The Nation's 25 Most Expensive Colleges and Universities
In hopes of shaming colleges into putting the brakes on their spiraling prices, the U.S. Department of 
Education today released its lists of the nation's most expensive colleges and universities.
I didn't see any surprises on the list of the most expensive four-year private schools, which contained the usual elite schools. Sarah Lawrence College, a perennial winner in the most expensive college contest, bagged first place. Tuition for this liberal arts college was listed at $41,968. Actually it's higher now since the federal government used 2009-2010 figures to compiles its lists.
Most Expensive State Universities
On the list of the most expensive state colleges, public universities in Pennyslvania crushed the competition. Penn State, Pennsylvania's flagship, ranked No. 1 with a tuition of $14,416. The second most expensive state school was the University of Pittsburgh ($14,154 tuition) while 19 satellite Penn State campuses made the list of the 30 most expensive state schools. Aren't you glad you don't live in Pennsylvania?25 Most Expensive Private Colleges
- Sarah Lawrence College $41,968
- Vassar College $41,930
- George Washington U. $41,655
- Columbia University $41,316
- Kenyon College $40,980
- Colgate University $40,970
- Carnegie Mellon U. $40,920
- Trinity College $40,840
- Bucknell University $40,816
- Tulane University $40,584
- Skidmore College $40,420
- St John's College $40,396
- St John's College $40,392
- Tufts University $40,342
- Hobart William Smith Colleges $40,235
- Bard College at Simon's Rock $40,165
- Dickinson College $40,114
- Wesleyan University $40,092
- Bowdoin College $40,020
- University of Richmond $40,010
- Oberlin College $40,004
- Franklin & Marshall College $39,980
- Hampshire College $39,912
- Bard College $39,880
- Wheaton College MA $39,850
Will College Prices Continue Rising Faster Than Inflation?
Will releasing the names of the nation's most expensive schools slow down the pace of rising prices? I doubt it.State schools will continue to raise prices because they are getting squeezed by their state governments. Meanwhile, private schools, such as Sarah Lawrence, justify their prices by insisting that their financial aid packages compensate for mind-boggling prices. Here's what I wrote about that argument in a post last year:
Bottom Line:
Don't hold your breath for lower college prices. I just don't see it happening.Lynn O'Shaughnessy is author of The College Solution, an Amazon bestseller, and she also writes her own college blog at The College Solution.
Read More on CBS MoneyWatch:
Why America's Most Expensive Colleges Could Hurt Your WalletWhere Professors Send Their Children to College
25 Private Colleges With the Best Graduation Rates
Here's the Nation's Easiest College Major
Penn State image by shidairyproduct. CC 2.0.
