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Which colleges fall under the most expensive colleges in the world?
Many people believe that quality education equates to high-priced universities; find out if this is true in this article about the 25 most expensive colleges in the world.
Today’s world is rapidly changing, and quality education is critical to keeping up with these innovative and technological changes.
Quality higher education is very expensive. Some of the world’s most prestigious and respected public and private universities may charge exorbitant tuition.
Furthermore, the college you attend provides you with the best networking opportunities and great internship opportunities, which may lead to easy jobs with high starting salaries, world-class learning resources, etc.
No wonder the wealthy ensure that their children attend Ivy League schools, not because they have enough money to throw around but because they recognize some of the benefits of quality higher education for their children.
Are you looking for high-quality, expensive universities around the world that offer good value for money? We’ve got your back.
This article has compiled a list of the 25 Most expensive colleges in the world.
Is an Expensive University/college Worth It?
An expensive university may be deemed worthwhile for the following reasons:
Employers may favor students who have graduated from elite schools. This could be because admission to elite/expensive schools is extremely competitive, with only the best/brightest/highest-scoring students admitted.
Employers prefer these candidates because they have been pre-screened and proven high achievers.
Furthermore, the education obtained is superior to that of a smaller, lower-cost college. Elite colleges have the resources to provide students with better training and more opportunities to learn about their chosen fields.
Second, more expensive academic staff teach fewer hours and are subject matter experts with extensive industrial and research experience and, most likely, global connections. They also devote extra time to research to stay current on their subjects.
Finally, because branding is important in many careers, attending a more “well-known” university will significantly impact your future and learning there.
There are many reasons for this, including the importance of networking. Most expensive colleges in the world frequently have “better” networking opportunities to tap into in the form of alumni and “old boy” networks.
Furthermore, to maintain their brand, the Most expensive colleges in the world frequently invest more money, energy, and personnel in strong support infrastructures ranging from career guidance to extracurricular opportunities.
Many students are willing to incur significant debt for their preferred school to be successful.
What are the best 25 Most expensive colleges in the world?
Below are the 25 Most expensive colleges in the world:
- Harvey Mudd College, US – USD 70,853
- Johns Hopkins University- USD 68,852
- Parsons School of Design – USD 67,266
- Dartmouth College – USD 67,044
- Columbia University, US – USD 66,383
- New York University, US – USD 65,860
- Sarah Lawrence College – USD 65,443
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US – USD 65,500
- The University of Chicago – USD 64,965
- Claremont McKenna University – USD 64,325
- University of Oxford, UK – USD 62,000
- ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Tech (Switzerland) – USD 60,000
- Vassar College, US – USD 56,960
- Trinity College, US – USD 56,910
- Landmark College, US – USD 56,800
- Franklin and Marshall College, US – USD 56,550
- University of Southern California, US – USD 56,225
- Duke University, US – USD 55,960
- California Institute of Technology, US – USD 55,000
- Stanford University, US – USD 51,000
- Imperial College London, UK – USD 50,000
- Harvard University, US – USD 47,074
- University of Cambridge, UK – USD 40,000
- University of Melbourne, Australia – USD 30,000
- UCL (University College London), UK – USD 25,000
The 25 Most expensive colleges in the world:
1. Harvey Mudd College, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $80,036
This prestigious college in California is ranked first among the most expensive colleges in the world. This university is by far the most expensive in the world. Harvey Mudd College was established as a private college in 1955.
What distinguishes Harvey Mudd as one of the most expensive colleges in the world?
It has the country’s second-highest rate of STEM Ph.D. production, and Forbes ranked it as its 18th-best college!
Furthermore, US News named it the best undergraduate engineering program in the country, tying it with the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Its primary emphasis is on STEM fields like mathematics, science, engineering, and information technology.
2. Johns Hopkins University
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $68,852
This university ranks second among the most expensive colleges in the world.
Johns Hopkins University is a private research university in the United States. It is in Baltimore, Maryland. It was started in 1876 and named after its first donor, an American businessman, abolitionist, and philanthropist Johns Hopkins.
Also, it was the first research university in the US, and now it spends more on research than any other US university.
Also, many people think it changed higher education because it was the first place in the US to combine teaching and research. Johns Hopkins University has produced 27 Nobel Prize winners so far.
3. Parsons School of Design
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $67,266
This well-known design school ranks third in the most expensive colleges in the world.
It is a private college for art and design in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. It is a local art and design school and one of the five colleges that make up the New School.
William Merritt Chase, an important American Impressionist, opened the school in 1896. Since it was founded, Parsons has been a leader in art and design education. It has been at the forefront of new movements and teaching methods that have helped artists and designers reach new creative and political heights.
4. Dartmouth College
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $67,044
Dartmouth College ranks fourth among the most expensive colleges in the world. It was started by Eleazar Wheelock in 1769, making it the ninth-oldest college in the United States. It is also one of nine schools chartered before the American Revolution.
It has graduate schools of Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, and Business, as well as more than 40 departments and programs in its undergraduate college.
There are more than 6,000 students at the university. About 4,000 are undergrads, and 2,000 are post-grads.
5. Columbia University, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $66,383
This expensive, highly-rated university is a private research university. George II of Great Britain started it in 1754, making it the 5th oldest college in the United States.
Before 1784, the university was called King’s College. In 1784, it was named Columbia University.
Also, many university researchers and scientists have done the research and made discoveries that have changed the world, like nuclear piles, brain-computer interfaces, and nuclear magnetic resonance. The researchers also found the first signs of continental drift and tectonic plates.
With a 5.8% acceptance rate for first-year students, Columbia is the third most selective college in the US and the second most selective Ivy League school after Harvard.
6. New York University, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $65,860
New york university (NYU) ranks 6th among the most expensive colleges in the world. It is the most popular university in the Schools and Colleges of the United States.
New York Institution (NYU) was founded in 1831 as a private research university in New York City. It is one of the biggest private colleges and universities in the country. The university is known for its undergraduate and graduate programs in social sciences, fine arts, nursing, and dentistry.
Also, The College of Arts and Sciences is the biggest of the schools and colleges at New York University. The Tisch School of the Arts is part of the complex, which offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in television, dance, acting, film, and dramatic writing.
The Silver School of Social Work, the School of Law, the Steinhardt School of Culture, the Stern School of Business, Medicine, and Education and Human Development also offer graduate programs.
Also, employers are interested in its graduates, as shown by its high ranking in the 2017 Graduate Employability Rankings.
7. Sarah Lawrence College
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $65,443
This Ivy League College is a private liberal arts college for men and women about 25 kilometers north of Manhattan in Yonkers, New York. Its innovative way of teaching lets students choose their courses, which makes it one of the best liberal arts colleges in the state.
William Van Duzer Lawrence, a wealthy real estate developer, started college in 1926. He named it after his late wife, Sarah Bates Lawrence.
The school was made so that women could get an education similar to that of Oxford University in the UK, where students get intensive lessons from a wide range of academics.
At this university, there are 12 graduate programs available. Most students, though, can make their programs meet their own needs.
The university also has several study-abroad programs that allow students to study in places like Havana, Beijing, Paris, London, and Tokyo.
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $65,500
This prestigious Institute was founded in 1861 as a private research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
There are five schools at MIT (architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; science). MIT’s educational philosophy, on the other hand, is founded on the concept of educational innovation.
Furthermore, MIT researchers are pioneering artificial intelligence, climate adaptation, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and poverty alleviation. MIT research has previously fueled scientific breakthroughs such as radar development, magnetic core memory invention, and the concept of the expanding universe.
Among its alumni are 93 Nobel Laureates and 26 Turing Award winners.
It is no surprise that it is one of the most expensive colleges in the world.
9. The University of Chicago
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $64,965
The prestigious University of Chicago was founded in 1856. It is a private research university in the heart of Chicago, the 3rd most populous city in the US.
The University of Chicago is one of America’s premier institutions outside the Ivy League, consistently ranking in the top ten national and international rankings.
Apart from the arts and sciences, Chicago’s professional schools, such as the Booth School of Business, the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, and the Pritzker School of Medicine, have a great reputation.
Sociology, economics, law, and literary criticism have all grown thanks to the work of University of Chicago alumni. The University of Chicago ranks 9th among the most expensive colleges in the world.
10. Claremont McKenna University
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $64,325
This prestigious university, founded in 1946, is a liberal arts college in the East Los Angeles county of Claremont.
As evidenced by its motto, “civilization prospers through commerce,” the institution strongly emphasizes business management and political science.
The W.M. Keck Foundation, named after the philanthropist, has contributed to funding several campus projects.
CMC is a college for the liberal arts, and it also has eleven research centers.
In a changing geopolitical landscape, the Keck Centre for International and Strategic Studies seeks to provide students with a more solid worldview.
11. University of Oxford, UK
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $62,000
The University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, with an uncertain founding date; however, it is believed that teaching began as early as the 11th century.
It consists of 44 colleges and halls, the UK’s largest library system, and is located in and around Oxford’s ancient city center, which 19th-century poet Matthew Arnold referred to as “the dreaming city of spires.”
Furthermore, Oxford has 22,000 students, roughly half of whom are undergrads, and 40% are international students.
12. ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Tech, Switzerland
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $60,000
This highly regarded university is one of the world’s leading science and technology institutions, with a reputation for cutting-edge research and innovation.
The Swiss Federal Polytechnic School was established in 1855, and its alumni include 21 Nobel laureates, 2 Fields Medalists, 3 Pritzker Prize winners, and one Turing Award winner, including Albert Einstein.
Furthermore, the university has 16 departments that provide academic teaching and conduct scientific research in fields ranging from architecture and engineering to chemistry and physics.
Most ETH Zurich degree programs combine solid theory with practical application, and most are built on solid mathematical foundations.
Furthermore, ETH Zurich is a major science and technology university worldwide. Although German is the primary teaching language for undergraduates, English is used in most master’s and doctoral programs.
13. Vassar College, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,960
Vassar College, US, is a prestigious private college in Poughkeepsie, New York. With a total number of 2,409 undergraduates, it is a small college.
Admission to Vassar is competitive, with a 25% acceptance rate. Popular majors include biology, economics, and mathematics. With 88% graduating, Vassar graduates earn an average starting salary of $36,100.
Vassar College, US, is ranked 13th among the most expensive colleges in the world.
14. Trinity College, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,910
This well-known college in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the most historic educational institutions in the state. It was established in 1823, making it Connecticut’s second-oldest institution after Yale University.
Furthermore, as a liberal arts college, Trinity students receive a comprehensive education in a variety of areas as well as critical thinking skills. Above all, the college values independent thought. Students are encouraged to study politics with a minor in biology or engineering with a minor in art. In addition to nearly 40 majors, Trinity offers approximately 30 multidisciplinary minors.
Furthermore, Trinity College is one of the few liberal arts colleges offering engineering majors. It also has the first human rights program at a liberal arts university, which includes a series of lectures and workshops.
Students are also encouraged to do research, internships, study abroad, and do community service, for which they can get credit.
Finally, the charter of Trinity forbids it from imposing religious beliefs on any of its students. Campus services and spiritual programs are open to students of all faiths.
15. Landmark College, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,800
Landmark college is a private college in Putney, Vermont, just for people diagnosed with autism, learning disabilities, or attention disorders.
It also has programs for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) has approved it.
Landmark College was the first college or university to offer college-level classes to students with dyslexia. It opened in 1985.
In 2015, CNN Money said it was the most expensive college in the country. For the 2012–2013 school year, the Department of Education ranked it as the most expensive four-year private non-profit by list price. Fees were said to be $59,930 in 2013 and $61,910 in 2015. This included room and board. Landmark College, US, is ranked 15th among the most expensive colleges in the world.
16. Franklin and Marshall College, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,550
F&M College is a private college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, focusing on liberal arts.
It is a small college with a total of 2,236 first-year students. Franklin & Marshall has a 37% acceptance rate, so getting in is difficult. People often major in liberal arts and humanities, economics, and business.
Graduates of Franklin & Marshall have a starting salary of $46,000, and 85% finish school.
17. University of Southern California, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,225
This prestigious university, also known as USC, is a private research institution in Los Angeles, California. Robert M. Widney founded it in 1880, making it California’s oldest private research university.
The university essentially has one liberal arts school, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and 22 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, with approximately 21,000 undergrads and 28,500 post-grads enrolled from all 50 states and more than 115 countries.
USC is regarded as one of the best universities in the country, and admission to its programs is extremely competitive.
18. Duke University, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $56,225
This prestigious university is one of the country’s wealthiest private universities and a leading producer of international scholars.
Duke University offers 53 majors and 52 minors, allowing students to design and build their engineering degrees.
In addition, the university offers 23 certificate programs. Students pursuing a major may also pursue a minor, certificate, or a second major.
Duke University has approximately 9,569 Graduate & Professional Students and 6,526 undergraduates as of 2019.
For the first three years, students must live on campus to connect with other students and foster a sense of community within the university.
On campus, students can join over 400 clubs and organizations.
The Duke University Union (DUU) is the institution’s fundamental organizational structure, serving as the foundation for intellectual, social, and cultural life.
There is also an Athletic Association with 27 sports and approximately 650 student-athletes. Thirteen Noble Laureates and Three Turing Award winners have been associated with the university. Duke has 25 Churchill Scholars and 40 Rhodes Scholars among its alumni.
19. California Institute of Technology (Caltech), US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $55,000
California Institute of Technology, also known as Caltech, is a private university in Pasadena, California.
The university is known for its strengths in science and engineering. It is one of a few technology institutes in the United States whose main purpose is to teach technical arts and applied sciences. Its admissions process ensures that only a few of the best students are accepted.
Caltech has a strong research output and many high-quality facilities, such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the International Observatory Network, and the Caltech Seismological Laboratory.
Furthermore, Caltech is one of the world’s greatest academic institutions and the most selective in the United States.
20. Stanford University, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $51,000
Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California, close to Palo Alto.
Stanford has one of the largest university campuses in the US, with more than 17,000 students enrolled in 18 research institutes and seven schools. These include the Graduate School of Business, the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Humanities and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the Law School, and the School of Medicine.
This well-known university is regarded as one of the best in the world.
21. Imperial College London, UK
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $50,000
The Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine is a London-based public research institution.
This prestigious British university focuses solely on science, engineering, medicine, and business. The QS World University Rankings 2022 place it 7th in the world.
Furthermore, Imperial College London is a one-of-a-kind college in the United Kingdom, focusing entirely on science, engineering, medicine, and business.
Finally, Imperial offers a research-driven education that exposes you to real-world problems with no easy solutions, challenging teaching, and the opportunity to work in multi-cultural, multi-national teams.
22. Harvard University, US
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $47,074
This prestigious university is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
It is the country’s oldest higher education institution, founded in 1636, and is widely regarded as a world-class university in terms of prestige, impact, and academic pedigree.
Harvard only admits the academic elite, and the nominal tuition is exorbitant.
However, the university’s massive endowment enables it to offer a variety of financial aid packages, which approximately 60% of students take advantage of.
23. University of Cambridge, UK
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $40,000
This top-rated public research university is in the old part of Cambridge, about 50 miles north of London. It has more than 18,000 students from all over the world.
It’s important to know that applications to this well-known university are sent to individual colleges, not to the university. You can live and learn in your college, called “college supervision.” There, you will get small-group lessons.
In the university’s colleges, there are also six academic schools: Arts and Humanities, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities, and Technology. These schools have about 150 faculty members and students.
24. University of Melbourne, Australia
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fee Cost: $30,000
The University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia, is a public research university. It was started in 1853 and is the second-oldest university in Australia.
Its main campus is Parkville, an inner suburb north of Melbourne’s central business area. It also has many other campuses in Victoria.
About 65,000 students, including 30,000 international students from over 130 countries, are served by more than 8,000 academic and professional staff.
Also, the school has ten residential colleges where most students live. This makes it easy for them to make academic and social connections quickly. Each college has programs for sports and arts to add to the academic experience.
The main reason degrees from the University of Melbourne stand out is that they are based on those from top schools around the world. Before choosing a major, students spend a year learning about different fields.
They also study outside of their major, which gives Melbourne students a wide range of knowledge that makes them stand out.
25. University College London (UCL), UK
Estimated annual undergraduate tuition fees: $25,000
University College London is the last on our list. It is a public research university in London, England, founded in 1826.
It is a part of the federal University of London and is the second-largest university in the UK by total enrollment and the largest by post-graduate enrollment.
Also, many people see UCL as an academic powerhouse, and it consistently ranks in the top 20 in various global rankings. The “QS World University Rankings 2021” says that UCL is the eighth-best university in the world.
UCL has more than 675 graduate programs and encourages people to work together across traditional academic lines.
UCL wants to change how people think about the world, how new knowledge is made, and how problems are solved.
Final words: Most expensive colleges in the world
We hope this article gives you everything you need to know to apply to any of the above expensive Ivy League schools.
Most, if not all, of the most expensive colleges in the world are listed in this post. We’ve given you short descriptions of each university to make it easy for you to choose.
Best of Luck, Scholars!!
