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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 | Johns Hopkins University | 2700 | 92000 | 0.9704 | 6,354 | 1554 | 0.0611 | |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Flint | 5000 | 43700 | 0.8861 | 5,534 | 1079 | 0.6734 | |
| 3 | California State University-Los Angeles | 5100 | 69100 | 0.9266 | 22,077 | 965 | 0.9124 | |
| 4 | Northwestern University | 6500 | 90200 | 0.9278 | 9,060 | 1533 | 0.0769 | |
| 5 | California State University-Northridge | 8100 | 36500 | 0.7791 | 32,846 | 1005 | 0.9176 | |
| 5 | Morehead State University | 8100 | 26300 | 0.6915 | 7,941 | 1080 | 0.8328 | |
| 7 | Emory University | 8300 | 96200 | 0.9135 | 7,320 | 1499 | 0.103 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 10100 | 41500 | 0.7567 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 9 | Western Kentucky University | 10300 | 27500 | 0.6258 | 13,732 | 1090 | 0.9145 | |
| 10 | University of St Francis | 10700 | 83800 | 0.8721 | 1,416 | 1030 | 0.6528 | |
| 11 | Eastern Kentucky University | 10900 | 27300 | 0.6018 | 13,448 | 1075 | 0.9683 | |
| 11 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 10900 | 27400 | 0.6019 | 27,963 | 1090 | 0.8395 | |
| 13 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 11100 | 28300 | 0.6059 | 8,421 | 1054 | 0.9444 | |
| 14 | Marshall University | 11300 | 27800 | 0.593 | 9,960 | 1070 | 0.9663 | |
| 15 | Eastern Illinois University | 11900 | 24300 | 0.5125 | 6,731 | 1020 | 0.7073 | |
| 15 | Midwestern State University | 11900 | 21600 | 0.4485 | 4,303 | 1055 | 0.9347 | |
| 17 | Boston University | 12300 | 93200 | 0.868 | 18,289 | 1475 | 0.1283 | |
| 18 | Wayne State University | 12400 | 32900 | 0.6228 | 16,390 | 1183 | 0.8359 | |
| 19 | University of Louisiana at Monroe | 13300 | 40800 | 0.6742 | 6,761 | 1105 | 0.8475 | |
| 20 | Lewis University | 13400 | 57700 | 0.7675 | 4,914 | 1127 | 0.6916 | |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 13800 | 22200 | 0.3792 | 11,994 | 1090 | 0.8651 | |
| 22 | Youngstown State University | 14100 | 28400 | 0.5033 | 9,687 | 1120 | 0.9145 | |
| 23 | Baptist Health Sciences University | 14200 | 27600 | 0.4864 | 782 | 1020 | 0.8202 | |
| 23 | San Francisco State University | 14200 | 47700 | 0.7025 | 19,444 | 1035 | 0.9644 | |
| 25 | Goshen College | 14500 | 56000 | 0.7411 | 738 | 995 | 0.8342 | |
| 25 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 14500 | 42400 | 0.6577 | 828 | 1070 | 0.9131 | |
| 27 | Troy University | 14700 | 34700 | 0.5764 | 10,130 | 1075 | 0.9535 | |
| 28 | Colorado Mesa University | 14800 | 66200 | 0.7759 | 9,459 | 1050 | 0.8314 | |
| 29 | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | 14900 | 50100 | 0.7023 | 7,501 | 1055 | 0.9467 | |
| 30 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 15000 | 31600 | 0.5259 | 7,402 | 1054 | 0.9684 | |
| 30 | Texas State University | 15000 | 26700 | 0.4375 | 39,353 | 1080 | 0.9118 | |
| 32 | University of Mississippi | 15200 | 27000 | 0.4369 | 22,939 | 1172 | 0.9738 | |
| 33 | Avila University | 15400 | 81100 | 0.81 | 1,538 | 985 | 0.878 | |
| 33 | Bluefield State University | 15400 | 45000 | 0.6584 | 1,117 | 990 | 0.9723 | |
| 33 | California State University-Chico | 15400 | 41000 | 0.6249 | 13,599 | 1054 | 0.9107 | |
| 33 | Central Michigan University | 15400 | 38700 | 0.6019 | 10,238 | 1099 | 0.9104 | |
| 37 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 29800 | 0.4782 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8613 | |
| 38 | University of Florida | 15800 | 22500 | 0.2977 | 37,283 | 1406 | 0.2033 | |
| 38 | University of North Texas | 15800 | 26100 | 0.3943 | 34,414 | 1094 | 0.7089 | |
| 38 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | 15800 | 79400 | 0.8005 | 1,567 | 980 | 0.9597 | |
| 41 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | 15900 | 90700 | 0.8247 | 8,727 | 1055 | 0.9703 | |
| 42 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,770 | 1039 | 0.8897 | |
| 43 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 16300 | 64800 | 0.7481 | 22,007 | 1427 | 0.1672 | |
| 44 | McNeese State University | 16500 | 27800 | 0.4068 | 5,668 | 1060 | 0.7827 | |
| 45 | Georgia Southern University | 16600 | 49700 | 0.6662 | 25,595 | 1045 | 0.695 | |
| 46 | Sam Houston State University | 16800 | 30300 | 0.4452 | 17,822 | 1035 | 0.9372 | |
| 47 | SUNY at Fredonia | 17100 | 27800 | 0.3854 | 2,771 | 1258 | 0.777 | |
| 48 | East Tennessee State University | 17200 | 28300 | 0.3927 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 49 | University of Miami | 17400 | 96300 | 0.8194 | 13,241 | 1408 | 0.1761 | |
| 50 | University of Kentucky | 17500 | 36500 | 0.5208 | 25,535 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 51 | Augusta University | 17600 | 62500 | 0.7187 | 6,102 | 1065 | 0.6276 | |
| 51 | State University of New York at Oswego | 17600 | 27700 | 0.3645 | 5,293 | 1179 | 0.7989 | |
| 51 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford | 17600 | 33300 | 0.4715 | 1,094 | 1109 | 0.8917 | |
| 54 | York College of Pennsylvania | 17900 | 45800 | 0.6097 | 3,369 | 1153 | 0.7374 | |
| 55 | California State University-Fullerton | 18000 | 20600 | 0.1246 | 40,705 | 960 | 0.8811 | |
| 56 | Austin Peay State University | 18100 | 31600 | 0.4279 | 9,593 | 1075 | 0.9691 | |
| 56 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | 18100 | 69500 | 0.7401 | 711 | 1030 | 0.8214 | |
| 56 | Quincy University | 18100 | 80600 | 0.7749 | 1,096 | 1115 | 0.551 | |
| 59 | San Jose State University | 18200 | 41100 | 0.5567 | 29,890 | 1135 | 0.8039 | |
| 60 | Holy Family University | 18300 | 56900 | 0.6785 | 2,808 | 975 | 0.7456 | |
| 60 | University of Vermont | 18300 | 37800 | 0.5164 | 12,159 | 1372 | 0.7304 | |
| 62 | La Roche University | 18500 | 87300 | 0.7883 | 1,972 | 990 | 0.6638 | |
| 62 | San Diego State University | 18500 | 28900 | 0.3599 | 36,196 | 1208 | 0.3741 | |
| 64 | University of Mary | 18600 | 32600 | 0.4281 | 2,821 | 1175 | 0.753 | |
| 65 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh | 18800 | 32000 | 0.4129 | 3,825 | 1175 | 0.7841 | |
| 66 | Louisiana Christian University | 18900 | 26000 | 0.2721 | 769 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 67 | Idaho State University | 19000 | 39100 | 0.5146 | 10,834 | 0 | 0.8396 | |
| 67 | University of Sioux Falls | 19000 | 43100 | 0.5598 | 1,177 | 1075 | 0.8274 | |
| 67 | Western Carolina University | 19000 | 20500 | 0.0733 | 10,268 | 1140 | 0.7076 | |
| 70 | Alabama A & M University | 19500 | 51200 | 0.6189 | 6,370 | 915 | 0.5795 | |
| 71 | Minot State University | 19800 | 23500 | 0.1569 | 2,499 | 1075 | 0.6462 | |
| 72 | University of Houston | 19900 | 28400 | 0.2996 | 40,366 | 1224 | 0.7577 | |
| 73 | University of Northern Iowa | 20200 | 24800 | 0.1844 | 7,800 | 1115 | 0.9313 | |
| 74 | Rowan University | 20300 | 41300 | 0.5088 | 17,157 | 1204 | 0.7654 | |
| 74 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 20300 | 57800 | 0.6485 | 5,196 | 1050 | 0.8422 | |
| 74 | Syracuse University | 20300 | 83600 | 0.7572 | 16,149 | 1374 | 0.4879 | |
| 77 | Bradley University | 20400 | 59500 | 0.6564 | 3,258 | 1174 | 0.7459 | |
| 78 | Bowie State University | 20500 | 50800 | 0.5965 | 4,810 | 1044 | 0.824 | |
| 79 | North Dakota State University | 20600 | 25700 | 0.2008 | 9,762 | 1110 | 0.9496 | |
| 80 | Ferris State University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.3295 | 8,980 | 1015 | 0.8237 | |
| 81 | University of Montevallo | 21000 | 61300 | 0.6569 | 2,643 | 1124 | 0.5385 | |
| 82 | Texas Southern University | 21400 | 38900 | 0.4499 | 6,844 | 915 | 0.9691 | |
| 83 | Culver-Stockton College | 21600 | 70000 | 0.6918 | 889 | 1055 | 0.9827 | |
| 84 | Boise State University | 21700 | 31200 | 0.3046 | 25,308 | 1025 | 0.8389 | |
| 85 | Southwestern Adventist University | 22100 | 58700 | 0.6239 | 758 | 1064 | 0.7836 | |
| 86 | Missouri State University-Springfield | 22300 | 26000 | 0.1421 | 21,138 | 1134 | 0.9039 | |
| 87 | Columbia College Chicago | 22500 | 63200 | 0.6443 | 4,346 | 0 | 0.738 | |
| 87 | Murray State University | 22500 | 27600 | 0.1838 | 8,217 | 1124 | 0.8413 | |
| 87 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 22500 | 22500 | 0 | 20,786 | 1225 | 0.8689 | |
| 87 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22500 | 53400 | 0.5791 | 21,469 | 1167 | 0.9061 | |
| 91 | Saint Cloud State University | 22600 | 36800 | 0.3849 | 8,209 | 1079 | 0.948 | |
| 92 | Pennsylvania Western University | 22900 | 34400 | 0.334 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 93 | Marian University | 23100 | 47600 | 0.5142 | 1,026 | 1020 | 0.75 | |
| 93 | Southwest Minnesota State University | 23100 | 26700 | 0.1336 | 7,290 | 1015 | 0.6409 | |
| 93 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 23100 | 36100 | 0.3598 | 34,447 | 1273 | 0.8804 | |
| 96 | Florida Memorial University | 23200 | 51000 | 0.5446 | 1,206 | 0 | 0.8526 | |
| 97 | Point Park University | 23300 | 54300 | 0.5707 | 2,498 | 1144 | 0.984 | |
| 98 | Northern Arizona University | 23900 | 47000 | 0.4928 | 22,203 | 1129 | 0.8961 | |
| 99 | University of Central Missouri | 24000 | 35800 | 0.3301 | 10,397 | 1055 | 0.7439 | |
| 100 | Campbellsville University | 24200 | 45100 | 0.4631 | 6,848 | 1075 | 0.7974 | |
| 101 | Seton Hall University | 24500 | 67400 | 0.6361 | 6,178 | 1328 | 0.6915 | |
| 102 | University of Southern Indiana | 24600 | 40000 | 0.3848 | 5,347 | 1145 | 0.9581 | |
| 102 | Wisconsin Lutheran College | 24600 | 56700 | 0.5672 | 957 | 1233 | 0.7816 | |
| 104 | Temple University | 24800 | 36100 | 0.3132 | 21,031 | 1172 | 0.8622 | |
| 105 | Mount Marty University | 25000 | 56400 | 0.5567 | 1,053 | 1145 | 0.8603 | |
| 105 | St Catherine University | 25000 | 71900 | 0.6528 | 2,602 | 1148 | 0.9047 | |
| 107 | Indiana University-South Bend | 25200 | 27800 | 0.0923 | 4,206 | 1050 | 0.8146 | |
| 107 | Rogers State University | 25200 | 49700 | 0.4925 | 3,278 | 1025 | 0.6784 | |
| 109 | Westminster College | 25700 | 57600 | 0.5538 | 1,110 | 1145 | 0.9167 | |
| 110 | Briar Cliff University | 25900 | 83800 | 0.6909 | 766 | 1075 | 0.5834 | |
| 110 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | 25900 | 28400 | 0.0902 | 14,834 | 1149 | 0.7803 | |
| 112 | Henderson State University | 26100 | 30600 | 0.1469 | 1,461 | 1075 | 0.8192 | |
| 113 | University of La Verne | 26600 | 71200 | 0.6266 | 3,052 | 1109 | 0.7117 | |
| 114 | St. Francis College | 26900 | 39400 | 0.3177 | 1,719 | 1035 | 1 | |
| 114 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | 26900 | 34500 | 0.2193 | 5,467 | 1035 | 0.7041 | |
| 116 | Capital University | 27100 | 63800 | 0.5751 | 1,642 | 1045 | 0.6501 | |
| 116 | Saint Ambrose University | 27100 | 57700 | 0.5306 | 1,884 | 1065 | 0.8006 | |
| 116 | Weber State University | 27100 | 31500 | 0.1399 | 31,672 | 1075 | 1 | |
| 119 | Chicago State University | 27200 | 37800 | 0.2811 | 1,501 | 885 | 0.4326 | |
| 120 | California State University-Long Beach | 27300 | 38800 | 0.2963 | 36,056 | 1135 | 0.4543 | |
| 121 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | 27500 | 43800 | 0.3725 | 18,028 | 1059 | 0.7996 | |
| 122 | Mount Aloysius College | 27900 | 51100 | 0.4539 | 3,135 | 1045 | 0.936 | |
| 123 | Vermont State University | 28100 | 38700 | 0.2737 | 4,087 | 960 | 0.8323 | |
| 124 | Grace College and Theological Seminary | 28300 | 41800 | 0.3223 | 1,795 | 1130 | 0.8215 | |
| 124 | University of Hartford | 28300 | 70100 | 0.5959 | 4,223 | 1224 | 0.9579 | |
| 126 | Roosevelt University | 28400 | 47600 | 0.4043 | 2,868 | 1049 | 0.9716 | |
| 127 | University of Akron Main Campus | 28500 | 36500 | 0.2194 | 11,691 | 1074 | 0.7722 | |
| 128 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | 28700 | 31400 | 0.0881 | 9,656 | 1205 | 0.7997 | |
| 129 | Cornerstone University | 28900 | 40800 | 0.291 | 1,354 | 1110 | 0.7777 | |
| 130 | Huntington University | 29000 | 44400 | 0.3465 | 1,512 | 1065 | 0.7518 | |
| 131 | Long Island University | 29400 | 60500 | 0.5143 | 12,072 | 1229 | 0.8616 | |
| 132 | University of Iowa | 29500 | 32100 | 0.0799 | 23,407 | 1203 | 0.799 | |
| 133 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 30100 | 45400 | 0.3367 | 9,847 | 1090 | 0.9309 | |
| 134 | University of Northwestern-St Paul | 30200 | 54600 | 0.4463 | 3,120 | 1193 | 0.3992 | |
| 135 | Ithaca College | 30300 | 72600 | 0.5823 | 4,205 | 1328 | 0.7015 | |
| 136 | Siena Heights University | 30700 | 46300 | 0.3365 | 1,628 | 980 | 0.689 | |
| 137 | Southeastern University | 30800 | 79400 | 0.6123 | 11,981 | 1110 | 0.4247 | |
| 138 | Manhattanville University | 30900 | 68500 | 0.5483 | 1,465 | 1140 | 0.8688 | |
| 139 | Suffolk University | 31000 | 83500 | 0.6288 | 4,247 | 1209 | 0.8228 | |
| 140 | Asbury University | 31100 | 50700 | 0.3859 | 2,066 | 1157 | 0.954 | |
| 141 | Lasell University | 31200 | 50800 | 0.3861 | 1,347 | 1095 | 0.7457 | |
| 142 | Missouri Baptist University | 31300 | 53800 | 0.4193 | 5,253 | 910 | 0.7062 | |
| 143 | Friends University | 31400 | 58000 | 0.4594 | 1,084 | 1020 | 0.5174 | |
| 144 | Northern Kentucky University | 31600 | 32100 | 0.0156 | 10,136 | 1110 | 0.9666 | |
| 145 | Elon University | 32000 | 69900 | 0.5426 | 6,191 | 1283 | 0.6326 | |
| 146 | Rider University | 32500 | 60200 | 0.4601 | 3,052 | 1214 | 0.7741 | |
| 147 | University of Illinois Chicago | 32700 | 51300 | 0.3625 | 24,260 | 1174 | 0.7576 | |
| 148 | Misericordia University | 33100 | 67700 | 0.5109 | 1,721 | 1078 | 0.8871 | |
| 149 | Adrian College | 33200 | 70200 | 0.5267 | 1,675 | 1045 | 0.7257 | |
| 150 | St. John's University-New York | 33900 | 83800 | 0.5958 | 15,640 | 1249 | 0.8343 | |
| 151 | Lewis-Clark State College | 34100 | 39600 | 0.1389 | 4,015 | 990 | 0.9964 | |
| 152 | California Baptist University | 34300 | 69800 | 0.5084 | 8,707 | 1024 | 0.8139 | |
| 152 | Trevecca Nazarene University | 34300 | 50900 | 0.3256 | 1,961 | 1099 | 0.7512 | |
| 154 | Gwynedd Mercy University | 34600 | 65100 | 0.4679 | 1,816 | 1070 | 0.9164 | |
| 155 | Texas Tech University | 35600 | 41000 | 0.1318 | 34,021 | 1195 | 0.6906 | |
| 156 | University of South Alabama | 36100 | 40200 | 0.1021 | 9,530 | 1140 | 0.9455 | |
| 157 | New England Institute of Technology | 36300 | 89400 | 0.5938 | 1,718 | 1030 | 0.6673 | |
| 158 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | 37000 | 53600 | 0.3099 | 755 | 1163 | 0.6925 | |
| 159 | University of Central Arkansas | 37700 | 40200 | 0.0637 | 8,238 | 1110 | 0.9157 | |
| 160 | Washington Adventist University | 38100 | 45600 | 0.1658 | 513 | 995 | 0.4618 | |
| 161 | Clark Atlanta University | 38600 | 61700 | 0.3745 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 162 | University of Charleston | 39200 | 51200 | 0.2342 | 2,348 | 1075 | 0.5975 | |
| 163 | Champlain College | 39500 | 105100 | 0.6243 | 1,514 | 1273 | 0.873 | |
| 164 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | 39600 | 43200 | 0.0833 | 6,647 | 1153 | 0.9008 | |
| 165 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 40100 | 66900 | 0.4008 | 1,105 | 1055 | 0.8351 | |
| 166 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 40900 | 58700 | 0.3035 | 2,401 | 1209 | 0.7819 | |
| 167 | Bellarmine University | 41200 | 66100 | 0.3763 | 2,365 | 1134 | 0.9371 | |
| 168 | Rhode Island College | 41600 | 63300 | 0.3427 | 5,695 | 995 | 0.8557 | |
| 169 | Susquehanna University | 41800 | 85600 | 0.5116 | 2,220 | 1199 | 0.7908 | |
| 170 | University of Central Florida | 42100 | 42800 | 0.0164 | 60,083 | 1289 | 0.428 | |
| 171 | Saint Louis University | 42700 | 84300 | 0.4932 | 9,331 | 1250 | 0.7499 | |
| 172 | Arkansas State University | 43000 | 44600 | 0.0358 | 11,189 | 1080 | 0.7818 | |
| 173 | Providence College | 43300 | 85000 | 0.4907 | 4,680 | 1345 | 0.4994 | |
| 174 | Campbell University | 43700 | 68700 | 0.3646 | 2,699 | 1120 | 0.872 | |
| 175 | Texas Christian University | 44300 | 87400 | 0.4934 | 11,152 | 1268 | 0.4809 | |
| 176 | Montclair State University | 44600 | 47000 | 0.0511 | 19,048 | 1005 | 0.894 | |
| 177 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 45300 | 104000 | 0.5645 | 3,469 | 1281 | 0.8521 | |
| 178 | Towson University | 46300 | 46400 | 0.0022 | 16,361 | 1082 | 0.8057 | |
| 179 | Appalachian State University | 46500 | 46500 | 0 | 19,732 | 1174 | 0.9388 | |
| 180 | Ashland University | 47700 | 57000 | 0.163 | 2,977 | 1125 | 0.764 | |
| 180 | The Master's University and Seminary | 47700 | 53700 | 0.1118 | 1,908 | 1139 | 0.8402 | |
| 182 | Quinnipiac University | 49000 | 79700 | 0.3854 | 6,610 | 1250 | 0.7031 | |
| 183 | The University of Texas at Austin | 49500 | 58900 | 0.1596 | 44,314 | 1356 | 0.2222 | |
| 184 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 50200 | 64400 | 0.2205 | 46,627 | 1366 | 0.492 | |
| 185 | Manhattan University | 51200 | 72900 | 0.2975 | 2,378 | 1174 | 0.8216 | |
| 186 | Savannah College of Art and Design | 51900 | 67500 | 0.2312 | 15,552 | 1174 | 0.8298 | |
| 187 | The University of Alabama | 53700 | 58000 | 0.0741 | 35,621 | 1238 | 0.7117 | |
| 188 | Howard University | 55000 | 88500 | 0.3787 | 11,519 | 1208 | 0.4134 | |
| 189 | Dallas Baptist University | 55800 | 84300 | 0.3381 | 2,938 | 1073 | 0.9131 | |
| 190 | Oregon Institute of Technology | 58400 | 67000 | 0.1279 | 5,288 | 1138 | 0.9459 | |
| 191 | Hofstra University | 59100 | 83300 | 0.2906 | 6,599 | 1369 | 0.7267 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.