The most expensive colleges in the US for the 2025-2026 academic year generally have tuition and total costs exceeding $69,000 per year, with some approaching or exceeding $90,000 when including tuition, fees, room, and board.
Top Most Expensive Colleges by Tuition (2025)
- Vassar College: $73,275
- University of Southern California: $73,260
- Colgate College: $73,206
- Amherst College: $73,140
- Colorado College: $73,038
These colleges charge over $69,000 per year in tuition alone.
Top Most Expensive Colleges by Total Cost of Attendance (2023-2024)
- Pepperdine University: $93,512
- Northwestern University: $91,290
- University of Southern California: $90,453
- Columbia University: $86,097
- The New School: $90,400
These totals include tuition, fees, room/board, and other expenses.
Additional Notably Expensive Colleges
- University of Chicago, Boston College, Wesleyan University, Yale University, Tufts University, and Cornell University all have total costs well above $85,000 annually.
Some lists also rank Stanford University, Duke University, and Brown University among the priciest.
These colleges are mainly private institutions and many provide significant financial aid to offset the full cost for eligible students. However, sticker prices remain near or above $70,000 just for tuition at many, with total annual costs often near $90,000 or more.
If desired, I can provide a detailed ranked table of the top most expensive colleges currently.
