Education is a valuable investment and something that millions of people accept they need to get into debt. The average cost of tuition fees in the U.S. is $36,436, but some institutions cost significantly more. We take a look at 20 of the most expensive colleges in the world based on total annual costs, including tuition fees and living expenses:
Harvey Mudd College, California, USA ($77,882)
Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont. The college excels at science and engineering and is part of the Claremont Colleges, which share adjoining campus grounds and resources. The college enrolls just 902 undergraduates and has an acceptance rate of 13.4%, which means it is in high demand despite the high tuition fees.
Columbia University, New York ($77,757)
Columbia is consistently ranked among the top universities in the world. Its renowned schools include Medicine, Law, Business, Engineering, and Journalism. The Ivy League research university is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of around 3.9%.
New York University, New York, USA ($77,218)
New York University, or NYU as it’s commonly known, is a prestigious private research university in the heart of the heart. The Tisch School of the Arts is particularly popular, and the university conducts world-class research due to its state-of-the-art facilities.
Parsons School of Design, New York, USA ($76,372)
Another New York art school is Parsons, a private institution in trendy Greenwich Village. Parsons was the first school to offer programs in fashion design and graphic design, and it is still popular among creatives, who hope they are one of the 35% of applicants who are accepted.
Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom ($73,344)
Imperial College London is a world-class public research university in London, England. The university focuses on science, engineering, medicine, and business. Its entrepreneurial culture makes it very competitive, with an acceptance rate of 14.5%.
Princeton University, New Jersey, USA ($73,280)
One of the most well-known universities in the world, Princeton University is a prestigious Ivy League research institution that is consistently ranked among the top of the league. Princeton offers generous financial aid packages to meet the high costs, but there is only a 5.7% chance of acceptance.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts, USA ($72,800)
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge. Alums include Nobel laureates, astronauts, Turing Award winners, and many influential figures in business, technology, and government. With a 4% chance of being accepted, this college is one of the most sought-after in the world.
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA ($72,528)
John Hopkins University (JHU) is another private research university in Baltimore. It has solid medical programs, producing world-class surgeons and medics year after year. However, admission is competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 7.3%, disappointing many applicants.
Claremont McKenna College, California, USA ($72,422)
Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a private liberal arts college located and a part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, which allows students to take advantage of resources and classes across all five member institutions. Like most colleges on this list, the college is in high demand and has a low acceptance rate.
Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, USA ($72,232)
Dartmouth College is another private Ivy League research university that makes the world’s top ten most expensive colleges. It offers a unique undergraduate curriculum focusing on interdisciplinary learning, requiring all students to participate in a program called “Dartmouth Plan,” which involves in-depth study of a single topic.
Sarah Lawrence College, New York, USA ($71,910)
Originally a women’s college, Sarah Lawrence became coeducational in 1968. The private liberal arts college is known for its innovative approach to education, emphasizing individualized learning and small seminar classes for intense learning. Its signature program is the “conference plan,” where students work closely with a faculty advisor to design a personal study plan.
Trinity College, Connecticut, USA ($71,852)
Founded in 1823, Trinity College is the second-oldest college in Connecticut, boasting a long tradition of academic excellence. It is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and other publications.
University of Chicago, Illinois, USA ($71,712)
The University of Chicago offers a challenging curriculum emphasizing critical thinking, writing, and research. Classes tend to be minor, so there is close interaction between students and professors. Thus, there is a high demand for paces with a low acceptance rate of around 25%.
Yale University, Connecticut, USA ($71,672)
Yale is one of the most famous universities in the world, with thousands of international students eager to get a palace. The university has exceptional academic programs across various disciplines, with humanities and sciences being popular degrees. Alums include ex-president Bill Clinton, actress Meryl Streep, and PepsiCo boss Indra Nooyi.
Pepperdine University, California, USA ($71,410)
Another California institution to make the list is Pepperdine University, a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus has 830 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, making it a desirable place to go to college.
Franklin & Marshall College, Pennsylvania, USA ($71,246)
Franklin & Marshall College, located in Lancaster, offers a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum with majors and minors across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, among other specialties. While acceptance levels are low, those lucky enough to get in can expect elite-level education, with most students achieving success.
Brown University, Rhode Island, USA ($71,142)
Brown University, situated in Providence, is an elite private Ivy League research university known for its innovative approach to education and vibrant campus life. Students at Brown can look forward to an open curriculum, which offers undergraduates significant flexibility in course selection.
Landmark College, Vermont, USA ($71,036)
Landmark College is a private college in Putney designed exclusively for students who learn differently, including those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. The college champions a strengths-based model for education, giving students the skills and strategies they need to succeed in life that they may not get in a mainstream college.
Boston College, Massachusetts, USA ($70,930)
Boston College, often called “The Heights” by its students and staff, is a revered private Jesuit research university. Its emphasis is on integrating Catholic and Jesuit values into the academic experience. The school has a diverse student body and a strong focus on service learning and social responsibility.
Oxford University, United Kingdom ($60,400)
Oxford University has a long history of successful alums, including Winston Churchill, Stephen Hawking, and Oscar Wilde. With a global reputation, Oxford attracts world-class scholars and researchers who are leaders in their respective fields. Students benefit from learning from these brilliant minds and being exposed to cutting-edge research.
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