College Costs in Illinois
Illinois Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027
How much does it cost to attend college in Illinois? The average annual in-state college tuition in Illinois was $21,049 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $3,239 higher than the U.S. average and ranks Illinois amongst the costliest as the 12th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $1,520 from the 2022-2023 average of $19,529 and represents a 7.78% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of Illinois colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.
This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 119 colleges and universities in Illinois, the most popular being University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with 49,610 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $16,004. University of Chicago is the most expensive in Illinois with an in-state tuition of $70,662.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.
Lake Forest College
- Private 4 Year
- Lake Forest, IL
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| 0 reviews
- $56,402 tuition
- Feb 15 application deadline
Lake Forest is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, business, and biology. The residential campus sits in a North Shore suburb of Chicago near Lake Michigan.
- SAT Range 1190-1393
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $31,225
Oakton College
- Public 2 Year
- Des Plaines, IL
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| 0 reviews
- $10,446 tuition
Oakton is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing, business, and liberal arts transfer. The main campus sits in suburban Des Plaines northwest of Chicago.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,401
University of St Francis
- Private 4 Year
- Joliet, IL
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| 0 reviews
- $38,110 tuition
- Aug 1 application deadline
University of St. Francis is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The campus sits in Joliet, a suburban city southwest of Chicago.
- SAT Range 1030-1220
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $14,045
Saint Xavier University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $37,940 tuition
Saint Xavier is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
- SAT Range 950-1120
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $11,318
College of Lake County
- Public 2 Year
- Grayslake, IL
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5.0 | 2 reviews
- $10,869 tuition
College of Lake County is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing and health sciences. The main campus is in suburban Grayslake north of Chicago.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,357
Prairie State College
- Public 2 Year
- Chicago Heights, IL
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- $9,342 tuition
Prairie State is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The suburban campus in Chicago Heights draws many commuting students from Chicago's south suburbs.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,317
Triton College
- Public 2 Year
- River Grove, IL
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
- $12,090 tuition
Triton is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and automotive technology programs. The suburban campus sits in River Grove near Chicago.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $4,648
Benedictine University
- Private 4 Year
- Lisle, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $35,940 tuition
Benedictine is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and biology. The suburban campus is in Lisle in Chicago's western suburbs.
- SAT Range 1050-1280
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $23,139
Morton College
- Public 2 Year
- Cicero, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $10,110 tuition
Morton College is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The campus sits in Cicero, a near-west suburb of Chicago.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,716
Eureka College
- Private 4 Year
- Eureka, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $29,096 tuition
- Aug 15 application deadline
Eureka is a small private liberal arts college with a traditional undergraduate arts-and-sciences curriculum. The residential campus in a small central Illinois town is Ronald Reagan's alma mater.
- SAT Range 870-1155
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $19,128
Illinois College
- Private 4 Year
- Jacksonville, IL
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| 0 reviews
- $38,676 tuition
Illinois College is a private liberal arts college with undergraduate programs across the arts, sciences, and pre-professional fields. The historic campus sits in the small college town of Jacksonville in west-central Illinois.
- SAT Range 883-1180
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $17,375
Moraine Valley Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Palos Hills, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $8,502 tuition
Moraine Valley is a public community college known for nursing, allied health, and career-technical associate programs. The suburban campus serves students from Chicago's southwest suburbs.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $2,915
Monmouth College
- Private 4 Year
- Monmouth, IL
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4.5 | 2 reviews
- $44,922 tuition
Monmouth is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in a small college town in western Illinois.
- SAT Range 1000-1210
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $17,768
Elgin Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Elgin, IL
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- $7,140 tuition
Elgin Community College is a public community college offering undergraduate associate degrees and certificates in nursing, health professions, and career-technical fields. The suburban campus is located in the Chicago-area city of Elgin.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,020
Concordia University Chicago
- Private 4 Year
- River Forest, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $37,488 tuition
Concordia Chicago is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate education and teacher preparation. The suburban campus sits in River Forest just west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 990-1180
- Avg GPA 3.18
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $19,073
Quincy University
- Private 4 Year
- Quincy, IL
-
2.3 | 3 reviews
- $37,140 tuition
Quincy is a small private Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus is in the Mississippi River city of Quincy.
- SAT Range 1000-1200
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 51%
- Net Price $19,477
Black Hawk College
- Public 2 Year
- Moline, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $7,950 tuition
A public community college known for undergraduate nursing, agriculture, and technical programs. Most students commute to the Moline campus in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,069
McHenry County College
- Public 2 Year
- Crystal Lake, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- $10,392 tuition
McHenry County College is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The suburban campus is in Crystal Lake northwest of Chicago.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.25
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,334