Illinois Colleges
Illinois Colleges Compared — Side by Side
Save yourself hours of frustration trying to navigate confusing, cumbersome, and often vague college websites. Download a summary of Illinois college and university websites' key information with unlimited sorting and filtering.
Illinois at a Glance
A quick look at Illinois's 47 colleges — average tuition, typical 3.5 GPA scholarship awards, and the schools with the best return on investment.
Tuition Avg — Public
$14,921
In-state, first-year freshman
Tuition Avg — Private
$31,365 – $37,646
First-year freshman
3.5 GPA Scholarship — Public
$2,000 – $4,000
Merit awards, typical range
3.5 GPA Scholarship — Private
$12,000 – $30,000
Merit awards, typical range
Enrollment Trend
Down 20% over the past 5 years
Illinois colleges are competing harder for students — which often means bigger merit scholarship offers for the right applicants.
Best ROI Colleges
University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Automatic Scholarships for a 3.5 GPA at Illinois Colleges
10 Illinois colleges with large automatic merit awards for a 3.5 GPA, and what a year costs once the award comes off.
| College | Automatic award (3.5 GPA) | Yearly cost after award |
|---|---|---|
| Augustana College | $30,000 | $38,442 |
| Lake Forest College | $29,000 | $45,702 |
| Monmouth College | $29,000 | $30,822 |
| North Central College | $26,500 | $37,800 |
| Quincy University | $24,000 | $30,400 |
| Principia College | $23,000 | $26,800 |
| North Park University | $21,000 | $31,500 |
| Dominican University | $20,000 | $33,748 |
| Greenville University | $20,000 | $26,333 |
| Lewis University | $20,000 | $35,554 |
Yearly cost after award is the college's published tuition, fees, room and board minus the automatic award. Figures come from each college's published cost and scholarship information, compiled by College Costs Compared in August 2026. Awards and eligibility change every year, so confirm with the college before you apply.
Everything you need to compare Illinois colleges
Get a list of Illinois colleges and universities showing current tuition costs, fees, room and board, and scholarships by grade point average (GPA). Plus, links to each college website, student count, and athletic conference. Filter costs and scholarships highest to lowest. Easily compare college costs and GPA scholarships side by side to determine the cost to attend each college and narrow your search.
Instead of searching through 30 to 50 college websites, narrow down your choices to 5 or 6 before visiting college fairs and campuses.
What's included:
- University of Illinois, Northwestern, DePaul, and every other Illinois college
- Current tuition costs, fees, room and board for each school
- Scholarships listed by grade point average (GPA)
- Links to each college website for further research
- Student count and athletic conference for every school
- Unlimited sorting and filtering — rank highest to lowest
Why families choose our Illinois comparison tool
Sort & Filter
Rank colleges highest to lowest by cost, scholarships, or any column.
Full Cost Picture
Tuition, fees, room and board — all in one view for every school.
Scholarships by GPA
See what merit aid each school offers at your grade point average.
College Links
Direct links to each college website, plus student count and conference.
Illinois Colleges & Universities Included
Our Illinois comparison tool includes tuition costs, fees, room and board, and scholarships by GPA for all of these schools — and more. Compare them all side by side in one spreadsheet.
This is a partial list. The full spreadsheet includes every Illinois college and university with complete cost and scholarship data.
Get the Full Illinois ComparisonAll 4 Midwest states + the bonus planning guide included with every purchase — backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Illinois College Costs — Quick Answers
How many colleges are in Illinois?
Our Illinois comparison covers 47 colleges and universities — every school with published tuition, fees, room and board, and GPA scholarship data.
What is the average in-state tuition in Illinois?
Published in-state tuition at Illinois public universities runs $14,921 per year. Private colleges typically run $31,365 – $37,646 before scholarships.
How much scholarship money do Illinois colleges offer?
Published GPA-based merit scholarships range from $2,000 – $4,000 per year at public universities to $12,000 – $30,000 at private colleges, depending on your grade point average.
Which Illinois colleges give the biggest automatic scholarships for a 3.5 GPA?
Among the 10 Illinois colleges in our August 2026 table, the largest automatic awards for a 3.5 GPA are at Augustana College ($30,000 a year), Lake Forest College ($29,000) and Monmouth College ($29,000).
Is college enrollment in Illinois growing or shrinking?
Illinois college enrollment is down 20% over the past 5 years — a buyer's market where colleges compete for students with tuition discounts and merit scholarships.
Looking at other states?
We also have comparison tools for other states — more coming soon.