America's Ten Most Expensive Colleges—And How Much Financial Aid They Provide
by Liz Dwyer
The cost of higher education is on the rise everywhere, but get ready for some real sticker shock: According to Campus Grotto's annual rankings of colleges by cost, 111 schools have a total price—including tuition, room and board, and fees—of more than $50,000. Five years ago, only one school, George Washington University, cost that much. The sticker price for 19 universities—most of them small, private liberal arts schools—now tops $55,000, up from just one school last year. Of course, thanks to generous financial aid packages, the net price is not what the average student ends up paying. Click through to see the 10 most expensive schools in the nation and how much financial aid they award.
Photo via (cc) Flickr user stevendepolo
1. Sarah Lawrence College, $59,170
Home to slightly more than 1,300 undergraduate students, Sarah Lawrence, in Bronxville, New York, has been the most expensive college in the nation for the past four years. The liberal arts school is known for its 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, mentorship of students, and emphasis on creativity. The official price tag might be sky-high, but Sarah Lawrence is generous with its financial aid: In 2009-2010, 62 percent of students received some form of aid, bringing the average cost down to $26,112.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
2. New York University, $56,787
Nestled in New York City's Greenwich Village, NYU's campus is home to almost 22,000 undergraduates, making it America's largest private research university. In 2009-2010, 65 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average net price down to $33,286.
3. Columbia University, $56,310
Columbia sports the highest sticker price in the Ivy League, but the school's almost 8,000 undergraduates enjoy a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1—2:1 in some science departments. In 2009-2010, 60 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average cost per student down to $18,253, the least expensive among the top 10.
4. Harvey Mudd College, $56,268
Located in Claremont, California, Harvey Mudd is the smallest school on the list—fewer than 800 undergraduate students are enrolled. The private liberal arts college is renowned for it's math, science, and engineering programs and 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. In 2009-2010, 91 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average cost down to $28,946.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
5. Eugene Lang College, The New School, $55,890
The youngest—it was founded in 1985—college in the top 10, Eugene Lang has a reputation as one of the best college in the country for encouraging debate and discussion. The Greenwich Village campus also has small class sizes and independently designed academic programs. In 2009-2010, 88 percent of students at The New School received financial aid, bringing the average cost down to $38,497.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
6. Claremont McKenna College, $55,865
One of California's Claremont Colleges (the consortium that also includes Harvey Mudd), CMC is a small—about 1,300 undergraduates—private liberal arts school that prides itself on preparing students for the real world. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, and in 2009-2010, 43 percent received some form of financial aid. Even better, the college eliminated student loans from financial aid packages in 2008, so all financial aid comes in the form of grants. The average student pays $20,423.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
7. Wesleyan University, $55,706
This private liberal arts school in Middletown, Connecticut educates 2,800 undergraduates. Wesleyan ranks second among American liberal arts schools based on the number of graduates that go on to earn doctorate degrees. In 2009-2010, 52 percent of students received some form of financial aid, with students paying an average $20,705.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
8. Bard College, $55,617
Located in New York's Hudson Valley, Bard is a small, private, liberal arts college with about 2,000 undergraduates. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1 and, unlike many schools that rely on part-time lecturers, Bard uses exclusively full faculty members to teach classes. Before the first semester begins, the school also requires all freshman to attend its unique Language and Thinking program. In 2009-2010, 72 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average price down to $23,916.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
9. Barnard College, $55,566
This private, women's, liberal arts college has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. Barnard educates nearly 2,400 students and is the most selective women's college in the country. Students enjoy a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and have access to Columbia's faculty and student activities as well. In 2009-2010, 54 percent of students received some form of financial aid, and the average net price was $24,481.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
10. Trinity College, $55,450
Located in Hartford, Connecticut, this private liberal arts school is home to 2,300 undergraduates. It's known for it's urban and global emphasis, close-knit student body, and producing a disproportionally high number of scientists. In 2009-2010, 45 percent of students received financial aid, and lots of it: The average price paid was $19,192.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
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| America's Ten Most Expensive Colleges—And How Much Financial Aid They Provide by Liz Dwyer |
The cost of higher education is on the rise everywhere, but get ready for some real sticker shock: According to Campus Grotto's annual rankings of colleges by cost, 111 schools have a total price—including tuition, room and board, and fees—of more than $50,000. Five years ago, only one school, George Washington University, cost that much. The sticker price for 19 universities—most of them small, private liberal arts schools—now tops $55,000, up from just one school last year. Of course, thanks to generous financial aid packages, the net price is not what the average student ends up paying. Click through to see the 10 most expensive schools in the nation and how much financial aid they award.
Photo via (cc) Flickr user stevendepolo
1. Sarah Lawrence College, $59,170
Home to slightly more than 1,300 undergraduate students, Sarah Lawrence, in Bronxville, New York, has been the most expensive college in the nation for the past four years. The liberal arts school is known for its 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, mentorship of students, and emphasis on creativity. The official price tag might be sky-high, but Sarah Lawrence is generous with its financial aid: In 2009-2010, 62 percent of students received some form of aid, bringing the average cost down to $26,112.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
2. New York University, $56,787
Nestled in New York City's Greenwich Village, NYU's campus is home to almost 22,000 undergraduates, making it America's largest private research university. In 2009-2010, 65 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average net price down to $33,286.
3. Columbia University, $56,310
Columbia sports the highest sticker price in the Ivy League, but the school's almost 8,000 undergraduates enjoy a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1—2:1 in some science departments. In 2009-2010, 60 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average cost per student down to $18,253, the least expensive among the top 10.
4. Harvey Mudd College, $56,268
Located in Claremont, California, Harvey Mudd is the smallest school on the list—fewer than 800 undergraduate students are enrolled. The private liberal arts college is renowned for it's math, science, and engineering programs and 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. In 2009-2010, 91 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average cost down to $28,946.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
5. Eugene Lang College, The New School, $55,890
The youngest—it was founded in 1985—college in the top 10, Eugene Lang has a reputation as one of the best college in the country for encouraging debate and discussion. The Greenwich Village campus also has small class sizes and independently designed academic programs. In 2009-2010, 88 percent of students at The New School received financial aid, bringing the average cost down to $38,497.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
6. Claremont McKenna College, $55,865
One of California's Claremont Colleges (the consortium that also includes Harvey Mudd), CMC is a small—about 1,300 undergraduates—private liberal arts school that prides itself on preparing students for the real world. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, and in 2009-2010, 43 percent received some form of financial aid. Even better, the college eliminated student loans from financial aid packages in 2008, so all financial aid comes in the form of grants. The average student pays $20,423.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
7. Wesleyan University, $55,706
This private liberal arts school in Middletown, Connecticut educates 2,800 undergraduates. Wesleyan ranks second among American liberal arts schools based on the number of graduates that go on to earn doctorate degrees. In 2009-2010, 52 percent of students received some form of financial aid, with students paying an average $20,705.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
8. Bard College, $55,617
Located in New York's Hudson Valley, Bard is a small, private, liberal arts college with about 2,000 undergraduates. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1 and, unlike many schools that rely on part-time lecturers, Bard uses exclusively full faculty members to teach classes. Before the first semester begins, the school also requires all freshman to attend its unique Language and Thinking program. In 2009-2010, 72 percent of students received financial aid, taking the average price down to $23,916.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
9. Barnard College, $55,566
This private, women's, liberal arts college has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. Barnard educates nearly 2,400 students and is the most selective women's college in the country. Students enjoy a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and have access to Columbia's faculty and student activities as well. In 2009-2010, 54 percent of students received some form of financial aid, and the average net price was $24,481.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
10. Trinity College, $55,450
Located in Hartford, Connecticut, this private liberal arts school is home to 2,300 undergraduates. It's known for it's urban and global emphasis, close-knit student body, and producing a disproportionally high number of scientists. In 2009-2010, 45 percent of students received financial aid, and lots of it: The average price paid was $19,192.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
