10 Most Expensive Colleges in U.S.

In case you’re still pondering the argument put forth by PIMCO’s Bill Gross that college tuition isn’t worth the investment, the Department of Education says a private, four-year secondary education will cost you an average of $21,324. But that won’t even buy a used Norton Anthology of English Literature at certain elite schools.

The Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center lists the most expensive schools on its website as part of the The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The act, championed by President Barack Obama, requires colleges and universities to report their tuition and fees, as well as the institution’s “average net price,” which is the average price of attendance that is paid by fulltime students after grants and scholarships are taken into account. The act called for the lists to be created by July 1 of this year.

Maine’s Bates College comes out on top at $51,300, which (thankfully, we guess) includes books, room and board. In fact, the five most expensive schools were all kind enough to kick in books, room and board. For tuition alone, New York’s Sarah Lawrence College took the top spot at $41,968. (We know what you’re thinking—Penn State tops the list for public universities at $14,416. The average tuition for all public universities rings in at a bargain basement price of $6,397).

1). Bates College (left)–Maine

$51,300

2). Connecticut College–Connecticut

$51,115

3). Middlebury–Vermont

$50,780

4). Union College–New York

$50,439

5). Colby College–Maine

$50,320