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.

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Illinois Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rock Island, IL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $51,598 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Augustana is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology and music. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Rock Island.

#11 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $24,714

  • Private 4 Year
  • Addison, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $21,536 tuition
0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 770-850
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $31,599

  • Private 4 Year
  • Bourbonnais, IL
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • $38,900 tuition

Olivet Nazarene is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. The residential campus sits in the small town of Bourbonnais south of Chicago.

#19 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 950-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.38
  • Acceptance Rate 56%
  • Net Price $21,281
Waubonsee Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Sugar Grove, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $9,390 tuition

Waubonsee is a community college offering associate degrees and career certificates for transfer and workforce entry. The main campus is in the village of Sugar Grove in the western Chicago suburbs.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $12,754

  • Private 4 Year
  • Carlinville, IL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $28,149 tuition

Blackburn is a private liberal arts college that pairs undergraduate study with a required campus work program. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Carlinville.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 888-1125
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $18,460

  • Public 2 Year
  • Chicago, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $12,090 tuition

Harold Washington is a public community college known for associate programs in business and information technology. The urban campus sits in downtown Chicago's Loop.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $8,156

  • Public 2 Year
  • Chicago, IL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $12,090 tuition

Wright College is a public community college in the City Colleges of Chicago system offering associate degrees and certificate programs. The urban campus is on Chicago's Northwest Side.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 2.5
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,756
Lincoln Land Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Springfield, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $7,104 tuition

A public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The main campus is in Springfield, the Illinois state capital.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $3,959
Trinity International University Illinois Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Deerfield, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $12,320 tuition

Trinity International is a private evangelical Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and ministry. The suburban Deerfield campus sits north of Chicago.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 925-1106
  • Avg GPA 3.26
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $2,835
Heartland Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Normal, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $10,590 tuition

Heartland is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences programs. The suburban campus is located in Normal in central Illinois.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,165
South Suburban College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • South Holland, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $11,033 tuition

South Suburban is a public community college offering two-year associate degrees and career certificate programs. The suburban campus is in South Holland, south of Chicago.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $3,814
Rock Valley College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Rockford, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $7,379 tuition

Rock Valley College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and career-technical programs. Most students commute to the campus in Rockford.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,445
Rockford University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rockford, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $37,780 tuition

Rockford is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in the mid-sized city of Rockford in northern Illinois.

#29 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 850-1070
  • Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $23,642

  • Private 4 Year
  • Elgin, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $31,360 tuition

Judson is a private Christian university known for undergraduate architecture and the visual arts. The suburban campus sits in Elgin northwest of Chicago.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 816-1118
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 48%
  • Net Price $18,673
Trinity Christian College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Palos Heights, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $20,605 tuition

Trinity Christian is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The suburban campus is in Palos Heights just southwest of Chicago.

7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1320
  • Avg GPA 3.48
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $19,655
John A Logan College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Carterville, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $6,580 tuition
  • Aug 25 application deadline

John A. Logan is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The main campus sits in the small southern Illinois town of Carterville.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,122

  • Private 4 Year
  • Galesburg, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $57,903 tuition
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Knox is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate creative writing and the sciences. The historic campus in Galesburg includes Old Main, site of an 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate.

#10 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1180-1440
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $25,709
Southwestern Illinois College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Belleville, IL
  • | 0 reviews
  • $7,740 tuition

SWIC is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and allied health programs. The Belleville campus serves the Metro East suburbs near St. Louis.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $10,147