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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 | 7500 | 91800 | 0.9183 | 987 | 1557 | 0.0257 | |
| 2 | Brigham Young University | 8000 | 22000 | 0.6362 | 32,952 | 1374 | 0.6778 | |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | 9300 | 102300 | 0.9091 | 8,220 | 1513 | 0.1206 | |
| 4 | Valdosta State University | 10500 | 24800 | 0.5775 | 7,166 | 1015 | 0.7229 | |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | 11200 | 24800 | 0.5489 | 6,809 | 1110 | 0.882 | |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso | 11700 | 26900 | 0.5645 | 21,118 | 980 | 0.9992 | |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 12100 | 28900 | 0.5822 | 8,320 | 1090 | 0.8858 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 12500 | 28100 | 0.5551 | 8,553 | 1045 | 0.8688 | |
| 9 | University of North Florida | 12600 | 22400 | 0.438 | 13,735 | 1150 | 0.5324 | |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 13200 | 19400 | 0.3197 | 14,416 | 1210 | 0.8851 | |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | 13600 | 34600 | 0.6076 | 8,945 | 1099 | 0.975 | |
| 12 | University of Georgia | 13700 | 26600 | 0.485 | 32,399 | 1382 | 0.377 | |
| 13 | Francis Marion University | 14000 | 24100 | 0.4198 | 3,692 | 1015 | 0.8639 | |
| 14 | Grand Valley State University | 14100 | 25300 | 0.4432 | 19,002 | 1084 | 0.8302 | |
| 14 | Union College | 14100 | 92400 | 0.8473 | 2,065 | 1393 | 0.4392 | |
| 16 | Arkansas Tech University | 14300 | 34400 | 0.5844 | 8,145 | 1035 | 0.9589 | |
| 16 | Northern Illinois University | 14300 | 28800 | 0.5047 | 11,348 | 1070 | 0.6979 | |
| 16 | Saginaw Valley State University | 14300 | 30100 | 0.5239 | 6,135 | 1055 | 0.7207 | |
| 19 | Midwestern State University | 14400 | 21600 | 0.3329 | 4,303 | 1010 | 0.9352 | |
| 20 | Salisbury University | 14600 | 28700 | 0.4916 | 6,288 | 1250 | 0.8747 | |
| 21 | Stephen F Austin State University | 14700 | 23400 | 0.3714 | 9,129 | 1075 | 0.9399 | |
| 22 | Texas State University | 15200 | 25500 | 0.4042 | 36,236 | 1100 | 0.8932 | |
| 23 | Lehigh University | 15600 | 89600 | 0.8263 | 5,911 | 1436 | 0.2593 | |
| 23 | Northwest Missouri State University | 15600 | 38800 | 0.5992 | 5,241 | 1095 | 0.8609 | |
| 25 | James Madison University | 15700 | 28900 | 0.4573 | 20,973 | 1260 | 0.7152 | |
| 26 | Appalachian State University | 15800 | 19500 | 0.1899 | 19,560 | 1190 | 0.9014 | |
| 26 | Sam Houston State University | 15800 | 30300 | 0.4782 | 17,787 | 1030 | 0.9026 | |
| 28 | Jacksonville State University | 16000 | 27000 | 0.4081 | 8,663 | 1069 | 0.7769 | |
| 28 | Oakland University | 16000 | 28200 | 0.4329 | 12,587 | 1130 | 0.8784 | |
| 28 | Tennessee State University | 16000 | 39200 | 0.5913 | 5,057 | 980 | 0.7011 | |
| 31 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | 16100 | 23400 | 0.3124 | 11,756 | 1124 | 0.8698 | |
| 32 | Grove City College | 16400 | 39700 | 0.5876 | 2,341 | 1266 | 0.7232 | |
| 33 | Eastern Michigan University | 16500 | 36100 | 0.542 | 10,470 | 1055 | 0.7964 | |
| 33 | West Virginia University | 16500 | 40900 | 0.5963 | 18,206 | 1125 | 0.89 | |
| 35 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 17100 | 17100 | 0 | 14,449 | 1195 | 0.784 | |
| 36 | Middle Tennessee State University | 17200 | 23200 | 0.2586 | 18,042 | 1140 | 0.6909 | |
| 37 | University of Louisville | 17500 | 29100 | 0.399 | 17,086 | 1148 | 0.7941 | |
| 38 | Greensboro College | 17700 | 37800 | 0.5317 | 899 | 1005 | 0.7014 | |
| 38 | University of Miami | 17700 | 95700 | 0.8149 | 13,250 | 1406 | 0.189 | |
| 40 | Georgia College & State University | 18300 | 18300 | 0 | 6,006 | 1165 | 0.7823 | |
| 41 | Youngstown State University | 18400 | 34000 | 0.4589 | 9,400 | 1115 | 0.8445 | |
| 42 | University of Maine at Farmington | 19200 | 33700 | 0.4309 | 1,677 | 1124 | 0.9672 | |
| 42 | Virginia State University | 19200 | 29500 | 0.3488 | 5,124 | 955 | 0.8863 | |
| 44 | Jackson State University | 19300 | 28000 | 0.3102 | 4,650 | 950 | 0.9315 | |
| 45 | University of Mississippi | 19400 | 27000 | 0.2814 | 21,585 | 1182 | 0.9658 | |
| 46 | SUNY Oneonta | 19600 | 29300 | 0.331 | 4,681 | 1234 | 0.696 | |
| 47 | Pennsylvania Western University | 19700 | 29000 | 0.3212 | 7,586 | 1045 | 0.9433 | |
| 48 | Loyola University New Orleans | 19900 | 72100 | 0.7238 | 3,007 | 1155 | 0.9305 | |
| 49 | Cleveland State University | 20000 | 30900 | 0.3523 | 9,482 | 1069 | 0.913 | |
| 49 | Iowa State University | 20000 | 24200 | 0.1732 | 25,628 | 1207 | 0.8866 | |
| 51 | Carroll University | 20300 | 61600 | 0.6708 | 2,581 | 1174 | 0.6684 | |
| 51 | Utica University | 20300 | 43400 | 0.5318 | 2,329 | 1118 | 0.9195 | |
| 53 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20500 | 23200 | 0.1164 | 20,444 | 1209 | 0.8499 | |
| 54 | Our Lady of the Lake University | 20600 | 52900 | 0.6104 | 1,108 | 990 | 0.6578 | |
| 55 | University of Wyoming | 20700 | 27900 | 0.2594 | 8,130 | 1179 | 0.9688 | |
| 56 | Western Illinois University | 20800 | 31000 | 0.329 | 4,525 | 1015 | 0.7118 | |
| 57 | University of Memphis | 20900 | 29600 | 0.2942 | 15,770 | 1075 | 0.7203 | |
| 58 | Tarleton State University | 21000 | 23000 | 0.087 | 15,254 | 1080 | 0.8955 | |
| 59 | Louisiana Tech University | 21400 | 26100 | 0.1802 | 10,881 | 1189 | 0.864 | |
| 60 | Louisiana Christian University | 21500 | 26000 | 0.1733 | 763 | 1065 | 0.7719 | |
| 61 | Bentley University | 22000 | 85500 | 0.7426 | 4,526 | 1359 | 0.4505 | |
| 62 | South Dakota State University | 22100 | 25200 | 0.1249 | 10,719 | 1120 | 0.9834 | |
| 63 | Virginia Commonwealth University | 22200 | 33600 | 0.339 | 21,210 | 1148 | 0.9262 | |
| 64 | Hope College | 22800 | 60100 | 0.6204 | 3,395 | 1241 | 0.7924 | |
| 64 | Oklahoma City University | 22800 | 64400 | 0.6461 | 1,514 | 1174 | 0.7702 | |
| 66 | Allegheny College | 23500 | 76200 | 0.6912 | 1,171 | 1279 | 0.5457 | |
| 66 | Aquinas College | 23500 | 53400 | 0.5604 | 1,088 | 1035 | 0.8988 | |
| 66 | East Tennessee State University | 23500 | 30600 | 0.2318 | 10,829 | 1124 | 0.8619 | |
| 66 | West Texas A & M University | 23500 | 29200 | 0.195 | 6,926 | 1060 | 0.9868 | |
| 70 | Bradley University | 24100 | 49900 | 0.5161 | 3,596 | 1223 | 0.7676 | |
| 71 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 24200 | 41300 | 0.4141 | 3,244 | 1224 | 0.9683 | |
| 72 | Boise State University | 24600 | 31200 | 0.2116 | 23,983 | 1135 | 0.8721 | |
| 73 | Lewis University | 24700 | 57700 | 0.5718 | 4,326 | 1099 | 0.7129 | |
| 74 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | 25300 | 53800 | 0.5299 | 2,803 | 1099 | 0.9576 | |
| 75 | Ave Maria University | 25500 | 46600 | 0.453 | 1,301 | 1164 | 0.4139 | |
| 76 | Northern Arizona University | 25600 | 43200 | 0.4082 | 22,990 | 1090 | 0.8961 | |
| 77 | Western Kentucky University | 25900 | 41800 | 0.3803 | 14,151 | 970 | 0.9387 | |
| 78 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | 26100 | 64700 | 0.5969 | 870 | 985 | 0.8296 | |
| 79 | Benedictine University | 26500 | 48900 | 0.4581 | 1,972 | 1161 | 0.9523 | |
| 80 | Georgia Southern University | 26600 | 26800 | 0.0075 | 23,541 | 1065 | 0.8789 | |
| 81 | University of Arkansas | 26700 | 28900 | 0.0745 | 28,859 | 1179 | 0.743 | |
| 82 | Northwood University | 26800 | 54500 | 0.5087 | 2,045 | 1055 | 0.6451 | |
| 83 | Colorado State University Pueblo | 26900 | 30100 | 0.1047 | 5,086 | 1124 | 0.949 | |
| 83 | Troy University | 26900 | 34700 | 0.2248 | 10,222 | 1090 | 0.9604 | |
| 85 | University of Idaho | 27000 | 45200 | 0.4023 | 9,574 | 1119 | 0.7553 | |
| 85 | University of the Incarnate Word | 27000 | 61400 | 0.5604 | 4,638 | 1030 | 0.9814 | |
| 87 | University of Arizona | 27100 | 38100 | 0.2888 | 44,848 | 1233 | 0.8614 | |
| 88 | Capital University | 27200 | 62400 | 0.564 | 1,609 | 1084 | 0.7022 | |
| 89 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 27300 | 36500 | 0.2522 | 7,505 | 1073 | 0.9633 | |
| 90 | Kennesaw State University | 27400 | 27400 | 0 | 42,760 | 1120 | 0.6919 | |
| 91 | Cornell College | 27500 | 74800 | 0.6323 | 1,094 | 1243 | 0.799 | |
| 92 | Missouri Valley College | 27600 | 38200 | 0.2775 | 1,687 | 980 | 0.6918 | |
| 93 | Villanova University | 27900 | 88800 | 0.6855 | 7,004 | 1457 | 0.2698 | |
| 94 | Wichita State University | 28000 | 39800 | 0.2974 | 13,313 | 1073 | 0.9395 | |
| 95 | John Brown University | 28200 | 48300 | 0.4169 | 1,948 | 1197 | 0.7614 | |
| 96 | George Fox University | 28300 | 69400 | 0.5925 | 3,354 | 1193 | 0.9351 | |
| 96 | Weber State University | 28300 | 33900 | 0.1651 | 31,672 | 0 | 0 | |
| 98 | Westminster University | 28400 | 62600 | 0.5466 | 842 | 1233 | 0.6657 | |
| 99 | University of Dayton | 28800 | 64200 | 0.5515 | 7,740 | 1302 | 0.6545 | |
| 100 | University of North Texas | 28900 | 37400 | 0.2271 | 34,458 | 1114 | 0.7223 | |
| 101 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 29300 | 34000 | 0.1383 | 30,187 | 1292 | 0.6015 | |
| 102 | Oklahoma Wesleyan University | 29400 | 56200 | 0.4776 | 765 | 1020 | 0.6617 | |
| 103 | University of South Carolina-Upstate | 29800 | 39700 | 0.2495 | 4,487 | 1115 | 0.6726 | |
| 104 | University of West Georgia | 30100 | 46800 | 0.3568 | 9,103 | 1040 | 0.5161 | |
| 105 | University of West Florida | 30600 | 38000 | 0.1946 | 9,970 | 1149 | 0.5824 | |
| 106 | Wheaton College | 30700 | 84800 | 0.638 | 2,150 | 1363 | 0.874 | |
| 107 | South Carolina State University | 30800 | 41600 | 0.2596 | 2,950 | 930 | 0.8262 | |
| 107 | The College of Wooster | 30800 | 82400 | 0.6266 | 1,738 | 1344 | 0.5953 | |
| 107 | Wofford College | 30800 | 73200 | 0.5786 | 1,817 | 1305 | 0.5194 | |
| 110 | California State University-Long Beach | 31000 | 38900 | 0.2032 | 36,082 | 1135 | 0.4627 | |
| 110 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 31000 | 59100 | 0.4752 | 23,181 | 1354 | 0.3297 | |
| 112 | University of North Dakota | 31100 | 33700 | 0.0785 | 11,033 | 1150 | 0.769 | |
| 113 | Lamar University | 31200 | 38300 | 0.1855 | 8,184 | 1050 | 0.8641 | |
| 114 | Hampton University | 31400 | 54800 | 0.427 | 3,728 | 947 | 0.6225 | |
| 114 | Rider University | 31400 | 60600 | 0.4816 | 3,145 | 1233 | 0.7864 | |
| 116 | Angelo State University | 31700 | 35400 | 0.1031 | 9,702 | 1055 | 0.8301 | |
| 116 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 31700 | 75700 | 0.5809 | 1,525 | 1281 | 0.556 | |
| 118 | Azusa Pacific University | 32300 | 66600 | 0.5147 | 2,759 | 1189 | 0.8843 | |
| 118 | Marquette University | 32300 | 66500 | 0.5142 | 8,045 | 1309 | 0.8134 | |
| 120 | Belmont University | 32400 | 69900 | 0.536 | 7,175 | 1273 | 0.9528 | |
| 121 | Samford University | 32600 | 64600 | 0.4955 | 4,210 | 1199 | 0.8236 | |
| 122 | Berry College | 32700 | 60900 | 0.4633 | 2,254 | 1219 | 0.64 | |
| 123 | North Carolina State University | 32800 | 54800 | 0.4007 | 28,422 | 1378 | 0.4174 | |
| 124 | Suffolk University | 32900 | 70300 | 0.5319 | 4,326 | 1209 | 0.8233 | |
| 125 | Elizabethtown College | 33700 | 55300 | 0.3907 | 1,903 | 1214 | 0.7787 | |
| 126 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | 33900 | 41000 | 0.1738 | 22,364 | 1159 | 0.7504 | |
| 127 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 34500 | 34500 | 0 | 10,202 | 1140 | 0.8109 | |
| 128 | Coastal Carolina University | 34700 | 45100 | 0.2304 | 10,811 | 1145 | 0.7527 | |
| 128 | Washburn University | 34700 | 38400 | 0.0963 | 5,331 | 1095 | 0.9551 | |
| 130 | Beloit College | 35000 | 81400 | 0.5697 | 1,004 | 1299 | 0.6304 | |
| 131 | Cedarville University | 35800 | 57000 | 0.3711 | 5,790 | 1232 | 0.6529 | |
| 132 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 36000 | 56700 | 0.3648 | 7,683 | 1120 | 0.9402 | |
| 133 | Mississippi State University | 36300 | 50500 | 0.2804 | 18,567 | 1214 | 0.7764 | |
| 134 | Georgia State University | 36500 | 45400 | 0.1961 | 27,415 | 1080 | 0.5544 | |
| 135 | Loyola University Maryland | 36700 | 78800 | 0.5343 | 3,881 | 1303 | 0.7549 | |
| 136 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 36900 | 37100 | 0.0054 | 5,939 | 1065 | 0.5878 | |
| 137 | Westmont College | 37400 | 80000 | 0.5322 | 1,302 | 1335 | 0.7705 | |
| 138 | Northwest Nazarene University | 37600 | 62800 | 0.4011 | 1,043 | 1134 | 0.6474 | |
| 139 | DePaul University | 37800 | 66000 | 0.4275 | 14,188 | 1254 | 0.7589 | |
| 140 | University of Redlands | 38100 | 84200 | 0.5478 | 2,049 | 1226 | 0.8271 | |
| 141 | Hofstra University | 38200 | 76900 | 0.5032 | 6,581 | 1328 | 0.6808 | |
| 142 | Clark Atlanta University | 38500 | 51900 | 0.2581 | 3,618 | 990 | 0.6422 | |
| 142 | Saint Francis University | 38500 | 63100 | 0.3899 | 2,567 | 1150 | 0.7682 | |
| 142 | Southern Connecticut State University | 38500 | 52900 | 0.2723 | 7,252 | 1005 | 0.9147 | |
| 145 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38600 | 53100 | 0.2729 | 30,564 | 1302 | 0.416 | |
| 146 | State University of New York at Cortland | 38800 | 39900 | 0.0276 | 5,911 | 1175 | 0.5979 | |
| 147 | Xavier University | 39300 | 68100 | 0.4232 | 4,239 | 1218 | 0.8641 | |
| 148 | Arcadia University | 39400 | 71600 | 0.4493 | 2,030 | 1170 | 0.8022 | |
| 148 | Saint Vincent College | 39400 | 64600 | 0.3895 | 1,284 | 1135 | 0.6173 | |
| 150 | Nichols College | 39600 | 59600 | 0.3359 | 1,163 | 1135 | 0.8084 | |
| 150 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 39600 | 39800 | 0.005 | 24,868 | 1214 | 0.796 | |
| 152 | Seton Hall University | 39700 | 67400 | 0.4107 | 6,146 | 1313 | 0.7326 | |
| 152 | University of Central Florida | 39700 | 39700 | 0 | 59,552 | 1280 | 0.4011 | |
| 154 | University of Maine | 39900 | 45200 | 0.1173 | 9,601 | 1205 | 0.9664 | |
| 155 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | 40300 | 44100 | 0.0862 | 13,432 | 1225 | 0.8701 | |
| 156 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 40400 | 50000 | 0.1922 | 34,242 | 1273 | 0.7333 | |
| 157 | Arkansas State University | 40500 | 41000 | 0.0122 | 9,985 | 1075 | 0.8226 | |
| 158 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 40600 | 48500 | 0.1628 | 31,127 | 1115 | 0.8679 | |
| 159 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 40700 | 53600 | 0.2408 | 46,815 | 1378 | 0.6057 | |
| 160 | Loyola University Chicago | 41000 | 70600 | 0.4192 | 12,538 | 1303 | 0.816 | |
| 161 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | 41200 | 42300 | 0.026 | 11,959 | 1260 | 0.8818 | |
| 162 | Seattle University | 42000 | 75000 | 0.4397 | 4,078 | 1305 | 0.7692 | |
| 162 | Susquehanna University | 42000 | 76800 | 0.4533 | 2,246 | 1204 | 0.8143 | |
| 164 | Merrimack College | 43500 | 78800 | 0.4474 | 4,102 | 1115 | 0.7002 | |
| 165 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 43900 | 57100 | 0.2305 | 23,329 | 1239 | 0.766 | |
| 166 | Widener University | 45800 | 79400 | 0.4233 | 2,975 | 1184 | 0.7093 | |
| 167 | Saint Louis University | 46200 | 80900 | 0.4287 | 10,413 | 1305 | 0.7504 | |
| 168 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 48000 | 55800 | 0.1398 | 32,545 | 1129 | 0.799 | |
| 169 | University of Alabama in Huntsville | 48100 | 48600 | 0.0103 | 6,800 | 1293 | 0.6857 | |
| 170 | University of Kentucky | 49100 | 58000 | 0.1539 | 25,534 | 1193 | 0.9294 | |
| 171 | Chapman University | 51500 | 93100 | 0.4469 | 7,713 | 1353 | 0.6543 | |
| 172 | Miami University-Oxford | 57400 | 57400 | 0 | 16,816 | 1299 | 0.754 | |
| 173 | Santa Clara University | 57600 | 85400 | 0.3255 | 6,577 | 1427 | 0.48 | |
| 174 | Molloy University | 59800 | 62300 | 0.0402 | 3,240 | 1199 | 0.8174 | |
| 175 | Mercyhurst University | 60900 | 68000 | 0.1044 | 2,274 | 1090 | 0.8102 | |
| 176 | Presbyterian College | 61000 | 62700 | 0.0271 | 853 | 1120 | 0.6837 | |
| 177 | University of California-Irvine | 72000 | 75600 | 0.0476 | 30,204 | 1333 | 0.2857 | |
| 178 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 82400 | 82400 | 0 | 17,940 | 1281 | 0.6579 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.