In brief
- Harvey Mudd College is the most expensive university, at $104,512 a year for 2026 to 27.
- Sixteen US colleges list a yearly cost of attendance above $100,000, per Princeton Review data.
- Duke and the University of Chicago follow at $103,975 and $103,821.
- Many students pay far less than the sticker price after financial aid.
As of October 2026, the most expensive university in the world is Harvey Mudd College in California, with a total cost of attendance of $104,512 for the 2026 to 27 academic year, according to Princeton Review data reported by CNBC. Sixteen US colleges now list a yearly cost above $100,000.
The most expensive universities are almost all private US colleges. The figures below are the full “sticker price”, which includes tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, travel and other costs. Many students pay much less after financial aid.
| Rank | University | Yearly cost of attendance | Year and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvey Mudd College | $104,512 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 2 | Duke University | $103,975 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 3 | University of Chicago | $103,821 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 4 | Georgetown University | Over $100,000 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 5 | New York University | Over $100,000 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 6 | Wellesley College | $100,541 | 2025 to 26, college figure |
| 7 | Brown University | Over $99,000 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 8 | Northwestern University | Over $99,000 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 9 | Pepperdine University | Over $99,000 | 2026 to 27, Princeton Review |
| 10 | Barnard College | $99,824 | 2025 to 26, College Transitions |
1. Harvey Mudd College: $104,512
Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, is a small science and engineering college with fewer than 1,000 undergraduates. Its 2026 to 27 cost of attendance of $104,512 is the highest in the Princeton Review data.
Also readMost Expensive Chocolates in the World 2026: Top 9 RankedHarvey Mudd is part of the Claremont Colleges group, which shares libraries and facilities. Its graduates are among the highest earners of any US college, which is one reason it can charge so much.
2. Duke University: $103,975
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, has a 2026 to 27 cost of attendance of $103,975. It is one of the four schools that CNBC named among the 16 colleges above $100,000.
Duke has a large endowment and offers need-based aid, so many families pay far less than the listed price.
3. University of Chicago: $103,821
The University of Chicago lists a 2026 to 27 cost of attendance of $103,821. Tuition is the largest part, with housing in Chicago adding a large amount on top.
The university is known for its economics department and has produced many Nobel Prize winners.
4. Georgetown University: Over $100,000
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., is one of the colleges whose 2026 to 27 cost of attendance passes $100,000, according to the Princeton Review data. The exact figure was not published in the reports we reviewed.
Its location in the US capital means housing and living costs are high. Georgetown is best known for its School of Foreign Service and law school.
5. New York University: Over $100,000
New York University’s cost of attendance is also above $100,000 for 2026 to 27. NYU is one of the largest private universities in the US, with campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai as well as New York.
Living in Manhattan, one of the most expensive places in the country, adds a large share of the total.
6. Wellesley College: $100,541
Wellesley College in Massachusetts became the first New England college to pass $100,000 a year, with a 2025 to 26 cost of attendance of $100,541, the Boston Globe reported.
That figure is made up of $69,800 in tuition, housing and meals that bring the total to $92,440, plus books, travel and health insurance. A Wellesley economist told the paper that considerably fewer than half of students pay the full amount.
7. Brown University: Over $99,000
Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, lists a 2026 to 27 cost of attendance of more than $99,000. A year earlier, Brown’s figure was $95,984, according to the Boston Globe.
Brown is an Ivy League university known for its open curriculum, which lets students design their own course of study.
8. Northwestern University: Over $99,000
Northwestern University, just north of Chicago, also passes $99,000 for 2026 to 27. It is known for its journalism, engineering and business schools.
Like other wealthy private universities, it offers need-based aid that lowers the price for many families.
9. Pepperdine University: Over $99,000
Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, has a 2026 to 27 cost of attendance above $99,000. Its campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean, and living costs in the area are among the highest in the US.
In 2025 to 26, College Transitions listed Pepperdine’s total cost at $101,450 using the university’s own estimate, which shows how much cost calculations vary between sources.
10. Barnard College: $99,824
Barnard College, a women’s college affiliated with Columbia University in New York, listed a 2025 to 26 cost of attendance of $99,824, according to College Transitions. Its tuition and fees alone came to $75,520.
Barnard students can take classes at Columbia, and the college shares Columbia’s Manhattan neighbourhood and its high living costs.
What about universities outside the US?
Private US colleges dominate this list because they combine high tuition with high housing and living costs, and they publish full cost estimates. Universities in the UK, Europe and Asia usually charge less, even for international students, although fees for some courses such as medicine can be high.
Wealthy US universities also offer some of the largest aid packages. Harvard and MIT, for example, offer free tuition to many students from families earning up to $200,000 a year.
How we ranked these
We ranked universities by total yearly cost of attendance. Ranks 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 use 2026 to 27 figures from The Princeton Review, as reported by CNBC in June 2026. For Wellesley and Barnard, whose 2026 to 27 figures were not in those reports, we used their 2025 to 26 costs. Wellesley’s already passed $100,000 a year earlier.
See also our list of the wealthiest cities in the world, where many of these campuses are located.
Sources: The College Fix, citing CNBC and The Princeton Review, Legal Insurrection, reproducing CNBC, Boston Globe, College Transitions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive university in the world?
Harvey Mudd College in California is the most expensive, with a total cost of attendance of $104,512 for 2026 to 27, according to Princeton Review data reported by CNBC. Duke University and the University of Chicago follow closely, both above $103,000.
How many colleges cost more than $100,000 a year?
Sixteen US colleges list a cost of attendance above $100,000 for the 2026 to 27 academic year, according to Princeton Review data reported by CNBC in June 2026. They include Harvey Mudd, Duke, the University of Chicago, Georgetown and NYU.
What does cost of attendance include?
Cost of attendance is the full yearly sticker price. It includes tuition and fees, housing, meals, books, transport and personal expenses. It does not account for scholarships or financial aid, so the price many students actually pay is lower.
Is Harvard the most expensive university?
No. Harvard’s 2025 to 26 cost of attendance was $95,426, according to the Boston Globe, below the colleges on this list. Harvard also offers free tuition to many students from families earning up to $200,000 a year.
Do most students pay the full price?
No. At wealthy private colleges, many students receive need-based or merit aid. A Wellesley economist told the Boston Globe that considerably fewer than half of the college’s students pay the full estimated cost of attendance.
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