Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Illinois
Colleges whose average price after grants is furthest below their published sticker price.
Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Illinois21 schools
21 schools qualify, ranked by discount off the sticker price.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has a sticker price (cost of attendance) and a net price (average yearly cost after grants) from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by the discount, sticker price minus net price, largest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- $75,500 off the sticker price
- Net price $14,860 a year
- 2
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $62,083 off the sticker price
- Net price $29,167 a year
- 3
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- $49,739 off the sticker price
- Net price $18,425 a year
- 4
Knox College
Galesburg, IL · Private nonprofit#8 in Illinois
- $43,539 off the sticker price
- Net price $24,595 a year
- 5
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL · Private nonprofit#7 in Illinois
- $42,501 off the sticker price
- Net price $28,199 a year
- 6
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · Private nonprofit#5 in Illinois
- $41,982 off the sticker price
- Net price $28,673 a year
- 7
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL · Private nonprofit#10 in Illinois
- $40,817 off the sticker price
- Net price $22,736 a year
- 8
Monmouth College
Monmouth, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- $40,024 off the sticker price
- Net price $17,133 a year
- 9
North Central College
Naperville, IL · Private nonprofit#18 in Illinois
- $36,175 off the sticker price
- Net price $21,044 a year
- 10
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- $33,233 off the sticker price
- Net price $13,006 a year
- 11
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Illinois
- $32,288 off the sticker price
- Net price $26,975 a year
- 12
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- $32,150 off the sticker price
- Net price $30,902 a year
- 13
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- $32,011 off the sticker price
- Net price $22,719 a year
- 14
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for earnings
- $31,329 off the sticker price
- Net price $36,079 a year
- 15
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- $30,494 off the sticker price
- Net price $24,185 a year
- 16
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- $30,285 off the sticker price
- Net price $17,028 a year
- 17
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- $25,835 off the sticker price
- Net price $49,790 a year
- 18
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Illinois
- $19,287 off the sticker price
- Net price $14,355 a year
- 19
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- $16,547 off the sticker price
- Net price $10,974 a year
- 20
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- $15,887 off the sticker price
- Net price $19,125 a year
- 21
Hebrew Theological College
Skokie, IL · Private nonprofitTop 17% for low debt
- $8,698 off the sticker price
- Net price $26,861 a year
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $18,425 | $25,000 | $82,592 | 75% |
| Knox College | $24,595 | $27,000 | $54,820 | 68% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | $27,000 | $70,871 | 75% |
| Lake Forest College | $28,673 | $26,158 | $61,825 | 78% |
| Augustana College | $22,736 | $27,000 | $62,971 | 73% |
| Monmouth College | $17,133 | $27,000 | $51,110 | 65% |
| North Central College | $21,044 | $24,500 | $60,123 | 64% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| Wheaton College | $26,975 | $23,250 | $63,756 | 85% |
| DePaul University | $30,902 | $23,168 | $68,751 | 68% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| Loyola University Chicago | $36,079 | $24,157 | $71,530 | 73% |
| Elmhurst University | $24,185 | $20,489 | $61,462 | 70% |
| Lewis University | $17,028 | $21,500 | $66,099 | 67% |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $49,790 | $27,000 | $40,151 | 67% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | $19,500 | $81,054 | 85% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $10,974 | $16,704 | $68,740 | 62% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Hebrew Theological College | $26,861 | $14,000 | $33,291 | 50% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 63
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 17
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 20
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15