15 US colleges now cost more than $100,000 a year. See the list, ranked by cost of attendance.

The University of Chicago has the third-highest cost of attendance in the US. Huaxia Zhou/Getty Images 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 Haverford College is a private liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Sticker price: $100,026Average need-based scholarships and grants: $70,718Average out-of-pocket cost: $29,308Students from families earning under $65,000 a year may receive financial relief through loan-free financial aid packages from Haverford College. 14. Colgate University Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York. John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images Sticker price: $100,224Average need-based scholarships and grants: $72,605Average out-of-pocket cost: $27,619With 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 Georgetown University is a private research university in Washington, D.C. bpperry/Getty Images Sticker price: $100,864Average need-based scholarships and grants: $58,163Average out-of-pocket cost: $42,701Located 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 New York University is a private research university in New York City. littleny/Getty Images Sticker price: $100,998Average need-based scholarships and grants: $60,191Average out-of-pocket cost: $40,807NYU, 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 Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. : Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Sticker price: $101,030Average need-based scholarships and grants: $72,372Average out-of-pocket cost: $28,658Despite being one of the most expensive colleges in the US, Wesleyan offers loan-free financial aid packages to admitted students. 10. Vassar College Vassar College is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York. Brian Logan/Getty Images Sticker price: $101,051Average need-based scholarships and grants: $67,214Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,837Vassar 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 Claremont McKenna College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Jim Brown/Getty Images Sticker price: $101,990Average need-based scholarships and grants: $68,936Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,054Claremont 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 Fordham University is a private research university in New York City. wdstock/Getty Images Sticker price: $102,188Average need-based scholarships and grants: $41,919Average out-of-pocket cost: $60,269President 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 Smith College is a private liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts. Brian Logan/Getty Images Sticker price: $102,226Average need-based scholarships and grants: $73,031Average out-of-pocket cost: $29,195Smith 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 Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university in Missouri. Philip Rozenski/Getty Images Sticker price: $102,260Average need-based scholarships and grants: $75,880Average out-of-pocket cost: $26,380Washington 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 Barnard College is a private liberal arts college in New York City. MDoculus/Getty Images Sticker price: $103,000Average need-based scholarships and grants: $60,320Average out-of-pocket cost: $42,680Barnard 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 The University of Southern California is a private research university in Los Angeles. Kevin Koeppen Photography/Getty Images Sticker price: $103,162Average need-based scholarships and grants: $50,322Average out-of-pocket cost: $52,840Despite 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 The University of Chicago is a private research university located in Chicago. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Sticker price: $103,821Average need-based scholarships and grants: $78,651Average out-of-pocket cost: $25,170The 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 Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. zimmytws/Getty Images Sticker price: $103,975Average need-based scholarships and grants: $70,439Average out-of-pocket cost: $33,536Despite 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 Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Jim Brown/Getty Images Sticker price: $104,512Average need-based scholarships and grants: $64,941Average out-of-pocket cost: $39,571Harvey 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. Read next Kristine Villarroel is a reporter on Business Insider's Editorial Partnerships team.Her reporting often turns data into accessible stories about how money, education, policy, and place shape Americans’ lives. She covers stories on college costs and degree outcomes, state-by-state comparisons, public officials’ salaries, the rising cost of living, travel, food, and real estate.She has previously worked writing about culture, entertainment, music, and tech. Her work has been featured on Teen Vogue and Wired. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in journalism. There, she worked as editor of The Independent Florida Alligator. Email Villarroel at kvillarroel@insider.com and follow her on X @ktnedelvalle