 | 28200 | 0.5393 | 7,662 | 1140 | 0.8731 | |
| 18 | Trinity University | 13500 | 69600 | 0.8064 | 2,518 | 1423 | 0.2592 | |
| 19 | Utah State University | 13800 | 20800 | 0.3369 | 25,706 | 1176 | 0.9247 | |
| 20 | University of California-Merced | 14000 | 41900 | 0.666 | 8,372 | 1070 | 0.9053 | |
| 21 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 21 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5047 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 23 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 15900 | 38500 | 0.5862 | 37,140 | 1406 | 0.4237 | |
| 24 | University of Kansas | 16000 | 34900 | 0.5405 | 22,085 | 1176 | 0.9348 | |
| 24 | Weber State University | 16000 | 23600 | 0.3216 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 26 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 16700 | 34300 | 0.5133 | 5,472 | 1333 | 0.906 | |
| 27 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 16800 | 44500 | 0.6221 | 352 | 1180 | 0.9647 | |
| 28 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3559 | 19,701 | 1214 | 0.8749 | |
| 29 | Mid-America Christian University | 17200 | 36800 | 0.533 | 1,806 | 970 | 0.9176 | |
| 29 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17200 | 43500 | 0.6041 | 581 | 1132 | 0.9821 | |
| 31 | Boston College | 17900 | 97600 | 0.8164 | 10,314 | 1490 | 0.1643 | |
| 32 | University of St Francis | 18200 | 57200 | 0.6811 | 1,343 | 1145 | 0.6529 | |
| 33 | Holy Family University | 18800 | 56200 | 0.666 | 2,643 | 1030 | 0.7104 | |
| 34 | Quincy University | 18900 | 57900 | 0.6733 | 1,072 | 1115 | 0.5093 | |
| 35 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 19400 | 36900 | 0.4748 | 24,449 | 1256 | 0.7847 | |
| 36 | Lee University | 19600 | 37400 | 0.4762 | 3,271 | 1154 | 0.7052 | |
| 36 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 19600 | 41400 | 0.5262 | 502 | 1189 | 0.9641 | |
| 38 | Illinois College | 19700 | 55200 | 0.6423 | 937 | 1059 | 0.7819 | |
| 38 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 19700 | 30400 | 0.3516 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 40 | Ouachita Baptist University | 19900 | 58200 | 0.6583 | 1,729 | 1209 | 0.6752 | |
| 40 | University of Northern Iowa | 19900 | 24000 | 0.1728 | 7,711 | 1129 | 0.9274 | |
| 40 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 19900 | 78600 | 0.7467 | 17,885 | 1470 | 0.1681 | |
| 43 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 75900 | 0.7369 | 20,630 | 1492 | 0.0981 | |
| 44 | Lasell University | 20200 | 48500 | 0.5831 | 1,293 | 1095 | 0.8122 | |
| 44 | University of Rochester | 20200 | 93100 | 0.7833 | 6,580 | 1462 | 0.4008 | |
| 46 | Eastern Illinois University | 20500 | 28100 | 0.272 | 6,785 | 985 | 0.6535 | |
| 46 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20500 | 23200 | 0.1164 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 48 | University of Montevallo | 20600 | 30300 | 0.3202 | 2,642 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 49 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 20700 | 30600 | 0.326 | 44,819 | 1327 | 0.4987 | |
| 49 | Stetson University | 20700 | 79100 | 0.7387 | 2,349 | 1179 | 0.716 | |
| 49 | University of Wyoming | 20700 | 27900 | 0.2594 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 52 | Piedmont University | 21500 | 47200 | 0.5445 | 1,159 | 1130 | 0.9328 | |
| 53 | La Roche University | 21900 | 72600 | 0.6986 | 1,828 | 1059 | 0.7576 | |
| 54 | Grand Valley State University | 22100 | 35900 | 0.3849 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 54 | Sterling College | 22100 | 53900 | 0.5895 | 670 | 1070 | 0.4817 | |
| 56 | University of Illinois Chicago | 22200 | 30100 | 0.2629 | 22,495 | 1252 | 0.7735 | |
| 57 | Newman University | 22300 | 54000 | 0.5871 | 2,529 | 1069 | 0.7398 | |
| 58 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 22400 | 53000 | 0.5768 | 1,472 | 1075 | 0.8459 | |
| 59 | New York University | 22600 | 91800 | 0.7535 | 29,060 | 1520 | 0.0923 | |
| 60 | University of South Dakota | 22900 | 26000 | 0.1211 | 7,619 | 1120 | 0.9878 | |
| 61 | Faulkner University | 23100 | 40600 | 0.4315 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 61 | Hamline University | 23100 | 56500 | 0.5907 | 1,806 | 1163 | 0.8763 | |
| 63 | York College of Pennsylvania | 23500 | 45800 | 0.4873 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 64 | Saint Norbert College | 23800 | 63800 | 0.6267 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 65 | Wittenberg University | 23900 | 65400 | 0.6347 | 1,227 | 1178 | 0.7235 | |
| 66 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 67 | Saint Ambrose University | 24200 | 55400 | 0.5628 | 1,939 | 1085 | 0.7733 | |
| 67 | Texas Wesleyan University | 24200 | 64500 | 0.6247 | 1,796 | 1060 | 0.6916 | |
| 69 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 70 | Augustana College | 24800 | 72800 | 0.6588 | 2,522 | 1163 | 0.6268 | |
| 71 | Illinois State University | 25200 | 36400 | 0.3079 | 19,107 | 1120 | 0.8815 | |
| 72 | Ball State University | 25500 | 25500 | 0 | 15,189 | 1170 | 0.855 | |
| 73 | Walla Walla University | 25700 | 51700 | 0.5032 | 1,313 | 1113 | 0.5077 | |
| 74 | Salem State University | 26000 | 43200 | 0.3984 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 75 | The University of Findlay | 26100 | 50600 | 0.4838 | 4,062 | 1124 | 0.8337 | |
| 76 | Iowa State University | 26200 | 42800 | 0.3881 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 77 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 78 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 28900 | 0.0745 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 79 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 79 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 26800 | 48100 | 0.4432 | 2,371 | 1189 | 0.9806 | |
| 81 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 82 | University of Central Arkansas | 27100 | 31200 | 0.1329 | 8,268 | 1110 | 0.8949 | |
| 83 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 84 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6323 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 84 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27500 | 39800 | 0.3105 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 86 | Roosevelt University | 28600 | 47600 | 0.4005 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 87 | Bridgewater State University | 28900 | 35500 | 0.1845 | 8,270 | 1180 | 0.8781 | |
| 87 | University of Utah | 28900 | 32000 | 0.0984 | 28,064 | 1237 | 0.8598 | |
| 89 | University of Iowa | 29000 | 31100 | 0.0691 | 22,738 | 1208 | 0.8362 | |
| 90 | Southern Methodist University | 29100 | 90100 | 0.677 | 7,285 | 1423 | 0.6335 | |
| 91 | Creighton University | 29200 | 68000 | 0.5709 | 4,377 | 1328 | 0.7975 | |
| 92 | Ferrum College | 29300 | 49500 | 0.4072 | 724 | 990 | 0.8898 | |
| 92 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 94 | William Peace University | 29700 | 50200 | 0.4089 | 722 | 1180 | 0.9425 | |
| 95 | Southern Adventist University | 29800 | 46900 | 0.3637 | 2,929 | 1134 | 0.655 | |
| 96 | Otterbein University | 30400 | 57300 | 0.4694 | 2,211 | 1209 | 0.8453 | |
| 97 | Jacksonville University | 30800 | 74200 | 0.5847 | 2,946 | 1195 | 0.5694 | |
| 97 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 30800 | 77600 | 0.6029 | 5,044 | 1274 | 0.8883 | |
| 99 | Ohio Northern University | 31000 | 63500 | 0.5122 | 2,706 | 1269 | 0.744 | |
| 100 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 101 | McKendree University | 32000 | 52200 | 0.3872 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 102 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 32200 | 40900 | 0.2127 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 103 | Farmingdale State College | 32300 | 37800 | 0.1453 | 10,007 | 1145 | 0.6329 | |
| 104 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.536 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 105 | University of Scranton | 32500 | 78700 | 0.5874 | 3,613 | 1250 | 0.8123 | |
| 106 | Drake University | 32700 | 68500 | 0.5221 | 2,585 | 1259 | 0.6385 | |
| 107 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 108 | George Washington University | 33700 | 81800 | 0.5881 | 11,677 | 1430 | 0.4709 | |
| 109 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33900 | 36100 | 0.0609 | 33,033 | 1264 | 0.8529 | |
| 110 | LeTourneau University | 34000 | 54800 | 0.3798 | 3,187 | 1178 | 0.3801 | |
| 111 | Washburn University | 34600 | 38400 | 0.0989 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 112 | Southern New Hampshire University | 34700 | 44300 | 0.2166 | 164,423 | 965 | 0.9951 | |
| 113 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 34800 | 61100 | 0.4305 | 624 | 1125 | 0.9664 | |
| 114 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,123 | 1189 | 0.8943 | |
| 115 | California Lutheran University | 35100 | 70000 | 0.4988 | 2,297 | 1254 | 0.7567 | |
| 116 | New Jersey City University | 35600 | 39800 | 0.1056 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 117 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 36500 | 47500 | 0.2317 | 65,450 | 1203 | 0.8989 | |
| 117 | Florida International University | 36500 | 36800 | 0.0081 | 45,193 | 1175 | 0.5466 | |
| 119 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 36900 | 38100 | 0.0315 | 2,884 | 1175 | 0.9677 | |
| 119 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 121 | Hardin-Simmons University | 37200 | 49700 | 0.2514 | 1,291 | 1110 | 0.9 | |
| 122 | University of Connecticut | 37300 | 53600 | 0.3043 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 123 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 37400 | 66300 | 0.436 | 31,035 | 1366 | 0.5478 | |
| 124 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 37500 | 57100 | 0.3435 | 1,831 | 1108 | 0.9143 | |
| 124 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,525 | 1144 | 0.7923 | |
| 126 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 127 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 128 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.6152 | |
| 129 | Cumberland University | 39300 | 47500 | 0.1718 | 2,745 | 1055 | 0.6733 | |
| 129 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 131 | Saint Vincent College | 39400 | 64600 | 0.3895 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 132 | Rutgers University-Newark | 39600 | 57900 | 0.316 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 132 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39600 | 39800 | 0.005 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 134 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 135 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 136 | Pace University | 40700 | 74800 | 0.4558 | 8,038 | 1260 | 0.7592 | |
| 137 | Seattle University | 42000 | 75000 | 0.4397 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 137 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 137 | Western Washington University | 42000 | 51500 | 0.1846 | 13,752 | 1272 | 0.9325 | |
| 140 | Old Dominion University | 42300 | 47700 | 0.1132 | 17,746 | 1205 | 0.9036 | |
| 141 | Bryant University | 42500 | 75900 | 0.4398 | 3,200 | 1265 | 0.6546 | |
| 142 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42700 | 56200 | 0.2403 | 11,355 | 1222 | 0.8816 | |
| 143 | University of Maryland-College Park | 43000 | 53600 | 0.1979 | 31,133 | 1463 | 0.4479 | |
| 144 | University of Florida | 43200 | 45700 | 0.0548 | 36,573 | 1399 | 0.242 | |
| 145 | Manhattan University | 43600 | 74100 | 0.4115 | 2,744 | 1274 | 0.7894 | |
| 146 | Oregon State University | 44900 | 61900 | 0.2746 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 147 | Duquesne University | 45300 | 70500 | 0.3568 | 5,371 | 1274 | 0.8356 | |
| 148 | University of California-San Diego | 45900 | 76000 | 0.396 | 34,955 | 1375 | 0.2671 | |
| 149 | Saint Louis University | 46200 | 80900 | 0.4287 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 150 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47100 | 59700 | 0.2117 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 151 | Drexel University | 48800 | 83900 | 0.4184 | 13,309 | 1339 | 0.7944 | |
| 152 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 49700 | 85800 | 0.4206 | 4,236 | 1445 | 0.4758 | |
| 153 | University of Portland | 50800 | 84800 | 0.401 | 2,986 | 1277 | 0.8917 | |
| 154 | George Mason University | 53600 | 61000 | 0.1213 | 28,334 | 1268 | 0.8748 | |
| 155 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 54600 | 66400 | 0.1777 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 156 | The University of Alabama | 55800 | 55800 | 0 | 34,389 | 1284 | 0.7665 | |
| 157 | Elon University | 56400 | 68900 | 0.1815 | 6,452 | 1215 | 0.6635 | |
| 158 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58200 | 64100 | 0.092 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 159 | Auburn University | 58500 | 58500 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4592 | |
| 160 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60400 | 64100 | 0.0577 | 1,236 | 1193 | 0.9811 | |
| 161 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 162 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 61000 | 63200 | 0.0348 | 40,684 | 1331 | 0.3915 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 482 | 1195 | 0.9565 | |
| 163 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 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 | 71600 | 95500 | 0.2501 | 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.