Year after year, the cost of college tuition inexorably rises. And this unceasing increase is not simply due to inflation. When adjusting for inflation, the cost of tuition has tripled from the academic year 1971-1972 to 2019-2020.
However, the growth in college tuitions shows some patterns that reveal the increase in tuition costs aren’t uniform across all types of colleges. For instance, the cost of tuition at public four-year institutions has stagnated in recent years while the cost of tuition at private, not-for-profit four-year institutions marches upward almost continuously. This pattern largely holds when it comes to the most expensive colleges in the U.S., with private, not-for-profit four-year colleges exceeding public four-year colleges in terms of tuition and fees.
To identify the most expensive college in every state, BrokeScholar analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on four-year public institutions and private, not-for-profit institutions in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. Private for-profit institutions were excluded as were two-year colleges, with the focus being on institutions awarding bachelor’s degrees — no associate’s degrees, certificates, or advanced programs. Tuition costs and fees come from the 2021-2022 academic year as published on the NCES database.
Read on to find out the most expensive college in every state in 2022.
Most Expensive Colleges in the U.S.
The most expensive college in the U.S. that has undergraduates and awards bachelor’s degrees in the academic year 2021-2022 is Columbia University in New York City. Its undergraduate tuition and fees cost $69,986, for both in-state and out-of-state students.
The second-most expensive college in the U.S. is also not a typical college: It is the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, one of the most renown institutions for Jewish theological studies in the world. Its undergraduate cost of tuition and fees is $66,064, for both in-state and out-of-state students.
The third-most expensive college in the U.S. is Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. This private, not-for-profit college charges $63,406 in tuition and fees (both in-state and out-of-state). Only three years ago, the cost of tuition at Franklin and Marshall was nearly $7,000 less ($56,550 in 2018-2019 academic year).
Most Expensive College in Every State
When examining the most expensive college in each state, the most significant pattern is that four-year private, not-for-profit colleges tend to be the most expensive. In only two states — Delaware and Wyoming — is the most expensive college a four-year public institution. The average number of undergraduate students across all 51 colleges in this study (50 states plus D.C.) is 3,975. Below you’ll find the most expensive college in every state, as well as their respective undergraduate populations and graduation rates.
Below is a table with jumplinks to take you to the state you want to see:
Most Expensive College in Alabama: Samford University
- In-state tuition and fees: $35,360
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $35,360
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 3,576
- Graduation rate: 77%
Most Expensive College in Alaska: Alaska Pacific University
- In-state tuition and fees: $20,760
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $20,760
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 312
- Graduation rate: 56%
Most Expensive College in Arizona: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
- In-state tuition and fees: $38,966
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $38,966
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,961
- Graduation rate: 59%
Most Expensive College in Arkansas: Hendrix College
- In-state tuition and fees: $33,350
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $33,350
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,067
- Graduation rate: 65%
Most Expensive College in California: University of Southern California
- In-state tuition and fees: $61,503
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $61,503
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 19,786
- Graduation rate: 92%
Most Expensive College in Colorado: Colorado College
- In-state tuition and fees: $62,070
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $62,070
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,025
- Graduation rate: 88%
Most Expensive College in Connecticut: Wesleyan University
- In-state tuition and fees: $62,049
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $62,049
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,852
- Graduation rate: 91%
Most Expensive College in Delaware: University of Delaware
- In-state tuition and fees: $15,020
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,880
- Type: 4-year, Public
- Undergraduate students: 19,328
- Graduation rate: 82%
Most Expensive College in D.C.: Georgetown University
- In-state tuition and fees: $59,957
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $59,957
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 7,357
- Graduation rate: 94%
Most Expensive College in Florida: University of Miami
- In-state tuition and fees: $54,760
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $54,760
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 11,334
- Graduation rate: 83%
Most Expensive College in Georgia: Emory University
- In-state tuition and fees: $55,468
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $55,468
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 7,010
- Graduation rate: 90%
Most Expensive College in Hawaii: Hawaii Pacific University
- In-state tuition and fees: $30,020
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $30,020
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 3,800
- Graduation rate: 46%
Most Expensive College in Idaho: Northwest Nazarene University
- In-state tuition and fees: $34,390
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $34,390
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,389
- Graduation rate: 62%
Most Expensive College in Illinois: University of Chicago
- In-state tuition and fees: $62,241
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $62,241
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 7,056
- Graduation rate: 96%
Most Expensive College in Indiana: University of Notre Dame
- In-state tuition and fees: $58,843
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $58,843
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 8,874
- Graduation rate: 97%
Most Expensive College in Iowa: Grinnell College
- In-state tuition and fees: $58,648
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $58,648
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,493
- Graduation rate: 97%
Most Expensive College in Kansas: Ottawa University - Ottawa
- In-state tuition and fees: $36,780
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,780
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 720
- Graduation rate: 37%
Most Expensive College in Kentucky: Centre College
- In-state tuition and fees: $46,000
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $46,000
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,333
- Graduation rate: 83%
Most Expensive College in Louisiana: Tulane University
- In-state tuition and fees: $60,814
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,814
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 8,537
- Graduation rate: 86%
Most Expensive College in Maine: Colby College
- In-state tuition and fees: $61,220
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $61,220
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,155
- Graduation rate: 90%
Most Expensive College in Maryland: Johns Hopkins University
- In-state tuition and fees: $58,720
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $58,720
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 6,331
- Graduation rate: 94%
Most Expensive College in Massachusetts: Bard College at Simon's Rock
- In-state tuition and fees: $63,583
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $63,583
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 328
- Graduation rate: 70%
Most Expensive College in Michigan: Kalamazoo College
- In-state tuition and fees: $54,522
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $54,522
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,451
- Graduation rate: 79%
Most Expensive College in Minnesota: Macalester College
- In-state tuition and fees: $60,518
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,518
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,049
- Graduation rate: 93%
Most Expensive College in Mississippi: Millsaps College
- In-state tuition and fees: $42,960
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $42,960
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 669
- Graduation rate: 68%
Most Expensive College in Missouri: Washington University in St. Louis
- In-state tuition and fees: $58,866
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $58,866
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 7,653
- Graduation rate: 94%
Most Expensive College in Montana: Carroll College
- In-state tuition and fees: $38,106
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $38,106
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,100
- Graduation rate: 67%
Most Expensive College in Nebraska: Creighton University
- In-state tuition and fees: $44,524
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $44,524
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 4,458
- Graduation rate: 82%
Most Expensive College in Nevada: Roseman University of Health Sciences
- In-state tuition and fees: $36,297
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,297
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 555
- Graduation rate: N/A
Most Expensive College in New Hampshire: Dartmouth College
- In-state tuition and fees: $60,870
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,870
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 4,170
- Graduation rate: 95%
Most Expensive College in New Jersey: Stevens Institute of Technology
- In-state tuition and fees: $56,920
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $56,920
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 3,791
- Graduation rate: 88%
Most Expensive College in New Mexico: St. John’s College
- In-state tuition and fees: $35,710
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $35,710
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 268
- Graduation rate: 73%
Most Expensive College in New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America
- In-state tuition and fees: $66,064
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $66,064
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 133
- Graduation rate: 89%
Most Expensive College in North Carolina: Duke University
- In-state tuition and fees: $60,244
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,244
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 6,717
- Graduation rate: 96%
Most Expensive College in North Dakota: University of Jamestown
- In-state tuition and fees: $23,498
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $23,498
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 912
- Graduation rate: 55%
Most Expensive College in Ohio: Kenyon College
- In-state tuition and fees: $63,310
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $63,310
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,615
- Graduation rate: 89%
Most Expensive College in Oklahoma: University of Tulsa
- In-state tuition and fees: $45,673
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $45,673
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,929
- Graduation rate: 73%
Most Expensive College in Oregon: Reed College
- In-state tuition and fees: $62,730
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $62,730
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,366
- Graduation rate: 77%
Most Expensive College in Pennsylvania: Franklin and Marshall College
- In-state tuition and fees: $63,406
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $63,406
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,254
- Graduation rate: 85%
Most Expensive College in Rhode Island: Brown University
- In-state tuition and fees: $62,304
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $62,304
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 6,792
- Graduation rate: 95%
Most Expensive College in South Carolina: Furman University
- In-state tuition and fees: $53,372
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $53,372
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,345
- Graduation rate: 81%
Most Expensive College in South Dakota: Augustana University
- In-state tuition and fees: $35,914
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $35,914
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,735
- Graduation rate: 72%
Most Expensive College in Tennessee: Vanderbilt University
- In-state tuition and fees: $56,966
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $56,966
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 7,057
- Graduation rate: 93%
Most Expensive College in Texas: Southern Methodist University
- In-state tuition and fees: $60,236
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,236
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 6,827
- Graduation rate: 81%
Most Expensive College in Utah: Westminster College
- In-state tuition and fees: $39,200
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $39,200
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,426
- Graduation rate: 69%
Most Expensive College in Vermont: Middlebury College
- In-state tuition and fees: $59,770
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $59,770
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 2,580
- Graduation rate: 94%
Most Expensive College in Virginia: Washington and Lee University
- In-state tuition and fees: $59,380
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $59,380
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,822
- Graduation rate: 93%
Most Expensive College in Washington: Whitman College
- In-state tuition and fees: $55,982
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $55,982
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 1,360
- Graduation rate: 86%
Most Expensive College in West Virginia: West Virginia Wesleyan College
- In-state tuition and fees: $32,612
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $32,612
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 979
- Graduation rate: 55%
Most Expensive College in Wisconsin: Beloit College
- In-state tuition and fees: $54,680
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $54,680
- Type: 4-year, Private not-for-profit
- Undergraduate students: 978
- Graduation rate: 78%
Most Expensive College in Wyoming: University of Wyoming
- In-state tuition and fees: $6,277
- Out-of-state tuition and fees: $20,827
- Type: 4-year, Public
- Undergraduate students: 9,342
- Graduation rate: 59%
Table of the Most Expensive College in Every State
Below you’ll find a table including all the information above. Based on the data, the most expensive college with the highest graduation rate is Notre Dame in Indiana, with a 97% graduation rate. This is followed by the University of Chicago in Illinois at 96% and Duke University in North Carolina, also boasting a 96% graduation rate.
| State | Most Expensive College | 2021-2022: In-state tuition | 2021-2022: Out-of-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Samford University | $35,360 | $35,360 |
| Alaska | Alaska Pacific University | $20,760 | $20,760 |
| Arizona | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | $38,966 | $38,966 |
| Arkansas | Hendrix College | $33,350 | $33,350 |
| California | University of Southern California | $61,503 | $61,503 |
| Colorado | Colorado College | $62,070 | $62,070 |
| Connecticut | Wesleyan University | $62,049 | $62,049 |
| Delaware | University of Delaware | $15,020 | $36,880 |
| District of Columbia | Georgetown University | $59,957 | $59,957 |
| Florida | University of Miami | $54,760 | $54,760 |
| Georgia | Emory University | $55,468 | $55,468 |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Pacific University | $30,020 | $30,020 |
| Idaho | Northwest Nazarene University | $34,390 | $34,390 |
| Illinois | University of Chicago | $62,241 | $62,241 |
| Indiana | University of Notre Dame | $58,843 | $58,843 |
| Iowa | Grinnell College | $58,648 | $58,648 |
| Kansas | Ottawa University-Ottawa | $36,780 | $36,780 |
| Kentucky | Centre College | $46,000 | $46,000 |
| Louisiana | Tulane University of Louisiana | $60,814 | $60,814 |
| Maine | Colby College | $61,220 | $61,220 |
| Maryland | Johns Hopkins University | $58,720 | $58,720 |
| Massachusetts | Bard College at Simon's Rock | $63,583 | $63,583 |
| Michigan | Kalamazoo College | $54,522 | $54,522 |
| Minnesota | Macalester College | $60,518 | $60,518 |
| Mississippi | Millsaps College | $42,960 | $42,960 |
| Missouri | Washington University in St Louis | $58,866 | $58,866 |
| Montana | Carroll College | $38,106 | $38,106 |
| Nebraska | Creighton University | $44,524 | $44,524 |
| Nevada | Roseman University of Health Sciences | $36,297 | $36,297 |
| New Hampshire | Dartmouth College | $60,870 | $60,870 |
| New Jersey | Stevens Institute of Technology | $56,920 | $56,920 |
| New Mexico | St. John's College | $35,710 | $35,710 |
| New York | Jewish Theological Seminary of America | $66,064 | $66,064 |
| North Carolina | Duke University | $60,244 | $60,244 |
| North Dakota | University of Jamestown | $23,498 | $23,498 |
| Ohio | Kenyon College | $63,310 | $63,310 |
| Oklahoma | University of Tulsa | $45,673 | $45,673 |
| Oregon | Reed College | $62,730 | $62,730 |
| Pennsylvania | Franklin and Marshall College | $63,406 | $63,406 |
| Rhode Island | Brown University | $62,304 | $62,304 |
| South Carolina | Furman University | $53,372 | $53,372 |
| South Dakota | Augustana University | $35,914 | $35,914 |
| Tennessee | Vanderbilt University | $56,966 | $56,966 |
| Texas | Southern Methodist University | $60,236 | $60,236 |
| Utah | Westminster College | $39,200 | $39,200 |
| Vermont | Middlebury College | $59,770 | $59,770 |
| Virginia | Washington and Lee University | $59,380 | $59,380 |
| Washington | Whitman College | $55,982 | $55,982 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Wesleyan College | $32,612 | $32,612 |
| Wisconsin | Beloit College | $54,680 | $54,680 |
| Wyoming | University of Wyoming | $6,277 | $20,827 |
The Bottom Line on College Tuition and Affording It
While this study only covered the most expensive college in every state, across the board, the overwhelming majority of colleges are seeing their cost of tuition and fees increasing year after year. Whether public or private institutions, the inexorable rise in tuition costs appears to be unstoppable. Financial aid is available for prospective students, but the amounts can vary substantially depending on your household income and the college you want to go to.
Fortunately, there are ways to help save money on college tuition. You can lower the burden of tuition costs with the scholarships for undergraduate students offered by BrokeScholar. BrokeScholar offers a vast variety of scholarships for undergraduates, but also provides a collection of scholarships for graduate students as well.
Another place where you can save money is when you’re attending college. Whether it’s books, clothing and apparel, computers and laptops, phones and phone plans, electronics, and more, there are thousands of student discounts offered by BrokeScholar. While most parents prepare for the costs of tuition, they often forget about all the costs associated with attending school and living on campus. With the right combination of smart budgeting, financial aid, scholarship programs, and student discounts, you can help cut down on the overall cost of going to college.
