2025 Most Expensive Colleges

In 2025, the average tuition and fees at 1,485 four-year colleges is $31,195, reflecting a -2.60% increase compared to the previous year.Among the 1485 institutions analyzed, tuition rose at 1,088 colleges, while tuition decreased at only 83 colleges.

During the academic year 2024-2025, 116 colleges had tuition and fees exceeding $60,000. University of Southern California ranks as the most expensive colleges, with tuition and fees reaching $71,647. Known for its prestigious academic programs and strong reputation, University of Southern California remains a top choice for students seeking a premium education experience.

Close behind are Kenyon College at$71,520 and Brown University at$71,312 both consistently recognized among the Colleges with the Highest Tuition & Fees, offering high-quality academic programs and resources.

Among these top-tier Colleges with the Highest Tuition & Fees, the average acceptance rate is 29.50% and the average SAT score is 1,446, reflecting a competitive admissions environment and strong academic performance.

Comparison between Colleges With The Highest Tuition & Fees

Table. Colleges With The Highest Tuition & Fees Comparison
School NameUndergraduate Tuition & FeesGraduate Tuition & FeesAcceptance RateTotal PopulationSAT ScoreGraduation RateStudents to Faculty Ratio
1
2		University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate, 4-year $71,647
$3,410		$71,515
$3,387		9.81%46,5661,50092.00%9 to 1
2
1		Kenyon College Gambier, OHPrivate, 4-year $71,520
$2,190		-31.03%2,2491,42082.00%9 to 1
3
1		Brown University Providence, RIPrivate, 4-year $71,312
$3,082		$69,948
$2,942		5.39%11,9561,54096.00%6 to 1
4
5		Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NYPrivate, 4-year $71,030
$3,225		$67,805
-		18.57%2,4621,50091.00%7 to 1
5
3		Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PAPrivate, 4-year $70,794
$2,414		-28.19%1,8081,37584.00%9 to 1
6
5		Trinity College Hartford, CTPrivate, 4-year $70,770
$3,350		$20,890
$2,010		29.25%2,2381,40584.00%9 to 1
7
-		Colorado College Colorado Springs, COPrivate, 4-year $70,734
$2,802		$31,350
$2,450		18.47%2,0561,34088.00%9 to 1
8
-		Tufts University Medford, MAPrivate, 4-year $70,704
$2,860		$50,798
$1,322		11.49%13,5991,51094.00%10 to 1
9
1		Boston College Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate, 4-year $70,702
$3,022		$37,520
$1,620		16.43%15,4321,50091.00%10 to 1
10
5		Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate, 4-year $70,517
$2,346		$57,973
$1,694		3.99%35,1731,55096.00%6 to 1
11
1		Amherst College Amherst, MAPrivate, 4-year $70,480
$3,200		-9.01%1,9141,54094.00%6 to 1
12
6		Haverford College Haverford, PAPrivate, 4-year $70,398
$2,378		-12.37%1,4311,51090.00%8 to 1
13
-		Colgate University Hamilton, NYPrivate, 4-year $70,306
$3,282		$70,306
$3,282		13.88%3,2111,50091.00%9 to 1
14
1		Wesleyan University Middletown, CTPrivate, 4-year $70,042
$3,026		$69,702
$2,966		16.49%4,0111,49093.00%8 to 1
15
1		Pepperdine University Malibu, CAPrivate, 4-year $69,918
$3,176		$44,056
$2,036		62.86%8,9761,37083.00%12 to 1
16
4		Barnard College New York, NYPrivate, 4-year $69,888
$3,642		-8.84%3,4871,52093.00%10 to 1
17
-		Colby College Waterville, MEPrivate, 4-year $69,600
$3,000		-7.09%2,4121,51089.00%9 to 1
18
4		Reed College Portland, ORPrivate, 4-year $69,350
$2,330		-24.61%1,3581,42071.00%9 to 1
19
6		University of Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate, 4-year $69,324
$3,705		$68,652
$2,109		4.48%18,5661,55096.00%5 to 1
20
2		Cornell University Ithaca, NYPrivate, 4-year $69,314
$3,300		$30,160
$75		8.76%26,7931,54095.00%9 to 1
21
3		Union College Schenectady, NYPrivate, 4-year $69,039
$2,583		-43.92%2,0651,39080.00%9 to 1
22
49		Hamilton College Clinton, NYPrivate, 4-year $68,960
$6,220		-13.62%2,0311,50091.00%9 to 1
23
5		Carleton College Northfield, MNPrivate, 4-year $68,892
$3,435		-20.41%2,1281,51590.00%8 to 1
24
-		Duke University Durham, NCPrivate, 4-year $68,758
$2,953		$66,523
$2,538		5.71%17,4991,54097.00%5 to 1
25
4		University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate, 4-year $68,686
$2,582		$47,844
$1,810		5.40%29,1091,55097.00%8 to 1
26
-		Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LAPrivate, 4-year $68,678
$3,140		$69,310
$3,264		13.98%13,3101,46586.00%7 to 1
27
8		Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CAPrivate, 4-year $68,613
$2,358		-12.66%9511,54092.00%8 to 1
28
9		Williams College Williamstown, MAPrivate, 4-year $68,560
$3,700		$68,620
$4,080		8.25%2,1641,54094.00%6 to 1
29
6		Northwestern University Evanston, ILPrivate, 4-year $68,322
$2,325		$54,655
$784		7.69%23,8561,54095.00%6 to 1
30
6		Grinnell College Grinnell, IAPrivate, 4-year $68,196
$3,334		-14.51%1,7881,49088.00%9 to 1
31
3		Macalester College Saint Paul, MNPrivate, 4-year $68,104
$3,196		-28.52%2,1381,44087.00%10 to 1
32
2		Boston University Boston, MAPrivate, 4-year $68,102
$2,934		$67,626
$2,914		11.11%37,7371,48089.00%10 to 1
33
2		Georgetown University Washington, DCPrivate, 4-year $68,089
$3,008		$61,670
$2,364		12.91%20,0311,49095.00%11 to 1
34
2		Brandeis University Waltham, MAPrivate, 4-year $68,080
$3,134		$60,153
$1,425		40.50%5,2051,47086.00%10 to 1
35
12		Washington and Lee University Lexington, VAPrivate, 4-year $68,045
$3,520		$47,437
-		13.97%2,2411,48094.00%7 to 1
36
9		Dartmouth College Hanover, NHPrivate, 4-year $68,019
$2,508		$66,617
$2,549		5.40%6,9381,54096.00%7 to 1
37
15		Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CAPrivate, 4-year $67,980
$3,830		$72,294
$3,769		9.59%1,3931,53091.00%8 to 1
38
5		Bowdoin College Brunswick, MEPrivate, 4-year $67,832
$2,922		-7.13%1,8811,52095.00%9 to 1
39
1		Bucknell University Lewisburg, PAPrivate, 4-year $67,812
$3,040		$29,616
$1,336		28.93%3,9691,40086.00%9 to 1
40
2		Villanova University Villanova, PAPrivate, 4-year $67,776
$3,075		$22,335
$974		26.98%10,0411,45092.00%10 to 1
41
2		George Washington University Washington, DCPrivate, 4-year $67,710
$2,912		$36,414
$1,260		47.09%25,3741,43084.00%13 to 1
42
1		Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NCPrivate, 4-year $67,642
$2,884		$39,141
$209		21.67%9,3221,47089.00%10 to 1
43
14		Middlebury College Middlebury, VTPrivate, 4-year $67,600
$2,320		$15,210
$660		10.75%2,8031,50091.00%8 to 1
44
11		Vanderbilt University Nashville, TNPrivate, 4-year $67,498
$3,552		$57,868
$1,740		5.86%13,5751,54094.00%8 to 1
45
-		Oberlin College Oberlin, OHPrivate, 4-year $67,366
$2,720		$30,320
$325		34.18%2,9091,45081.00%9 to 1
46
3		Yale University New Haven, CTPrivate, 4-year $67,250
$2,550		$49,500
$1,200		3.87%15,5641,54096.00%5 to 1
47
9		Connecticut College New London, CTPrivate, 4-year $67,242
$2,430		$13,950
-		37.04%1,9901,43082.00%9 to 1
48
2		Wellesley College Wellesley, MAPrivate, 4-year $67,176
$2,856		-14.05%2,4071,52092.00%7 to 1
49
14		Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NYPrivate, 4-year $67,140
$2,260		-21.05%2,7041,39083.00%8 to 1
50
1		University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate, 4-year $67,080
$2,732		$39,310
$447		40.08%11,9461,49085.00%9 to 1
51
3		Southern Methodist University Dallas, TXPrivate, 4-year $67,040
$2,580		$37,278
$216		63.35%12,1161,42084.00%11 to 1
52
1		Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MAPrivate, 4-year $67,018
$2,876		$33,270
$560		36.03%2,2751,46084.00%9 to 1
53
1		Denison University Granville, OHPrivate, 4-year $67,000
$3,000		-17.39%2,3941,41079.00%9 to 1
54
3		Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NYPrivate, 4-year $66,862
$3,184		$36,122
$1,392		61.73%1,7981,36071.00%10 to 1
55
4		Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PAPrivate, 4-year $66,640
$2,410		$4,500
-		38.90%2,8121,37083.00%10 to 1
56
12		Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate, 4-year $66,608
$1,930		$53,980
$1,578		36.54%12,4751,51087.00%9 to 1
57
2		Bates College Lewiston, MEPrivate, 4-year $66,590
$3,112		-13.32%1,7601,46590.00%9 to 1
58
-		Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, NYPrivate, 4-year $66,436
$2,824		$44,500
$1,880		52.12%2,9111,38068.00%9 to 1
59
2		Occidental College Los Angeles, CAPrivate, 4-year $66,274
$2,828		$66,274
$2,828		44.17%1,8811,44081.00%9 to 1
60
14		Bennington College Bennington, VTPrivate, 4-year $66,262
$1,618		$24,617
-		44.53%9271,33571.00%9 to 1
61
5		Northeastern University Boston, MAPrivate, 4-year $66,162
$3,021		$29,174
$1,074		5.22%32,5531,49091.00%16 to 1
62
-		Scripps College Claremont, CAPrivate, 4-year $65,950
$2,516		$48,598
-		38.29%1,1371,50083.00%10 to 1
63
12		Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PAPrivate, 4-year $65,920
$3,360		$55,140
$2,634		29.43%1,6791,39082.00%8 to 1
64
12		Stanford University Stanford, CAPrivate, 4-year $65,910
$3,426		$61,878
$2,379		3.61%18,6251,55092.00%6 to 1
65
9		St Lawrence University Canton, NYPrivate, 4-year $65,900
$2,030		$24,560
$720		54.34%1,9911,35079.00%11 to 1
66
1		California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CAPrivate, 4-year $65,898
$2,643		$65,706
$2,643		2.57%2,430-94.00%3 to 1
67
1		Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate, 4-year $65,790
$2,808		$65,146
$2,780		12.06%16,3571,54094.00%7 to 1
68
8		Dickinson College Carlisle, PAPrivate, 4-year $65,650
$2,200		$3,750
-		42.09%2,3141,38080.00%11 to 1
69
6		Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate, 4-year $65,636
$2,362		$50,975
$1,525		11.66%15,8881,54094.00%5 to 1
70
3		Syracuse University Syracuse, NYPrivate, 4-year $65,528
$2,467		$48,132
$1,814		45.92%22,5891,36084.00%15 to 1
71
6		Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PAPrivate, 4-year $65,494
$3,082		-7.46%1,6231,54092.00%7 to 1
72
7		Pomona College Claremont, CAPrivate, 4-year $65,420
$3,094		-7.09%1,7001,54093.00%7 to 1
73
1		University of Richmond University of Richmond, VAPrivate, 4-year $65,230
$2,630		$31,229
$3,377		22.20%3,7221,48085.00%7 to 1
74
1		Pitzer College Claremont, CAPrivate, 4-year $65,192
$2,500		-25.16%1,242-83.00%10 to 1
75
9		Smith College Northampton, MAPrivate, 4-year $65,178
$3,610		$64,870
$3,610		21.00%2,8571,49089.00%8 to 1
76
4		University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, INPrivate, 4-year $65,025
$2,332		$64,826
$2,324		11.27%13,0421,52095.00%8 to 1
77
7		Chapman University Orange, CAPrivate, 4-year $64,984
$2,200		$39,868
$1,264		65.43%9,7601,35082.00%12 to 1
78
2		Lehigh University Bethlehem, PAPrivate, 4-year $64,980
$2,800		$28,840
$820		25.93%7,6921,44088.00%10 to 1
79
15		Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva, NYPrivate, 4-year $64,928
$1,660		$28,179
$1,884		63.99%1,8411,30077.00%11 to 1
80
2		Lewis & Clark College Portland, ORPrivate, 4-year $64,828
$2,478		$19,800
$666		78.49%3,504-75.00%12 to 1
81
12		Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MDPrivate, 4-year $64,730
$1,890		$64,730
$1,226		6.44%30,2101,55094.00%6 to 1
82
1		Lafayette College Easton, PAPrivate, 4-year $64,648
$2,824		-31.45%2,7751,43088.00%10 to 1
83
5		College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MAPrivate, 4-year $64,500
$3,650		-17.61%3,1261,34087.00%9 to 1
84
1		Fordham University Bronx, NYPrivate, 4-year $64,470
$2,903		$26,752
$798		59.31%16,1501,41082.00%14 to 1
85
11		Davidson College Davidson, NCPrivate, 4-year $64,430
$4,380		-13.37%1,8691,46091.00%8 to 1
86
4		Emory University Atlanta, GAPrivate, 4-year $64,280
$3,506		$48,750
$1,028		10.65%15,1751,52091.00%10 to 1
87
5		Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NYPrivate, 4-year $64,078
$2,194		$64,054
$2,181		63.47%7,0401,45084.00%14 to 1
88
2		Whitman College Walla Walla, WAPrivate, 4-year $64,050
$2,558		-38.15%1,5611,41081.00%10 to 1
89
8		Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Norton, MAPrivate, 4-year $63,960
$1,880		-67.73%1,7851,29573.00%11 to 1
90
1		Providence College Providence, RIPrivate, 4-year $63,550
$2,702		$13,440
$1,230		50.89%4,6661,33086.00%11 to 1
91
4		Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJPrivate, 4-year $63,462
$2,510		$44,494
$1,506		47.58%8,4691,44087.00%11 to 1
92
3		University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublic, 4-year $63,081
($18,848)
$2,974		$57,776
($28,886)
$2,724		15.64%52,8551,46093.00%11 to 1
93
5		University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WAPrivate, 4-year $62,898
$2,998		$41,422
$2,746		72.25%1,8641,28068.00%10 to 1
94
1		Muhlenberg College Allentown, PAPrivate, 4-year $62,805
$2,565		$17,000
$520		71.99%1,7881,33082.00%9 to 1
95
3		New York University New York, NYPrivate, 4-year $62,796
$2,358		$42,726
$1,602		9.23%56,8321,52088.00%8 to 1
96
4		Princeton University Princeton, NJPrivate, 4-year $62,688
$2,978		$65,936
$3,076		4.62%9,1371,55098.00%5 to 1
96
3		Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RIPrivate, 4-year $62,688
$2,928		$62,688
$2,928		18.66%2,5201,48089.00%8 to 1
98
1		University of Miami Coral Gables, FLPrivate, 4-year $62,616
$2,690		$46,870
$2,012		18.90%19,8521,40084.00%11 to 1
99
8		Drexel University Philadelphia, PAPrivate, 4-year $62,412
$1,749		$39,261
$2,187		79.44%21,1531,34078.00%9 to 1
100
6		Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MAPrivate, 4-year $62,396
$2,240		$62,396
$997		4.55%11,8861,56096.00%3 to 1
101
9		Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CAPrivate, 4-year $61,867
$3,378		$23,172
$1,270		45.08%10,1791,35079.00%10 to 1
102
14		Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TXPrivate, 4-year $61,740
$4,520		$38,658
$2,880		44.49%12,9381,25086.00%14 to 1
103
3		Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate, 4-year $61,676
$2,600		$57,248
$1,808		3.65%30,2591,55098.00%7 to 1
104
2		The College of Wooster Wooster, OHPrivate, 4-year $61,640
$2,090		-59.53%1,7381,33074.00%10 to 1
105
4		University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VAPublic, 4-year $61,591
($23,118)
$1,958		$37,628
($23,526)
$1,430		16.81%26,4091,48096.00%15 to 1
106
3		University of Denver Denver, COPrivate, 4-year $61,398
$2,058		$42,173
$16,174		77.81%12,8131,32076.00%9 to 1
107
3		Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CAPrivate, 4-year $61,293
$2,052		$31,694
$5,821		48.00%9,7281,42088.00%11 to 1
108
6		Rice University Houston, TXPrivate, 4-year $61,247
$3,119		$57,030
$2,568		8.00%8,9611,55095.00%6 to 1
109
4		Ursinus College Collegeville, PAPrivate, 4-year $61,061
$1,865		-91.77%1,5021,30573.00%10 to 1
110
3		Bentley University Waltham, MAPrivate, 4-year $61,000
$2,850		$46,920
$2,200		45.05%5,3331,35087.00%12 to 1
111
3		Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MIPrivate, 4-year $60,900
$2,286		-75.32%1,1661,29076.00%10 to 1
112
3		Beloit College Beloit, WIPrivate, 4-year $60,886
$2,332		-63.04%1,0041,32071.00%12 to 1
113
2		University of Redlands Redlands, CAPrivate, 4-year $60,878
$3,264		$25,172
$100		82.71%3,0871,24067.00%10 to 1
114
7		Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MAPrivate, 4-year $60,765
$1,895		$29,040
-		60.16%7,584-90.00%13 to 1
115
4		Rollins College Winter Park, FLPrivate, 4-year $60,580
$2,280		$22,742
$2,858		47.54%3,0461,26075.00%12 to 1
116
4		University of San Francisco San Francisco, CAPrivate, 4-year $60,522
$2,300		$29,960
$820		61.71%8,9131,29070.00%11 to 1
Average$66,160
($20,983)		$45,093
($26,206)		29.50%9,4831,44686.57%9 to 1