Once again, Forbes has surveyed universities across the US and created a list of the most expensive universities in America. The expensive universities and colleges were ranked by the typical expensives of a freshman student, including room and board. Here are the top 5 universites on Forbes’ list.
Vanderbilt University – $53,660
This private university in Nashville, Tennessee, was founded by the South Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. Originally called Central University, it was rechristened after a sizable donation by Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Methodist church severed its ties to the university in 1914, after the Supreme Court ruled that Vanderbilt, not the church, was the university’s founder. Today, Vanderbilt is known for its Medical Center, the second largest employer in the state.
Wesleyan University – $53,976
Founded in 1831, Wesleyan University was founded as a Methodist college named after the religion’s founder, John Wesley. The university, located in Middletown, Connecticut, was among the first all-male universities to open their doors to female students in 1872, but the university ceased coeducation from 1912 to 1970. Today, Wesleyan is known as one of the top universities for African Americans and for its high percentage of doctorates earned by women.
Bard College – $54,275
Located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, this liberal arts college was founded in 1870 in association with the Episcopal church. Originally called St. Stephen’s, it was renamed after its founder, John Bard, in 1934. Today, the school is known for its liberal leanings, being ranked the second most liberal university in the US by the Princeton Review in 2005.
Columbia University – $54,385
New York’s oldest university was founded as King’s College in 1754. It was renamed Columbia College in 1784, after the Revolutionary War. This Ivy League university’s alumni include five of the founding fathers and four presidents, including Barack Obama. It is the third most selective school in the nation, according to the U.S. News & World Report. It’s also affiliated with more Nobel prize laureates than any other university.
Sarah Lawrence College – $57,556
The most expensive university in the United States was founded as a women’s college in 1926 and didn’t start accepting men until 1968. The college, located in Bronxville, NY, was founded by William Van Duzer Lawrence, a real-estate mogul. It carries the name of Lawrence’s wife, Sarah. The college was the first liberal arts institution in the US to take the progressive approach to education in the arts, and its students have been known since the 30s for their political activism. That tradition continues to this day with involvement in the sexual rights movement and organizations responding to the conflict in Iraq.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Im Malaysia,tuition fees here are way higher than that,it does not look so expensive to me. Even after convert to our currency,of couse its expensive but alot of people can afford to pay,even middle class people. (if they really want to)
oh boy so you are that loaded, send me some box make i follow show for University now. Thanks
are u sure this is acurate cuz isnt fordham university like 39,000 and pace university around 40,000 a year
yeah, marywood costs $37,000
The numbers may not be accurate, but GW is definately at the top. I graduated from there in 2006 and with no scholarship and no financial aid, my parents paid over $51,000 a year.
Landmark costs 65,000 in putney VT
Alot of people here are forgeting these prices are w/out room and board, which is about 10 k.
pace is only 29k a year, pace law is 40, but then so are most law schools
Wow. That’s a LOT of money to pay for a university or college–when there’s no guarantee that you’ll be learning more than what students of other colleges with lower tuition can learn.
I am from the Philippines, and I graduated from the top university in the country, the University of the Philippines (UP). School fees for a semester, including miscellaneous and student fees, cost roughly around $200 for my major (Political Science).
Private colleges in the Philippines will cost you around $1000 per semester for the same major. In spite of the huge tuition fee gap, UP still is the top university to provide the best higher education.
Sorry, I just checked about 5 minutes ago. Bennington College in Vermont is $50,000 per ann.
You also forgot Johns Hopkins University which is $38,200 in tuition alone and Stanford University which is $36,030.
Leihigh University is $46,000.
Williams college is $45K+
Boston University is 51k per year
Wow. I go to Georgia Southern, a perfectly good college, and it’s only 3,200 a year in just tuition.
Actually, according to CNN, Landmark College in Putney, Vermont is the most expensive college in the USA at over 52K per year.
I’ve seen Conservatories with tuition in the 50,000′s.
great folks. in uganda 50k is the average income for a truly wealthy family. and university education costs about 4k per year inc board and food. it is good to know there are parents bent on taking their kids to landmark
Well, actually, Landmark is a school that specializes in Learning Disabilities. It's a school that helps people with LDs gain the tools they need to do better. I've known people who have gone to Landmark and were very successful afterward. It may be one of the most expensive schools but, from what I've seen, I'd say it's worth the money.
I’m not surprised about Sarah Lawrence. My friend’s currently attending there right now. Sad thing is, she isn’t getting an educaiton. At all.
You don’t even have to show up for class. It’s kind of ridiculous.
So what are the cheapest Universities in the world? Thats whats important…
Everyone can agree that some schools in the University of California system (UC) can out preform these ridiculously expensive school and they don’t exceed 25,ooo yearly for tuition, board, and food.
-UC Berkeley
-UCLA
-UC Santa Barbara
-UC San Diego
San Totin College (85K a year)
I agree with You Francisco, but it isn’t just a matter of universities – everything depends from students themselves. I bet lazy student at prestigious university won’t stand a chance against laborious & clever one. Well, that’s my point of view.
what about Yale?
my high school cost more
Wow…I feel like UPenn was a bargain at $37G
>>> I want to study of that kind of colleges, I don’t know whats the feelin’ of being student for such school. I hope someday I could be able to enroll like this school.
dude what r u talking about nashville tech is 62K
its crazy how much colleges cost and it sucks for everyone who dreams of going there..
Haha, my mom went to connecticut college xD
before it was… um… expensive.
Thats why theres scholarships or the military.
i think this is crazy there are no fees in ireland.. they are trying to bring in fees of about 3000 a year and people are even finding that too much…. haha go t luv america
yes but taxes in Ireland are MUCH higher than the U.S., not to mention the sucky healthare system they have.. Your comment was right on – Got to LOVE AMERICA!!!
Did you know the price Universities doesn’t determine how much you will learn.. Many people who are from “cheap” colleges have a greater knowledge than those who come from the expensive ones.. The stupid, rich people fall for these tricks and spend lots of $$. But, hey, they don’t need to think because their $$ does all the work.
wow, that is expensive, im in UK and my debt is only $19000 its like £12000 for 3 years (would have been £21000? $3400, if i lived in uni)
What about UChicago? 54k+ What?
my daughter is graduating this year from Middlebury in Vermont…$55,000, I have an empty bank account to prove it!
Embry Riddle… For flight students it can be up to 60,000 a year! depends on the flight course. But still, 60 grand? not many, if any schools top that.
What about Yale univercity???
…and Harvard????
This is not true. The most expensive college is Boston University which now is an estimate of 65,000 a year on campus.
you all still wont have a job,when you get out,lol
HEY GUYS IS THIS PRICE FOR ONE YEAR OR THE WHOLE DIPLOMA!!!!
OBVIOUSLY ONE YEAR DUH.
lol! It would be nice if that was the cost for the whole diploma! ^^
richest country is Japan. and America falls on 13. not even near to Japan
Actually, I'm transfering to Lehigh University and the total cost is going to be around 52-54,000.
YOU ALL ARE ARROGANT AND REALLY NEED TWO WORK ON YOURSELVES !!!
Carnegie Mellon University is $54,784 a year for the average undergraduate student…
I go to UofT in Canada, the top university here, and it costs less than 6.000 a year for tuition. My university is amazing.
Many of these really expensive colleges offer need-based full financial aid. I go to Bowdoin College- 52,000 a year- but because of financial aid, I'm paying about 3,000 a year, and my parents are paying nothing. Actually, it's a much better deal than the State or local schools that only cost 12,000 a year, but could only afford to give me 2,000 in aid. Sometimes expensive schools are the smartest choice just because they can afford to help you out, if you can get in.
Just a thought.
why go there whenu can get the same education at GA state! FOR $4,000!!!!!!!!!
There is no way anybody taking out student loans for that kind of money is going to able to pay them back – unless the dollar hyperinflates and wipes out all debts.
I attend Wake Forest and the 2011-2012 report is $41,576 for tuition with room being $7,550 and board being $3,860.
Bond in Australia can be over 80k per year.
Wow. But I Would Like To Go To A College In Florida Because You Can Do Your Homework On The Beach
i just checked my finaid statement and estimated cost for the 2011-2012 school year. Including tuition, room and board, and other typical expenses, GWU is estimated at $ 58,745. This is definitely higher than this lists most expensive. Woo…… not.
Im an undergrad student at Johns Hopkins University, and the total estimated cost of attendance this year is just under $56,000… one thing i must add, however, is that this is not the actual. I recently met with an advisor who calculated my actual cost for the 2011-12 year to just above $63,000
I’m wondering why Boston U or Boston C isn’t on this list. Because this two colleges are very expensive!
None of these colleges include room and so obviously they would be much higher.