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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 | Old Dominion University | 0 | 32400 | 1 | 17,504 | 1205 | 0.9135 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 3600 | 93300 | 0.9613 | 4,561 | 1542 | 0.0456 | |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | 4600 | 93100 | 0.951 | 9,989 | 1535 | 0.0492 | |
| 4 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | 7600 | 35300 | 0.7857 | 5,753 | 1195 | 0.864 | |
| 5 | University of Notre Dame | 7800 | 89100 | 0.9123 | 8,950 | 1497 | 0.0938 | |
| 6 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22200 | 0.6405 | 34,354 | 1374 | 0.6862 | |
| 7 | Emory University | 8300 | 96200 | 0.9135 | 7,320 | 1499 | 0.103 | |
| 8 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 9400 | 41400 | 0.7736 | 3,224 | 1085 | 0.7643 | |
| 9 | Rice University | 9700 | 92500 | 0.8954 | 4,807 | 1528 | 0.0801 | |
| 10 | Indiana State University | 10100 | 25900 | 0.611 | 6,352 | 1015 | 0.9157 | |
| 11 | University of California-Davis | 10200 | 38600 | 0.7362 | 31,695 | 1290 | 0.4435 | |
| 11 | University of California-Merced | 10200 | 40600 | 0.7491 | 8,234 | 1070 | 0.9704 | |
| 13 | University of Rochester | 10600 | 96300 | 0.8903 | 6,096 | 1448 | 0.4191 | |
| 14 | University of St Francis | 10700 | 83800 | 0.8721 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 11100 | 28100 | 0.6048 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 16 | Georgetown University | 11200 | 92700 | 0.8792 | 7,908 | 1470 | 0.1349 | |
| 17 | Eastern Washington University | 11500 | 30700 | 0.6262 | 7,640 | 1045 | 0.8526 | |
| 18 | University of California-San Diego | 11600 | 41600 | 0.7216 | 35,442 | 1375 | 0.2856 | |
| 19 | Eastern Illinois University | 11900 | 24300 | 0.5125 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 20 | Wake Forest University | 12200 | 93800 | 0.8696 | 5,595 | 1463 | 0.2076 | |
| 21 | Northern Illinois University | 13300 | 32100 | 0.5856 | 12,118 | 1070 | 0.7164 | |
| 21 | University of Houston | 13300 | 21800 | 0.3898 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 23 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 24 | Trinity University | 13500 | 67000 | 0.7982 | 2,423 | 1408 | 0.2488 | |
| 25 | Utah State University | 13800 | 20800 | 0.3369 | 26,629 | 1168 | 0.9212 | |
| 26 | Salem State University | 14200 | 38300 | 0.6288 | 4,867 | 1075 | 0.9588 | |
| 27 | Arkansas Tech University | 14500 | 31400 | 0.5374 | 8,279 | 1055 | 0.9747 | |
| 27 | Bridgewater State University | 14500 | 37300 | 0.612 | 8,849 | 1143 | 0.8798 | |
| 27 | Bucknell University | 14500 | 95700 | 0.8489 | 3,928 | 1275 | 0.322 | |
| 30 | University of North Alabama | 14600 | 37300 | 0.6087 | 8,078 | 1124 | 0.7054 | |
| 31 | Troy University | 14700 | 34700 | 0.5764 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 32 | Mid-America Christian University | 15100 | 36800 | 0.5902 | 1,806 | 970 | 0.9176 | |
| 32 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny | 15100 | 44000 | 0.6571 | 308 | 1144 | 0.9053 | |
| 34 | University of Kansas | 15600 | 34900 | 0.5524 | 22,544 | 1176 | 0.9258 | |
| 35 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 15900 | 90700 | 0.8247 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 16100 | 22300 | 0.2778 | 26,213 | 1209 | 0.7778 | |
| 36 | William Carey University | 16100 | 34700 | 0.5366 | 3,052 | 1120 | 0.6029 | |
| 38 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16300 | 23400 | 0.3038 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8727 | |
| 39 | Boston College | 16900 | 97700 | 0.8273 | 9,677 | 1484 | 0.1422 | |
| 39 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | 16900 | 26300 | 0.3565 | 19,787 | 1197 | 0.8807 | |
| 41 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 17000 | 36400 | 0.5323 | 2,710 | 1218 | 0.9374 | |
| 41 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 17000 | 36500 | 0.5346 | 7,747 | 1073 | 0.9617 | |
| 43 | Weber State University | 17100 | 20300 | 0.1579 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 44 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 17200 | 19400 | 0.1133 | 23,007 | 1281 | 0.6909 | |
| 45 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 46 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 17800 | 44000 | 0.5951 | 586 | 1140 | 0.9577 | |
| 47 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 45800 | 0.6097 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 48 | Alma College | 18000 | 64700 | 0.7217 | 1,198 | 1040 | 0.6569 | |
| 49 | Quincy University | 18100 | 80600 | 0.7749 | 1,096 | 1115 | 0.551 | |
| 50 | Holy Family University | 18300 | 56900 | 0.6785 | 2,808 | 975 | 0.7456 | |
| 51 | La Roche University | 18500 | 87300 | 0.7883 | 1,972 | 990 | 0.6638 | |
| 52 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton | 18700 | 45300 | 0.5869 | 504 | 1200 | 0.9095 | |
| 53 | Wheaton College | 19000 | 68000 | 0.7209 | 2,181 | 1357 | 0.8491 | |
| 54 | Norwich University | 19100 | 100600 | 0.8104 | 2,626 | 1186 | 0.7444 | |
| 54 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 19100 | 32900 | 0.42 | 653 | 1145 | 0.7972 | |
| 56 | Ouachita Baptist University | 19300 | 65400 | 0.7047 | 1,715 | 1193 | 0.7072 | |
| 57 | Illinois College | 19500 | 55200 | 0.6471 | 1,008 | 1059 | 0.7494 | |
| 58 | Rutgers University-Newark | 19600 | 39200 | 0.5005 | 7,989 | 1159 | 0.7136 | |
| 59 | Piedmont University | 19800 | 47400 | 0.5826 | 1,154 | 1080 | 0.9054 | |
| 60 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 19900 | 45100 | 0.559 | 31,536 | 1366 | 0.5457 | |
| 61 | University of Southern California | 20000 | 76400 | 0.7387 | 20,768 | 1499 | 0.1119 | |
| 62 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 20300 | 35200 | 0.4229 | 8,513 | 1160 | 0.9261 | |
| 63 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 64 | Saint Leo University | 20600 | 50000 | 0.5878 | 7,519 | 1110 | 0.7877 | |
| 65 | University of Montevallo | 21000 | 61300 | 0.6569 | 2,643 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 66 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 21200 | 51900 | 0.5921 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 66 | University of Northern Iowa | 21200 | 24800 | 0.144 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 68 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 21300 | 41300 | 0.4843 | 3,211 | 1243 | 0.9594 | |
| 69 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | 21600 | 49600 | 0.5641 | 4,047 | 1219 | 0.976 | |
| 70 | Grand Canyon University | 21700 | 34000 | 0.3613 | 75,936 | 1075 | 0.7891 | |
| 70 | Stetson University | 21700 | 81100 | 0.7327 | 2,414 | 1089 | 0.7167 | |
| 72 | Grand Valley State University | 21900 | 36200 | 0.3949 | 19,154 | 1074 | 0.9271 | |
| 72 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | 21900 | 80400 | 0.7273 | 17,848 | 1470 | 0.1565 | |
| 74 | Sterling College | 22200 | 77400 | 0.7139 | 649 | 1103 | 0.8759 | |
| 75 | Faulkner University | 22500 | 60900 | 0.631 | 1,758 | 1025 | 0.7307 | |
| 75 | Newman University | 22500 | 55800 | 0.5964 | 2,529 | 1069 | 0.7398 | |
| 75 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 78 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 23100 | 36100 | 0.3598 | 34,447 | 1273 | 0.8804 | |
| 79 | Florida International University | 23700 | 23700 | 0 | 46,249 | 1180 | 0.6085 | |
| 80 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 24000 | 47900 | 0.4985 | 2,280 | 1224 | 0.9675 | |
| 81 | University of Dayton | 24100 | 64400 | 0.6255 | 7,252 | 1319 | 0.6659 | |
| 82 | University of South Dakota | 24300 | 26900 | 0.0955 | 7,515 | 1120 | 0.9884 | |
| 83 | Augustana College | 24500 | 72800 | 0.6628 | 2,536 | 1157 | 0.6628 | |
| 84 | Lenoir-Rhyne University | 24900 | 62800 | 0.6039 | 1,495 | 1075 | 0.8761 | |
| 84 | The University of Findlay | 24900 | 50600 | 0.5075 | 4,132 | 1090 | 0.6748 | |
| 86 | Texas Wesleyan University | 25200 | 64700 | 0.6101 | 1,796 | 1060 | 0.6916 | |
| 87 | Saint Norbert College | 25300 | 63000 | 0.598 | 1,970 | 1193 | 0.8574 | |
| 88 | Ball State University | 25400 | 25400 | 0 | 15,950 | 1185 | 0.8625 | |
| 89 | Walla Walla University | 25500 | 51700 | 0.5077 | 1,314 | 1159 | 0.604 | |
| 90 | Northwood University | 25800 | 54500 | 0.5271 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 90 | Otterbein University | 25800 | 79200 | 0.6746 | 2,292 | 1126 | 0.8388 | |
| 92 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 2,082 | 1124 | 0.9576 | |
| 93 | New Jersey City University | 26600 | 39800 | 0.332 | 3,871 | 1015 | 0.9838 | |
| 94 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 44700 | 0.4019 | 29,252 | 1179 | 0.7388 | |
| 94 | University of Central Arkansas | 26700 | 31200 | 0.1461 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 96 | St. Francis College | 26900 | 39400 | 0.3177 | 1,719 | 1035 | 1 | |
| 97 | Saginaw Valley State University | 27100 | 39800 | 0.3209 | 6,280 | 1050 | 0.7843 | |
| 97 | Saint Ambrose University | 27100 | 57700 | 0.5306 | 1,884 | 1065 | 0.8006 | |
| 97 | William Peace University | 27100 | 50200 | 0.461 | 778 | 1150 | 0.8633 | |
| 100 | Cornell College | 27200 | 74800 | 0.6361 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 101 | Creighton University | 27700 | 67900 | 0.5918 | 4,833 | 1328 | 0.9216 | |
| 102 | Roosevelt University | 28400 | 47600 | 0.4043 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 103 | Iowa State University | 28700 | 45200 | 0.3663 | 26,346 | 1212 | 0.8793 | |
| 104 | Oregon State University | 28800 | 36700 | 0.2171 | 31,253 | 1272 | 0.773 | |
| 105 | Jacksonville University | 29000 | 102400 | 0.7167 | 2,916 | 1210 | 0.5748 | |
| 105 | New York University | 29000 | 92100 | 0.6851 | 29,471 | 1520 | 0.0906 | |
| 107 | University of Connecticut | 29200 | 55500 | 0.4737 | 20,056 | 1329 | 0.5239 | |
| 108 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | 29300 | 112100 | 0.7385 | 4,999 | 1258 | 0.9296 | |
| 109 | Southern Methodist University | 29400 | 96900 | 0.6963 | 7,545 | 1427 | 0.4764 | |
| 109 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29400 | 34200 | 0.1402 | 31,845 | 1298 | 0.5651 | |
| 111 | University of Iowa | 29500 | 32100 | 0.0799 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 112 | California Lutheran University | 29600 | 71700 | 0.5874 | 2,160 | 1218 | 0.7631 | |
| 113 | University of Toledo | 30400 | 42000 | 0.2756 | 10,726 | 1134 | 0.8889 | |
| 114 | George Mason University | 30700 | 35700 | 0.1399 | 28,862 | 1271 | 0.8647 | |
| 114 | Southern Adventist University | 30700 | 49000 | 0.3746 | 2,946 | 1142 | 0.7163 | |
| 116 | Ohio Northern University | 31200 | 63500 | 0.5093 | 2,706 | 1203 | 0.7384 | |
| 117 | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 31900 | 78800 | 0.5952 | 1,732 | 1108 | 0.9117 | |
| 118 | Elon University | 32000 | 69900 | 0.5426 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 118 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 32000 | 54400 | 0.4117 | 35,248 | 1289 | 0.6939 | |
| 120 | Belmont Abbey College | 32300 | 39000 | 0.1716 | 1,300 | 1094 | 0.7465 | |
| 120 | McKendree University | 32300 | 52900 | 0.39 | 1,757 | 1098 | 0.7172 | |
| 120 | University of Scranton | 32300 | 78700 | 0.5902 | 3,689 | 1245 | 0.8006 | |
| 123 | Rider University | 32500 | 60200 | 0.4601 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 124 | University of Illinois Chicago | 32700 | 51300 | 0.3625 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 125 | Belmont University | 33200 | 72300 | 0.5412 | 7,174 | 1273 | 0.9367 | |
| 126 | Ferrum College | 33400 | 49500 | 0.3246 | 726 | 990 | 0.8898 | |
| 127 | Hamline University | 33600 | 70100 | 0.5205 | 1,852 | 1175 | 0.9013 | |
| 128 | Pace University | 33800 | 75700 | 0.5538 | 5,520 | 1273 | 0.7827 | |
| 129 | Drake University | 33900 | 68500 | 0.5057 | 2,504 | 1226 | 0.6494 | |
| 130 | DePaul University | 34100 | 69400 | 0.5083 | 14,338 | 1258 | 0.878 | |
| 131 | Lee University | 34200 | 39100 | 0.1253 | 3,425 | 1154 | 0.7138 | |
| 132 | George Washington University | 34300 | 81800 | 0.5808 | 11,495 | 1436 | 0.4713 | |
| 133 | Washburn University | 34500 | 38400 | 0.1015 | 5,427 | 1048 | 1 | |
| 134 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 34700 | 46400 | 0.2519 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 135 | Valparaiso University | 34900 | 62700 | 0.4428 | 2,056 | 1183 | 0.8994 | |
| 136 | Auburn University | 35000 | 35000 | 0 | 27,907 | 1324 | 0.4593 | |
| 137 | New York Institute of Technology | 35100 | 83600 | 0.5799 | 3,646 | 1298 | 0.8102 | |
| 138 | Curry College | 35400 | 105900 | 0.6655 | 1,808 | 1140 | 0.8765 | |
| 139 | Farmingdale State College | 36300 | 37800 | 0.0396 | 10,062 | 1125 | 0.6166 | |
| 140 | Hardin-Simmons University | 37200 | 49700 | 0.2514 | 1,291 | 1110 | 0.862 | |
| 141 | University of Southern Maine | 37500 | 37500 | 0 | 5,549 | 1139 | 0.8241 | |
| 142 | Xavier University | 37600 | 68100 | 0.4481 | 3,744 | 1286 | 0.848 | |
| 143 | University of St Thomas | 38000 | 74800 | 0.492 | 6,270 | 1299 | 0.8548 | |
| 144 | Cumberland University | 38900 | 47500 | 0.1805 | 2,745 | 1055 | 0.6733 | |
| 145 | Saint Vincent College | 39000 | 64600 | 0.3959 | 1,157 | 1140 | 0.7863 | |
| 146 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.5975 | |
| 147 | Saint Anselm College | 39500 | 77000 | 0.4871 | 2,094 | 1195 | 0.7805 | |
| 148 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 39600 | 43200 | 0.0833 | 6,647 | 1153 | 0.9008 | |
| 149 | Drexel University | 39700 | 86400 | 0.5408 | 12,318 | 1354 | 0.699 | |
| 149 | University of Wyoming | 39700 | 45300 | 0.1229 | 8,138 | 1163 | 0.9695 | |
| 151 | Susquehanna University | 41800 | 85600 | 0.5116 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 152 | Bryant University | 42300 | 78500 | 0.4612 | 3,511 | 1255 | 0.6484 | |
| 153 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 42400 | 63300 | 0.3303 | 10,900 | 1222 | 0.8914 | |
| 154 | Seattle University | 42500 | 85300 | 0.5016 | 4,370 | 1299 | 0.7313 | |
| 155 | Saint Louis University | 42700 | 84300 | 0.4932 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 156 | University of Florida | 42800 | 45700 | 0.0635 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 157 | University of Maryland-College Park | 42900 | 58500 | 0.2665 | 31,875 | 1456 | 0.4503 | |
| 158 | Arkansas State University | 43000 | 44600 | 0.0358 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 159 | Illinois State University | 43500 | 49100 | 0.1134 | 19,513 | 1115 | 0.8555 | |
| 160 | Western Washington University | 43700 | 52400 | 0.1661 | 13,609 | 1199 | 0.9371 | |
| 161 | LeTourneau University | 44600 | 57300 | 0.2215 | 2,903 | 1242 | 0.4879 | |
| 162 | Duquesne University | 44900 | 70500 | 0.3626 | 5,382 | 1252 | 0.8639 | |
| 163 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 47500 | 61500 | 0.2286 | 37,985 | 1390 | 0.5815 | |
| 164 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 48200 | 51200 | 0.0598 | 43,633 | 1342 | 0.4343 | |
| 165 | Stevens Institute of Technology | 48500 | 86200 | 0.4375 | 4,206 | 1430 | 0.5068 | |
| 166 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 49300 | 67600 | 0.2708 | 40,996 | 1399 | 0.4175 | |
| 167 | University of Utah | 51100 | 53700 | 0.0478 | 29,335 | 1222 | 0.9015 | |
| 168 | Manhattan University | 51200 | 72900 | 0.2975 | 2,378 | 1174 | 0.8216 | |
| 169 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 51900 | 67500 | 0.2312 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 170 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 58000 | 0.0741 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 171 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 54900 | 68800 | 0.2022 | 38,572 | 1455 | 0.3659 | |
| 172 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 58300 | 63600 | 0.0834 | 42,604 | 1336 | 0.6056 | |
| 173 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 | |
| 173 | University of Missouri-Columbia | 59100 | 61600 | 0.0416 | 25,141 | 1256 | 0.7613 | |
| 175 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | 60800 | 63600 | 0.044 | 1,078 | 1217 | 0.9646 | |
| 176 | Mercyhurst University | 61100 | 68000 | 0.1014 | 2,214 | 1203 | 0.775 | |
| 177 | Loyola Marymount University | 63600 | 100200 | 0.3653 | 7,187 | 1347 | 0.4821 | |
| 178 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | 63900 | 63900 | 0 | 475 | 1195 | 0.9418 | |
| 179 | Stonehill College | 68300 | 76100 | 0.1025 | 2,569 | 1150 | 0.6628 | |
| 180 | The Catholic University of America | 82500 | 82500 | 0 | 3,294 | 1229 | 0.7328 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.