Data shows that students paid $19,224 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $460 more than the previous school year.
Among the 192 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, the University of Chicago stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $64,260. Northwestern University followed with an average of $63,468 per year. The Trenz Beauty Academy students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,440.
Currently there are 205 higher education institutions in Illinois.
At the time, at least $1.1 billion in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in Illinois. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $205.9 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 205 institutions in Illinois, 13 did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Lakeview College of Nursing, St. John's College-Department of Nursing, and Zen Shiatsu Chicago.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
Average Tuition Fees in Illinois Universities in 2022-23 School Year
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $64,260 | 7,595 |
| Northwestern University | $63,468 | 8,993 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $54,530 | 2,819 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $53,814 | 1,527 |
| Knox College | $53,259 | 1,058 |
| Lake Forest College | $52,902 | 1,727 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $50,640 | 3,125 |
| Loyola University Chicago | $49,498 | 11,703 |
| Augustana College | $47,916 | 2,318 |
| North Central College | $43,046 | 2,368 |
| DePaul University | $42,840 | 14,134 |
| Wheaton College | $42,240 | 2,163 |
| Monmouth College | $42,214 | 767 |
| Millikin University | $41,632 | 1,708 |
| Elmhurst University | $40,232 | 3,027 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc | $39,850 | 1,216 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | $37,940 | 2,519 |
| Bradley University | $37,800 | 4,143 |
| American Academy of Art College | $37,670 | 111 |
| Lewis University | $36,530 | 3,933 |
| Dominican University | $36,500 | 2,136 |
| Illinois College | $36,346 | 1,028 |
| University of St Francis | $36,000 | 1,414 |
| Saint Xavier University | $35,770 | 2,981 |
| Rockford University | $35,050 | 951 |
| Concordia University-Chicago | $34,964 | 1,328 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park | $34,835 | 1,209 |
| Trinity Christian College | $34,325 | 854 |
| Benedictine University | $34,290 | 2,042 |
| Ambria College of Nursing | $34,200 | 211 |
| North Park University | $34,020 | 1,868 |
| Trinity International University-Illinois | $33,898 | 450 |
| McKendree University | $33,430 | 1,534 |
| Roosevelt University | $33,068 | 2,413 |
| Principia College | $32,130 | 323 |
| Quincy University | $31,940 | 1,147 |
| Columbia College Chicago | $31,026 | 6,424 |
| Judson University | $30,910 | 798 |
| Greenville University | $30,548 | 948 |
| VanderCook College of Music | $29,800 | 94 |
| Eureka College | $28,380 | 559 |
| Saint Anthony College of Nursing | $27,811 | 181 |
| Aurora University | $27,420 | 4,048 |
| Blackburn College | $26,055 | 382 |
| Worsham College of Mortuary Science | $24,800 | 190 |
| Cosmetology & Spa Academy | $24,000 | 359 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park | $22,400 | 229 |
| Aveda Institute-Chicago | $21,850 | 93 |
| Creative Touch Cosmetology School | $21,400 | 22 |
| CAAN Academy of Nursing | $21,200 | 72 |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | $20,410 | 11,661 |
| MDT College of Health Sciences | $20,230 | 324 |
| Hair Professionals Career College | $20,162 | 62 |
| Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology | $20,162 | 97 |
| University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts | $19,850 | 147 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago | $19,575 | 197 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Lombard | $19,575 | 86 |
| Capri Beauty College | $19,500 | 51 |
| Capri Beauty College | $19,500 | 65 |
| Gem City College | $19,425 | 41 |
| Morrison Institute of Technology | $19,400 | 67 |
| Empire Beauty School-Stone Park | $19,260 | 112 |
| Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills | $19,260 | 47 |
| Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture | $18,900 | 49 |
| Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus | $18,870 | 105 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru | $18,857 | 28 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling | $18,857 | 39 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Rockford | $18,857 | 77 |
| Illinois Media School | $18,750 | 26 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Normal | $18,613 | 92 |
| Phipps Academy of Barbering | $18,500 | 33 |
| Northwestern College | $18,475 | 514 |
| Pivot Point Academy | $18,405 | 119 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture | $18,340 | 142 |
| Networks Barber College | $18,200 | 12 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $18,125 | 35,120 |
| Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology | $18,100 | 77 |
| Methodist College | $18,008 | 433 |
| Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy | $18,000 | 48 |
| Cameo Beauty Academy | $17,985 | 100 |
| Oehrlein School of Cosmetology | $17,750 | 36 |
| Hair Professionals Career College | $17,550 | 62 |
| John Amico School of Hair Design | $17,480 | 223 |
| Steven Papageorge Hair Academy | $17,250 | 64 |
| First Institute of Travel, Inc. | $17,025 | 274 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College | $16,699 | 473 |
| Fox College | $16,620 | 252 |
| Reflections Academy of Beauty | $16,600 | 28 |
| Universal Spa Training Academy | $16,500 | 105 |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago | $16,410 | 39 |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park | $16,410 | 31 |
| Larry's Barber College | $16,190 | 93 |
| Larry's Barber College-Joliet | $16,190 | 22 |
| Moody Bible Institute | $16,178 | 1,753 |
| Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago | $16,000 | 79 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois | $15,721 | 1,108 |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute | $15,600 | 468 |
| Illinois State University | $15,529 | 18,055 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $15,416 | 8,000 |
| Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology | $15,100 | 79 |
| HVAC Technical Institute | $15,000 | 207 |
| Lincoln Christian University | $14,920 | 87 |
| Career Center of Southern Illinois | $14,900 | 67 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $14,831 | 21,807 |
| ETI School of Skilled Trades | $14,685 | 323 |
| Western Illinois University | $14,406 | 5,309 |
| University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology | $14,325 | 42 |
| The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology | $14,325 | 61 |
| Hebrew Theological College | $14,200 | 160 |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute | $13,900 | 378 |
| CALC Institute of Technology | $13,600 | 61 |
| Kankakee Community College | $13,582 | 2,333 |
| State Career College | $13,500 | 55 |
| St. Augustine College | $13,288 | 680 |
| Eastern Illinois University | $13,274 | 6,916 |
| The Chicago School at Chicago | $13,224 | 34 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview | $13,184 | 416 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE | $13,184 | 145 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW | $13,184 | 205 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Glendale Heights | $13,184 | 145 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin | $13,184 | 128 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville | $13,184 | 185 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal | $13,184 | 83 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria | $13,184 | 121 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford | $13,184 | 166 |
| Illinois Valley Community College | $13,169 | 2,371 |
| University of Illinois Springfield | $13,022 | 2,393 |
| Joliet Junior College | $12,761 | 10,212 |
| Generations College | $12,700 | 303 |
| Northern Illinois University | $12,662 | 11,429 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | $12,558 | 9,321 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | $12,305 | 4,207 |
| Chicago State University | $12,018 | 1,450 |
| Cosmetology Concepts Niles | $11,980 | 53 |
| Rasmussen University-Illinois | $11,738 | 2,384 |
| Parkland College | $11,715 | 5,686 |
| Bell Mar Beauty College | $11,700 | 48 |
| Sauk Valley Community College | $11,605 | 1,386 |
| Midwestern Career College | $11,600 | 676 |
| National Louis University | $11,580 | 3,984 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | $11,549 | 2,101 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | $11,520 | 5,289 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | $11,520 | 7,314 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | $11,520 | 2,237 |
| Triton College | $11,520 | 8,616 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | $11,520 | 4,787 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | $11,520 | 7,508 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | $11,520 | 5,559 |
| Spoon River College | $11,457 | 1,212 |
| McHenry County College | $11,375 | 8,874 |
| South Suburban College | $11,099 | 3,905 |
| Richland Community College | $10,800 | 2,075 |
| Taylor Business Institute | $10,650 | 175 |
| Waubonsee Community College | $10,626 | 7,491 |
| Rock Valley College | $10,584 | 5,861 |
| Governors State University | $10,468 | 2,609 |
| Oakton College | $10,467 | 7,645 |
| Wabash Valley College | $10,190 | 926 |
| Lincoln Trail College | $10,144 | 636 |
| Heartland Community College | $10,099 | 4,774 |
| Frontier Community College | $10,098 | 1,740 |
| Olney Central College | $10,076 | 869 |
| Capital Area Career Center | $9,995 | 106 |
| Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute | $9,975 | 163 |
| William Rainey Harper College | $9,960 | 12,434 |
| Illinois Central College | $9,937 | 7,044 |
| College of Lake County | $9,842 | 11,651 |
| College of DuPage | $9,831 | 21,939 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | $9,552 | 3,973 |
| Prairie State College | $9,431 | 2,680 |
| Kishwaukee College | $9,390 | 2,581 |
| Estelle Medical Academy | $9,180 | 64 |
| Morton College | $8,894 | 3,753 |
| Danville Area Community College | $8,650 | 1,924 |
| John Wood Community College | $8,400 | 1,718 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | $8,310 | 10,511 |
| Graham Hospital School of Nursing | $8,269 | 43 |
| Lake Land College | $8,163 | 3,742 |
| Black Hawk College | $7,961 | 3,773 |
| Carl Sandburg College | $7,889 | 1,688 |
| Kaskaskia College | $7,674 | 3,370 |
| American Islamic College | $7,650 | 10 |
| Elgin Community College | $7,140 | 8,910 |
| Highland Community College | $6,907 | 1,184 |
| Pacific College of Health and Science | $6,900 | 60 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | $6,840 | 4,444 |
| Shawnee Community College | $6,759 | 1,174 |
| Rend Lake College | $6,450 | 2,017 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | $6,385 | 7,188 |
| Southeastern Illinois College | $6,271 | 1,379 |
| John A Logan College | $6,004 | 3,272 |
| Trenz Beauty Academy | $1,440 | 128 |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Lakeview College of Nursing• Career Center of Southern Illinois• Concordia University-Chicago• Richland Community College• Maccormac College• Rock Valley College• Northeastern Illinois University• Hvac Technical Institute• Bell Mar Beauty College• Hair Professionals Career College• First Institute Inc• City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College• Heartland Community College• Kishwaukee College• Blackburn College• Dominican University• Taylor Business Institute• Pivot Point Academy• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE• Cameo Beauty Academy• Parkland College• Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills• Larry's Barber College• South Suburban College• Morton College• Joliet Junior College• Illinois Central College• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign• Trinity Christian College• Estelle Skin Care And Spa Institute• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Glendale Heights• The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology• North Central College• Illinois Institute of Technology• Cosmetology & Spa Academy• University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology• Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences• Resurrection University• University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts• North Park University• St. John's College-Department of Nursing• Lincoln Land Community College• Moraine Valley Community College• Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy• Moody Bible Institute• Saint Xavier University• Southwestern Illinois College• Sauk Valley Community College• Rasmussen College-Illinois• McKendree University• Bradley University• Spoon River College• Lewis University• Quincy University• G Skin & Beauty Institute• Illinois Valley Community College• Hair Professionals Career College• John Amico School of Hair Design• Paul Mitchell The School-Normal• Lewis And Clark Community College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville• Lake Land College• University of St. Francis• Chicago State University• Greenville University• Lake Forest College• Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park• Calc Institute of Technology• Kankakee Community College• Steven Papageorge Hair Academy• Shawnee Community College• Prairie State College• Northwestern University Graduate Progr• Principia College• Hebrew Theological College• Benedictine University• Olivet Nazarene University• City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College• Caan Academy of Nursing• Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology• Waubonsee Community College• Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling• John A Logan College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford• Eti School of Skilled Trades• Saint Anthony College of Nursing• Chicago Professional Center• Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago• Verve College• Aveda Institute-Chicago• State Career College• College of Lake County• Wheaton College• Illinois Wesleyan University• Wabash Valley College• Lincoln Christian University• Capri Beauty College• Estelle Medical Academy• William Rainey Harper College• Ats Institute of Technology• Southern Illinois University At Edwardsville• Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences• Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-La Salle• Elgin Community College• National University of Health Sciences• John Wood Community College• College of Dupage• Graham Hospital School of Nursing• McHenry County College• City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College• Networks Barber College• Knox College Gender and Women's Studies• Capri Beauty College/Vice-President• Millikin University• St. Augustine College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Urbana• Chamberlain University-Illinois• Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology• Illinois College• Larry's Barber College-Joliet• G Skin & Beauty Institute• Danville Area Community College• Gem City College• Trinity International University-Illinois• Trenz Beauty Academy• Paul Mitchell The School-Lombard• Fox College• Rush University• Zen Shiatsu Chicago• University of Illinois System Office• Empire Beauty School-Stone Park• Methodist College• Frontier Community College• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal• Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park• Judson University• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria• Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc.• University of Illinois at Chicago• Ultimate Touch Barber College• Illinois Media School• School of Art Institute of Chicago• Niles School of Cosmetology• Ambria College of Nursing• Monmouth College• Midwestern Career College• American Academy of Art• City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College• Lincoln Trail College• Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW• Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College• Vandercook College of Music• Western Illinois University• Paul Mitchell The School-Bradley• City Colleges of Chicago Harold Washington College• Rockford University• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture Bridgeview• Loyola University Chicago• Adler University• Illinois State University• Northwestern College, Bridgeview, Il• Northern Illinois University• Aurora University• American Islamic College• Pacific College of Oriental Medicine Chicago• Columbia College Chicago• Highland Community College• The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago• Governors State University• Universal Spa Training Academy• Midwest Technical Institute-Springfield• City Colleges of Chicago Malcolm X College• Educators Of Beauty College Of Cosmetology-Rockford• Carl Sandburg College• Southern Illinois University Carbondale• Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture• National-Louis University• Reflections Academy Of Beauty• Tricoci University Of Beauty Culture-Elgin• Depaul University Chicago Sunday Eveni• Oakton College• Black Hawk College• Saint Francis Medical Center College Of Nursing• Elmhurst University• Eureka College• Worsham College Of Mortuary Science• Morrison Institute Of Technology• City Colleges Of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College• Rend Lake College• Roosevelt University• Cannella School Of Hair Design-Chicago• Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus• Debutantes School Of Cosmetology And Nail Technology• Eastern Illinois University• Creative Touch Cosmetology School• Olney Central College• Oehrlein School Of Cosmetology• The University Of Chicago• Capital Area School Of Practical Nursing• Paul Mitchell The School-Chicago• Southeastern Illinois College
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