Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in llinois. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.
Prospective students searching for colleges in Illinois have plenty of excellent schools to choose from. Illinois offers over 130 higher education institutes throughout the state. Thanks to an expansive public university system and several top private institutions, students can select from an extremely wide array of brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Illinois.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago, the state’s two largest public universities in Illinois. Students can access a full spectrum of undergraduate and graduate degrees for in-state tuition rates of $13,000 to $15,000 respectively. Both public universities also offer a full selection of online degree programs.It’s also worth noting that Illinois residents who pursue online degrees at public colleges in Illinois will qualify for in-state tuition rates. Out of state students will generally pay more whether pursuing on-campus or online degrees.
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More than half of the colleges in Illinois are actually private schools. Among these private colleges and universities, the most notable are DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago. Tuition from these three private schools can be costly, ranging from $44,000 to $55,000. However, each of these private schools boasts a high graduation rate and excellent professors.
Illinois is also home to many small private schools, including Benedictine University and National Louis University.
Popular disciplines in Illinois include disciplines like criminal justice, social work, nursing, education, religious studies, communications, and medicine. Both traditional and online students have a wide range of options in each of these subject areas.
Degree completion programs are also widely available for lapsed students who have already accumulated some college credits. This is an especially popular online degree option among working professionals in Illinois.
Additionally, Illinois offers several loan forgiveness-based financial aid programs for qualifying students pursuing careers as teachers, public defenders or prosecutors, or nurses.From the skyscrapers in Chicago to the vast prairie lands in the north, Illinois is a place where city meets country. Students can grab a Chicago-style hotdog on the way to a Cubs game, explore the ancient sandstone cliffs in the Shawnee National Forest, or admire an exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, all while attending one of The Prairie State’s universities or colleges.
The higher education institutes in Illinois have also produced many prominent alumni, including Stephen Colbert, Phillip Glass, and Kurt Vonnegut. Students hoping to walk the same streets as these well-known individuals can check out some of the state’s top programs and universities.
Illinois, just like other states, experienced a downturn in college enrollment during the start of COVID-19. But in the middle of 2021, the state began to experience a quick rebound. Because of its strong economy, Illinois is a desirable area to pursue higher education and a profession.
While Illinois takes pride in hosting one of the most affordable colleges in the United States, college-bound students are still looking for financial aid opportunities. It will also help students decide which major to pursue if they know which careers provide the highest ROI in Illinois.
AIM HIGH: The Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Grant Pilot Program of the State of Illinois provides funding for the AIM HIGH Scholarship. This initiative aims to make education more affordable for Illinois students, helps them pay off their student loans, and encourages them to attend an in-state university.
Grants: Grants are non-repayable gifts from federal, state, or university monies based on demonstrable financial need.
Scholarships: Scholarships are gifts that don’t have to be paid back and are given out based on several criteria, such as academic excellence, talent, athletic prowess, leadership qualities, geographic location, the field of study, or financial necessity.
Loans: Loans are borrowed monies that must be repaid whenever a student graduates, leaves college, or drops below half-time status. They are used to assist you in paying for your college or graduate school educational expenditures.
Student Employment: Employment enables undergraduate and graduate students to make money while still attending classes.
Graduates decide which career path to take based on several reasons, including the undergraduate and graduate programs they pursue, their individual skills, interests, and suggestions from peers.
However, a crucial factor—the demand for workers in a specific job—is frequently ranked lower or not considered. Researching job trends can help you concentrate on an in-demand career with future growth, especially for professionals in the workforce considering a career change.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) names these top five most in-demand majors/jobs in Illinois:
In many businesses, management positions provide some of the most direct paths to increasing your level of responsibility. Businesses and organizations need someone to be in charge of overseeing staff productivity and progress.
According to BLS, management occupations are expected to grow by 8% in the next ten years.
The major duty of finance professionals is to provide financial services using their understanding of finance, tax regulations, and accounting. These professionals usually help with financial planning in businesses and individuals. According to BLS, business and financial occupations are expected to grow by 7% in the next ten years.
Professionals in computer and mathematical occupations are tasked to help companies or organizations model networks, analyze, plan, and synchronize network and data communications hardware and software. Additionally, professionals help computer network specialists manage network security.
According to BLS, computer and mathematical occupations are expected to grow by 15% in the next ten years.
You should consider an architecture or engineering job if you are interested in science, math, and construction techniques. These professionals gather data for mapping and other uses while designing and creating various products, systems, and buildings.
According to BLS, architecture and engineering occupations are expected to grow by 4% in the next ten years.
Life sciences occupations often entail studying living organisms. Principles of chemistry and physics are often studied and applied in physical science occupations. Social science specialists study interpersonal relationships and human civilization.
According to BLS, Life, physical, and social science occupations are expected to grow by 7% in the next ten years.
There are 15 affordable colleges and universities in Illinois with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Illinois is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.
These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
85%
Student body
55K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/30
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
62%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/25
University of Illinois Chicago’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
51%
Student body
14K
Northern Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
67%
Student body
19K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/23
Illinois State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
45%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/23
Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
98%
Graduation
52%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/24
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
51%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
985/21
Western Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
53%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/23
University of Illinois Springfield’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
51%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Eastern Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
21%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
856/17
Chicago State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
16%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
940/19
Governors State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
21%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
910/18
Northeastern Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
34%
Student body
6K
National Louis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
74%
Graduation
33%
Student body
<1K
Lincoln College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Graduation
99%
Student body
<1K
St. Augustine College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
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