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Most affordable private colleges in Illinois

46 private colleges in Illinois report net price data, ranging from $8,085 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $21,473. Illinois's private colleges run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Illinois

$21,473

National median for private colleges

$15,832

private colleges reporting in Illinois

46

The most affordable private colleges in Illinois, ranked by net price

1

Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago

IL

Net price

$8,085

Receive grant aid

97%

2

Millikin University

IL

Net price

$10,078

Receive grant aid

100%

3

Hebrew Theological College

IL

Net price

$11,197

Receive grant aid

50%

4

Saint Xavier University

IL

Net price

$11,943

Receive grant aid

100%

5

National Louis University

IL

Net price

$15,724

Receive grant aid

87%

6

University of St Francis

IL

Net price

$16,455

Receive grant aid

100%

7

VanderCook College of Music

IL

Net price

$16,601

Receive grant aid

100%

8

Dominican University

IL

Net price

$16,969

Receive grant aid

100%

9

St. Augustine College

IL

Net price

$17,008

Receive grant aid

82%

10

Trinity Christian College

IL

Net price

$17,218

Receive grant aid

100%

11

Illinois College

IL

Net price

$17,255

Receive grant aid

100%

12

Quincy University

IL

Net price

$17,424

Receive grant aid

99%

13

Concordia University-Chicago

IL

Net price

$17,767

Receive grant aid

100%

14

Monmouth College

IL

Net price

$19,088

Receive grant aid

100%

15

Net price

$19,220

Receive grant aid

100%

16

Lewis University

IL

Net price

$19,472

Receive grant aid

100%

17

Lincoln Christian University

IL

Net price

$19,640

Receive grant aid

100%

18

North Park University

IL

Net price

$19,910

Receive grant aid

100%

19

Eureka College

IL

Net price

$20,215

Receive grant aid

100%

20

Trinity International University-Illinois

IL

Net price

$21,260

Receive grant aid

100%

21

Judson University

IL

Net price

$21,331

Receive grant aid

95%

22

Net price

$21,349

Receive grant aid

100%

23

Greenville University

IL

Net price

$21,442

Receive grant aid

99%

24

Roosevelt University

IL

Net price

$21,503

Receive grant aid

100%

25

Olivet Nazarene University

IL

Net price

$22,707

Receive grant aid

100%

What makes a school affordable here

In Illinois, the most affordable private colleges share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago, the most affordable on this list, 97% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Illinois, other types

Affordable private colleges in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →