These Are The 10 Most Expensive Colleges In The Country

It’s no secret that college is super expensive these days, but some schools are really, really pricey.

When you combine tuition, fees and room and board, you could be looking at a mind-boggling price tag at some schools. These 10 schools are the most expensive of 2016-17—your jaw will drop when you see how much they cost.

Too bad we can’t all take these free college classes offered to senior citizens, right?

1. Harvey Mudd College

This private liberal arts school in Claremont, California, costs $69,717 per year. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which analyzed 2016-17 data from The College Board, that makes Harvey Mudd College the most expensive school in the country this year.

Good news, though: 70 percent of freshmen get financial aid.

2. Columbia University

Coming in at No. 2 is Columbia University, the private school in New York City. This year students are paying $68,405 in tuition, fees and room and board, making it the priciest school in the Ivy League.

But the school says it’s committed to making college affordable for all students. The average Columbia financial aid package is $47,490 and more than 50 percent of students receive grants. Columbia also recently got a $400 million gift that’s reportedly the single largest donation made to any university financial aid department.

3. University of Chicago

Students at the University of Chicago are paying $67,584 this year according to data analyzed by the Chronicle of Higher Education, which makes it the third most expensive school in the country. The school has a sizable $135 million budget for student financial aid, and the average aid applicant gets $45,500 in scholarships each year.

4. Sarah Lawrence College

This small liberal arts school in Bronxville, New York, costs $66,990 this year. Don’t worry, though, as most students are getting some help with that price tag. More than 70 percent of the school’s 1,675 undergraduate and graduate students receive some form of financial aid.

5. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College is a member of a seven-college consortium along with Harvey Mudd and Scripps College, two expensive schools that also made the top 10 list this year. This school is located in Claremont, California, and costs students $66,685 this year.

6. Scripps College

Just down the road is Scripps College, an all-women’s school that costs students $66,664 this year. There are 968 undergraduate students on this 32-acre campus, which prides itself on being one of the most beautiful college campuses in America. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 57 percent of undergraduates receive scholarships and grants, with an average aid amount of $30,703.

7. New York University

Located in New York City, New York University is a private, four-year school that costs $66,640 this year—students are paying for that big-city living. The average aid package is $25,146, however, and nearly 60 percent of undergraduates receive scholarships and grants. 

8. University of Southern California

Don’t be fooled by the name—the University of Southern California is actually a private four-year school located in Los Angeles. Its roughly 19,000 undergraduates are paying $66,631 this year, though some of that cost is offset by financial aid. Nearly two-thirds of undergrads are receiving scholarships and grants, with an average aid amount of $33,269 per year.

9. Dartmouth College

Students at this Ivy League school are paying $66,579 this year. Dartmouth was founded in 1769 and is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. On average, students receive $39,032 in financial aid each year. Plus, a little more than half of students are receiving scholarships and grants to help offset the costs.

10. Haverford College

Fun fact: The mascot for Haverford College is the black squirrel. This small liberal arts school is located near Philadelphia and costs $66,490 per year. The school tries super hard to help its students graduate with as little debt as possible and has a “no loans” policy for students with income below $60,000 per year. More than 50 percent of students receive a college grant and the average award is $40,014 at Haverford.

If these price tags have you panicking, don’t worry. Here are 19 colleges where you can get a degree for free!