25 Most Expensive Colleges in the Nation
The number of colleges and universities that cost more than $50,000 continues to climb. Today 123 schools 
belong to the 50K club.
In its new annual college prices study, the College Board identified 123 colleges and universities that have exceeded the $50,000 price tag. Next year, we will see for the first time schools busting through the $60,000 mark.
The $50,000+ price tag, by the way, only includes tuition and room/board. If you also throw in books, incidentals and transportation, some schools have already surpassed the once unimaginable mark of $60,000.
The nation's 25 most expensive schools are all private institutions and 17 of them are located on the East Coast.
25 Most Expensive Colleges and Universities
- Sarah Lawrence College (NY) $59,170
- Landmark College (VT) $57,330
- New York University $56,787
- Columbia U. School of Gen. Studies (NY) $56,310
- Harvey Mudd College (CA) $56,268
- Wesleyan University (CT) $56,006
- Claremont McKenna College (CA) $55,865
- Johns Hopkins University (MD) $55,742
- Berklee College of Music (MA) $55,615
- Barnard College (NY) $55,566
- Bard College (NY) $55,566
- Vanderbilt University (TN) $55,556
- Trinity College (CT) $55,450
- University of Chicago (IL) $55,416
- Dartmouth College (NH) $55,365
- Bates Colleges (ME) $55,300
- Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) $55,276
- Vassar College (NY) $55,135
- Washington University St. Louis (MO) $55,111
- Boston College (MA) $55,079
- Haverford College (PA) $55,050
- Pitzer College (CA) $54,988
- Connecticut College $54,970
- Bard College at Simon's Rock (MA) $54,960
- Bennington College (VT) $54,960
Price of the Average Private College
How do these 25 schools compare to the typical private school? For the 2011-12 school year, tuition and room/board at the average private college or university is $38,589.What's Wrong With Super Expensive Colleges
While many, but certainly not all schools on this list, provide excellent financial aid, wealthy students at many of these schools will pay full price. You may not feel sorry for these families, but the real problem I see with the relentless march of super expensive colleges to charge ever more outrageous prices is that it prompts schools well below these crazy levels to boost their prices as well.I explains this phenomenon in this post:
Why America's Most Expensive Colleges Could Hurt Your Wallet
Read More on The College Solution:
25 Colleges With the Happiest Freshmen25 Colleges With the Best Professors in 2011
Lynn O'Shaughnessy is author of The College Solution, an Amazon bestseller, and Shrinking the Cost of College workbook. She also writes her own college blog at The College Solution.
NYU image by Jorbasa. CC 2.0.
