Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' office recently reported on higher education affordability in Illinois.  The Comptroller report is based on data from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.  The data finds that Illinois ranks 42nd nationally in a family's ability to pay for a 4-year public institution, using 35% of their income to pay for expenses.  Illinois ranked 27th nationally in community college affordability using 24% of a family's income for expenses.

The report, Measuring Up 2008, states that, "Higher Education has become less affordable for students and their families" when the cost of attending college is considered relative to family income.

Other States
Arkansas is ranked first on community college affordability requiring 17% of a family's income and Wyoming is ranked second with families using just 18% of their income. The most affordable 4-year public colleges based on a family's income are Tennessee which is ranked first using 13% and Louisiana which is ranked second with 14%.

The states that ranked the lowest, or the most unaffordable, when it comes to a family's ability to pay for community college are Vermont and New Hampshire, which are both ranked 49th, using 34% of a family's income. The states ranked the lowest for affording public 4-year colleges are Pennsylvania, which ranked 50th using 41% of a family's income, and Vermont and Ohio which both ranked 48th
using 39%.

Read the entire Comptroller's report on page 13 here and view a map that lists each state based on a family's ability to pay for community colleges and public 4-year colleges.