The cost of college has been steadily rising. Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the cost of tuition plus room and board for a four-year school (private or public) increased by 10% on average, according to data from the College Board.
Today, for students attending an in-state public school, the average cost for tuition, fees, and room and board was $19,548 in 2015. For out-of-state students at a public school, that cost was more than $34,000. And for students attending a four-year private school the cost is almost $44,000 per year.
In addition to savings, many students rely on financial aid, including borrowing student loans, to cover the cost of attendance (COA).
Below you can find the cost of attendance for the U.S. News & World Report’s top-ranked undergraduate programs in the United States, as well as links to top sources of non-loan aid.
| Rank |
School Name |
2015-2016 Tuition |
2015-2016 Total COA |
Top Sources of Non-Loan Aid |
| 1 |
Princeton University |
$45,150 |
$63,420 |
Princeton Financial Aid (Aid Award) |
| 2 |
Harvard University |
$45,278 |
$64,400-$69,600 |
1. Harvard Scholarship
2. Federal and State Grants
3. Outside Awards |
| 3 |
Yale University |
$47,600 |
$65,725 |
1. Gift Aid
2. Federal and State Grants
3. Yale Scholarships |
| 4 |
Columbia University |
$53,000 |
$69,904 |
1. Columbia Grant
2. Tuition Assistance Program Grant |
| 5 |
Stanford University |
$45,729 |
$64,477 |
Need-based aid (scholarships, grants and student employment) |
| 6 |
University of Chicago |
$49,026 |
$70,100 |
1. Grants and Aid
2. No Barriers Program
3. Odyssey Program |
| 7 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
$46,704 |
$63,250 |
MIT Scholarship (Need-based grant) |
| 8 |
Duke University |
$49,498 |
$67,654 |
1. Need-based aid
2. A.B. Duke Memorial Scholarship
3. Alumni Endowed Scholars
4. Benjamin N. Duke Scholarship
5. Karsh International Scholars
6. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars
7. Reginaldo Howard Scholarship
8. Robertson Scholars Leadership Program
9. Trinity Scholarships
10. University Scholars Program
11. Carolina Honors Scholarships
12. North Carolina Math Scholarship
13. North Carolina Writing Scholarship |
| 9 |
University of Pennsylvania |
$49,536 |
$66,800 |
1. Need-based aid
2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
3. Penn Grant
4. University Named Scholarships
5. Mayor’s Scholarship |
| 10 (Tie) |
California Institute of Technology |
$43,710 |
$63,471 |
1. Need-based scholarships and grants
2. Stamps Leadership Scholarship
3. Post-9/11 GI Bill
4. Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 10 (Tie) |
Johns Hopkins University |
$48,710 |
$63,250 |
1. Need-based aid
2. Baltimore Scholars Program
3. Hodson Trust Scholarship
4. Charles R. Westgate Scholarship in Engineering
5. Army Reserve Office Training Corps
6. Air Force ROTC Scholarships
7. Post- 9/11 GI Bill |
| 12 (Tie) |
Dartmouth College |
$48,120 |
$67,434 |
1. Dartmouth Scholarships
2. Dartmouth Endowed Scholarships
3. ROTC Schoalrships
4. Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 12 (Tie) |
Northwestern University |
$48,624 |
$68,095 |
1. Northwestern University Scholarship
2. Good Neighbor, Great University
3. No-Loan Pledge Scholarship
4. Debt Cap Scholarship
5. Questbridge National College Match Scholarship
6. National Merit Scholarship
7. Founder’s Scholarship
8. Fermi Scholarship
9. Argonne Scholarship
10. Karr Achievement Scholarship
11. Illinois Monetary Award Program
12. Post 9-11 GI Bill/ Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 14 |
Brown University |
$49,346 |
$65,380 |
Need-based scholarships and grants |
| 15 (Tie) |
Cornell University |
$32,976 (Resident); $49,116 (Non-Resident) |
$49,354 (Resident); $65,494 (Non-Resident) |
Need-based scholarships and grants |
| 15 (Tie) |
Vanderbilt University |
$43,620 |
$65,532 |
1. University Grants and Need-Based Scholarships
2. Ingram Scholars
3. Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholars
4. Chancellor’s Scholars
5. Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 15 (Tie) |
Washington University in St. Louis |
$48,950 |
$71,304 |
1. Honorary Scholars Program
2. Howard Nemerov Writing Scholars Program
3. James W. Fitzgibbon Scholarships
4. Conway/Proetz Scholarship
5. Distinguished Scholars
6. Alexander S. Langsdorf Fellowships
7. James M. McKelvey Undergraduate Research Award
8. Entrepreneurial Scholars Program
9. John B. Ervin Scholars Program
10. Annika Rodriguez Scholars Program
11. William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth Scholars Program
12. Enterprise Holdings Scholars Program
13. Washington University / Boeing FIRST Scholarship
14. Stamps Leadership Scholarships
15. Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr. Scholarship
16. Army and Air Force Scholarships
17. Need-Based Financial Assistance |
| 18 (Tie) |
Rice University |
$41,560 |
$58,283 |
1. Trustee Distinguished Scholarship
2. Trustee Diversity Scholarship
3. Century Scholars Program
4. Barbara Jordan Scholarship
5. Engineering Scholarship
6. Lone Star Scholarship
7. Edgar Odell Lovett Scholarship
8. Allen International Scholarship |
| 18 (Tie) |
University of Notre Dame |
$47,929 |
$64,775 |
1. The Notre Dame Scholar Award Program
2. Penelope W. and E. Roe Stamps IV Leadership Scholars Program
3. Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program
4. Suzanne and Walter Schott Notre Dame Scholars Program
5. Trustey Family Scholarship Program
6. Malpass Scholars Program
7. Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 20 |
University of California – Berkeley |
13,432 (Resident); $38,140 (Non-Resident) |
$32,646 (Resident); $57,354 (Non-Resident) |
1. Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship
2. Cal Opportunity Scholarship
3. Incentive Awards Programs
4. Middle Class Scholarship
5. Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship
6. Cal Grant
7. Chafee Grant
8. Department Awards
9. Parent Grant
10. UC Berkeley Grant |
| 21 (Tie) |
Emory University |
$45,700 |
$63,058 |
1. Emory Advantage
2. Emory College Grant
3. Emory Opportunity Award
4. Georgia Hope Scholarship
5. Georgia Zell Miller Scholarship
6. Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant
7. Emory Scholars Program
8. Dean’s Achievement Scholarship
9. National Merit Scholarship
10. Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship
11. Yellow Ribbon Program |
| 21 (Tie) |
Georgetown University |
$49,610 |
$65,895 |
1. 1789 Scholarships and the Georgetown Scholarship Program
2. Georgetown Athletic Grants-In-Aid
3. John Carrol Scholarships
4. Named Undergraduate Georgetown Scholarships
5. Other GU Incentive Scholarships
6. The Baker Trust Scholarship Program
7. The President’s Scholarship for District of Columbia Students
8. The Robert Bellarmine and the Ignatian Scholarship Programs |
| 23 (Tie) |
Carnegie Mellon University |
$51,196 |
$68,980 |
1. Carnegie Scholarship
2. University Grants
3. Navy ROTC Grant |
| 23 (Tie) |
University of California – Los Angeles |
$13,251 (Resident); $37,959 (Non-Resident) |
$33,898 (Resident); $58,606 (Non-Resident) |
1. UCLA Regents Scholarships
2. UCLA Alumni Scholarships
3. UCLA Achievement Scholarships
4. UCLA Chancellor’s Blue and Gold Scholarship |
| 23 (Tie) |
University of Southern California |
$49,464 |
$67,212 |
1. University Grant
2. Cal Grants
3. Mork Family Scholarship
4. Stamps Leadership and Trustee Scholarships
5. Presidential Scholarship
6. Dean’s Scholarship |
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