The cost to attend two major Los Angeles-based universities is steadily approaching six figures, but this amount only covers one year. Key findings from a new MoneyLion study analyzing America’s most expensive colleges reveal students living on campus at the University of Southern California and Pepperdine University paid more than $95,000 in total costs for the 2024-2025 school year.
MoneyLion found the nation’s most expensive colleges by reviewing relevant information, including the total cost for students living on campus for school years 2024-2025 and 2020-2021, via data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.
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The percentage change was calculated for key data points like the change in total cost for students living on campus, housing and food costs and tuition and fee costs over the timespan of 2021–2025 and sorted each educational institution in order of largest total cost for students for the 2024-2025 school year.
Key Findings
America’s two most expensive colleges are the University of Southern California and Pepperdine University. The total cost for students living on campus is $95,234 (USC) and $95,168 (Pepperdine) for the 2024-2025 school year. Since the 2020-2021 school year, total costs have increased by 19% at USC and 22% at Pepperdine.
11 of the nation’s most expensive colleges are in California. The schools and ranks are the University of Southern California (#1), Pepperdine University (#2), Harvey Mudd College (#9), Stanford University (#11), Claremont McKenna College (#25), Scripps College (#32), the California Institute of Technology (#33), Northeastern University Oakland (#41), Loyola Marymount University (#42), Pitzer College (#43) and Pomona College (#50).
It costs students living on campus $90,000+ annually to attend 41 of the 50 ranking colleges. The remaining nine universities cost more than $89,000 a year to attend.
Northeastern University Oakland is now 85% more expensive to attend compared to 2020-2021. Then, the total cost was $48,732. As of the 2024-2025 school year, this amount has skyrocketed to $90,158. Tuition and fee costs have also ballooned by 120% from 2021 to 2025.
Two Ivy League schools, Harvard and Princeton, did not rank in the top 50. The Ivy League institutions which ranked on our list include Columbia University (#14), University of Pennsylvania (#15), Cornell University (#17), Yale University (#20), Brown University (#23) and Dartmouth College (#26).
Here are the 50 universities ranked as the most expensive colleges in America.
1. University of Southern California
City and state: Los Angeles, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $95,234
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $80,151
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 19%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 22%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 20%
2. Pepperdine University
City and state: Malibu, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $95,168
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,912
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 22%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 35%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 21%
3. University of Chicago
City and state: Chicago, Illinois
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $94,971
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $81,531
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 16%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 18%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
4. Northwestern University
City and state: Evanston, Illinois
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $94,878
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $81,283
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
5. Barnard College
City and state: New York, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $94,582
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,855
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 21%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 22%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 22%
6. Vanderbilt University
City and state: Nashville, Tennessee
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $94,142
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,044
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 24%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 25%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 25%
7. University of Miami
City and state: Coral Gables, Florida
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $93,892
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $73,712
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 27%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 54%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
8. Haverford College
City and state: Haverford, Pennsylvania
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $93,406
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,890
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 15%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 19%
9. Harvey Mudd College
City and state: Claremont, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $93,131
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,539
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 19%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
10. Wesleyan University
City and state: Middletown, Connecticut
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,964
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,735
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 21%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 18%
11. Stanford University
City and state: Stanford, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,892
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,218
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 19%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 24%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
12. Georgetown University
City and state: Washington, D.C.
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,563
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,754
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 21%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
13. Washington University in St Louis
City and state: St. Louis, Missouri
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,523
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,586
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 16%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 26%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
14. Columbia University in the City of New York
City and state: New York, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,373
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,603
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 19%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 42%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
15. University of Pennsylvania
City and state: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,288
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $81,110
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 14%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 14%
16. Trinity College
City and state: Hartford, Connecticut
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,160
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,850
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 20%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 23%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 20%
17. Cornell University
City and state: Ithaca, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,150
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,992
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 23%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
18. Tufts University
City and state: Medford, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,088
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,000
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 19%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
19. New York University
City and state: New York, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $92,062
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,632
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 19%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 22%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 14%
20. Yale University
City and state: New Haven, Connecticut
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,950
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,370
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 16%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 16%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
21. Washington and Lee University
City and state: Lexington, Virginia
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,700
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,600
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 18%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 19%
22. Tulane University of Louisiana
City and state: New Orleans, Louisiana
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,686
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,680
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 16%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
23. Brown University
City and state: Providence, Rhode Island
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,676
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $80,448
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 10%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 18%
24. Vassar College
City and state: Poughkeepsie, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,520
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,170
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 22%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
25. Claremont McKenna College
City and state: Claremont, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,510
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,475
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 20%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 20%
26. Dartmouth College
City and state: Hanover, New Hampshire
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,312
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $80,184
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 17%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 14%
27. Colgate University
City and state: Hamilton, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,222
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,580
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 17%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
28. Wake Forest University
City and state: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,202
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,278
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 19%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
29. Smith College
City and state: Northampton, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,062
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $75,842
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 20%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 20%
30. Colorado College
City and state: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,024
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,080
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
31. Kenyon College
City and state: Gambier, Ohio
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $91,010
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $71,480
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 27%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 22%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 30%
32. Scripps College
City and state: Claremont, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,886
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,274
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 16%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 21%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
33. California Institute of Technology
City and state: Pasadena, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,822
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,718
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 17%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
34. Duke University
City and state: Durham, North Carolina
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,696
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,069
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 13%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 19%
35. Oberlin College
City and state: Oberlin, Ohio
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,692
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,296
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 13%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
36. Amherst College
City and state: Amherst, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,670
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,600
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 16%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
37. Wellesley College
City and state: Wellesley, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,250
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,270
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 15%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 18%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
38. Brandeis University
City and state: Waltham, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,224
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,195
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 18%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 24%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 18%
39. Boston University
City and state: Boston, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,207
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,662
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 16%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 14%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
40. Bennington College
City and state: Bennington, Vermont
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,170
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,764
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 14%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 13%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 14%
41. Northeastern University Oakland
City and state: Oakland, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $90,158
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $48,732
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 85%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 41%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 120%
42. Loyola Marymount University
City and state: Los Angeles, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,891
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $71,258
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 26%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 54%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 18%
43. Pitzer College
City and state: Claremont, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,742
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,808
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 17%
44. Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
City and state: Needham, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,669
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $76,846
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 17%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 19%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 16%
45. Simon's Rock at Bard College
City and state: Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,632
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,071
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 13%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 19%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 12%
46. Reed College
City and state: Portland, Oregon
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,610
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $78,100
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 15%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 18%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 14%
47. Southern Methodist University
City and state: Dallas, Texas
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,602
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $79,050
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 13%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 11%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
48. University of Rochester
City and state: Rochester, New York
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,562
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $77,995
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 15%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 16%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 15%
49. Williams College
City and state: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,520
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $66,540
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 35%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 35%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 36%
50. Pomona College
City and state: Claremont, California
Total cost for students living on campus (2024-2025): $89,414
Total cost for students living on campus (2020-2021): $75,094
% change in total cost for students living on campus (2021-2025): 19%
% change in housing and food costs (2021-2025): 20%
% change for tuition and fee costs (2021-2025): 19%
Methodology: For this study, MoneyLion analyzed colleges across the U.S. to find the most expensive places to attend university. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, a number of factors were sourced for colleges across the country including institution name, city and state the institution resides, four-year graduation rate, six-year graduation rate, total student population, student population for full time students, student population for undergraduate students, [1] total cost for students for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [2] total cost for books and supplies for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [3] total cost for room and board for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [4] total cost for other expenses for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [5] total cost for tuition and fees for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [6] total cost for tuition for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21, [7] and the total cost for fees for school year 2024-25 and 2020-21. Using the city and state that each institution resides in, the total population, median age, population ages 16 and up, population ages 18 and up, population ages 21 and up, population ages 65 and up, population 16 and up in the labor force, population 16 and up in the civilian labor force, population ages 16 and up employed and unemployed in the civilian labor force, total households, median household income, and mean household income were all sourced from the 2024 U.S. Census 5-Year ACS. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each city. The dollar and percentage differences from school year 2020-21 to 2024-25 were calculated for each data point. The cities and institutions were sorted to show the largest total cost for students for the school year 2024-25. All data is up to date as of September 3rd, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.