Students at Millikin University will pay a lot less next year.
The private university in Decatur announced a 36% drop in tuition for all full-time undergraduates beginning fall 2024. The change applies to both current and incoming students.
Incoming first-year students will pay $26,000, with tuition raised $1,000 each subsequent year of full-time enrollment. The reduced cost makes Millikin's tuition comparable to attending a public university (Illinois State University’s tuition is $23,000). Illinois Wesleyan University, another private university, charges $55,000.
The tuition reset at Millikin, announced Tuesday, coincides with a new program called the Big Blue Pledge: Illinois Free Tuition Program. The grant initiative incentivizes a private college education for eligible Illinois residents with financial need.
The program is available to incoming students enrolling full-time for the 2024-25 school year. Applicants must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by May 1, be an Illinois resident eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.
Illinois has the second highest rate of outmigration in the country, behind New Jersey, with more than half of high school graduates leaving the state to attend college.
