College tuition costs in the US are reaching new heights.
Today, a bachelor’s degree at some of America’s top schools can cost upward of nearly half a million dollars over four years. And the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
In June, The Princeton Review collected a list of 15 US colleges with sticker prices exceeding $100,000 annually for their 2026 Best Colleges release.
The numbers, collected through institutional surveys of over 2,000 colleges, include the annual costs of tuition, fees, housing, food, transportation, books, and other expenses for each undergraduate student.
For many, the choice to attend one of these schools comes with an attached lifelong commitment — in the form of student loan debt.
But many others at some of these institutions also benefit from generous financial aid, ranging from loan-free packages to free tuition or more, for families below an earnings threshold.
At some of these schools, the investment is also matched by high earnings after graduation.
See which schools are in the six-figure club — and what kind of relief they offer their students.
15. Haverford College
Sticker price: $100,026
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $70,718
Average out-of-pocket cost: $29,308
Students from families earning under $65,000 a year may receive financial relief through loan-free financial aid packages from Haverford College.
14. Colgate University
Sticker price: $100,224
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $72,605
Average out-of-pocket cost: $27,619
With a cost of attendance over $100,000 per year, Colgate University provides free tuition for families earning under $175,000 and loan-free financial aid packages for families earning under $200,000.
13. Georgetown University
Sticker price: $100,864
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $58,163
Average out-of-pocket cost: $42,701
Located in the heart of DC and recognized for its influential network on Capitol Hill, Georgetown University promises to meet 100% of students’ demonstrated need through financial aid packages.
12. New York University
Sticker price: $100,998
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $60,191
Average out-of-pocket cost: $40,807
NYU, like other New York City schools, has some of the highest tuition costs in the US, driven by the local cost of living. The school, however, covers full tuition for families making under $100,000.
11. Wesleyan University
Sticker price: $101,030
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $72,372
Average out-of-pocket cost: $28,658
Despite being one of the most expensive colleges in the US, Wesleyan offers loan-free financial aid packages to admitted students.
10. Vassar College
Sticker price: $101,051
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $67,214
Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,837
Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, is also among the costliest to attend. The school keeps its promise to meet 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students through financial aid packages.
9. Claremont McKenna College
Sticker price: $101,990
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $68,936
Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,054
Claremont McKenna College, which ranks among the most selective schools in the US, also has some of the highest costs of attendance, though the school is committed to meeting 100% of students’ demonstrated need through financial aid packages.
After graduation, however, students of the social science-focused school rank among the highest-earning graduates in the US.
8. Fordham University
Sticker price: $102,188
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $41,919
Average out-of-pocket cost: $60,269
President Donald Trump attended Fordham University for two years, and it’s among the colleges with the highest cost of attendance in the US, largely driven by the high cost of living in the New York City area.
7. Smith College
Sticker price: $102,226
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $73,031
Average out-of-pocket cost: $29,195
Smith College, the largest women’s college in the country, now offers loan-free financial aid packages for students, and students with families making under $150,000 receive free tuition.
6. Washington University
Sticker price: $102,260
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $75,880
Average out-of-pocket cost: $26,380
Washington University in St. Louis, which has one of the highest costs of attendance in the US, also provides a fully free undergraduate education to students from Missouri and parts of southern Illinois with families making under $75,000 a year.
5. Barnard College
Sticker price: $103,000
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $60,320
Average out-of-pocket cost: $42,680
Barnard College, a women’s liberal arts college in New York City, provides its students with access to Ivy League resources through its historical partnership with Columbia University and is also committed to meeting students‘ demonstrated need.
4. University of Southern California
Sticker price: $103,162
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $50,322
Average out-of-pocket cost: $52,840
Despite being one of the most expensive colleges in the US, the University of Southern California also offers its students some relief.
First-year students with families earning under $80,000 can receive free tuition, although they’re still responsible for covering the cost of their food and housing, which is impacted by Los Angeles’ high cost of living.
3. University of Chicago
Sticker price: $103,821
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $78,651
Average out-of-pocket cost: $25,170
The University of Chicago is America’s third-most expensive college by full cost of attendance.
Beginning next fall, undergraduate students from families earning up to $125,000 will receive free tuition, fees, housing, and meals, and families earning under $250,000 will also get free tuition.
2. Duke University
Sticker price: $103,975
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $70,439
Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,536
Despite being the second-most expensive college in the US by full cost of attendance, Duke University offers full tuition grants to students from South and North Carolina with families earning $150,000 or less yearly, as well as loan-free financial aid packages for students from the Carolinas with families earning $65,000 or less a year.
1. Harvey Mudd College
Sticker price: $104,512
Average need-based scholarships and grants: $64,941
Average out-of-pocket cost: $39,571
Harvey Mudd College is the most expensive college in the US, with a sticker price of $104,512 per year.
However, the STEM-focused California college also has the fourth-highest-paid graduates in the country.
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