A lot of folks think quality education equates to expensive universities, find out if it is so in this article on the 25 most expensive universities in the world.
The world today is changing at a very rapid rate, to keep abreast with these innovative and technological changes, quality education is essential.
Quality higher education comes at a very high price. You may find that some of the most reputable and respected public and private universities around the world today have very expensive tuition.
However, there are cheap universities around the world that offer world-class education. Check out our article on the 50 cheapest universities in the world for international students
Furthermore, the kind of school you attend presents you with the best networking opportunities, and access to great internship opportunities that may lead to easy jobs that pay well with high starting-salaries, world-class learning resources, etc.
No wonder the rich ensure they send their wards to Ivy League schools, not because they have lots of money to throw around, but because they understand some of the advantages of quality higher education for their kids.
Are you looking for quality expensive universities around the world where you can get value for your money? We’ve got you covered.
In this article, we have prepared a list of the 25 most expensive universities in the world.
Without much ado, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Is an Expensive University Worth It?
An expensive university may be considered to be worth it due to the following reasons:
Firstly, employers are sometimes biased toward students who graduate from elite schools. This could be because the competition for admission to elite/expensive schools is severe, as only the best/brightest/highest scoring pupils will be admitted.
Employers like these people since they have been pre-screened and proven to be high achievers.
Furthermore, the education acquired is superior to that of a smaller, less expensive college. Elite colleges have the resources to provide better training and more possibilities for students to learn about their chosen area.
Secondly, more expensive academic staff teach fewer hours and are experts in their disciplines with extensive industrial and/or research experience and, most likely, worldwide relationships. They also devote extra time to research in order to keep their subjects up to date.
Lastly, in many careers, branding is important, which means that attending a more “well-known” (and likely more expensive) university will have a significant impact on your future and your learning while at that university.
There are a variety of reasons for this, including the fact that networking is important and more expensive colleges often have “better” networking opportunities in the form of alumni and “old boy” networks to tap into.
Also, the fact that in order to maintain their brand, most expensive universities often have more money, energy, and staff to put into strong support infrastructures ranging from career counselling to extracurricular opportunities.
A “big-name” or well-respected school’s return on investment is likely to be worth the high upfront cost. This is why so many students are willing to incur massive debt to expect their school of choice to succeed.
What are the best 25 Most Expensive Universities in the World?
Below are the 25 most expensive universities in the world:
- Harvey Mudd College, US – $70,853
- Johns Hopkins University- 68,852
- Parsons School of Design – $67,266
- Dartmouth College – $67,044
- Columbia University, US – $66,383
- New York University, US – $65,860
- Sarah Lawrence College – $65,443
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US – $65,500
- The University of Chicago – $64,965
- Claremont McKenna University – $64,325
- University of Oxford, UK – $62,000
- ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland – $60,000
- Vassar College, US – $56,960
- Trinity College, US – $56,910
- Landmark College, US – $56,800
- Franklin and Marshall College, US – $56,550
- University of Southern California, US – $56,225
- Duke University, US – $55,960
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech), US – $55,000
- Stanford University, US – $51,000
- Imperial College London, UK – $50,000
- Harvard University, US – $47,074
- University of Cambridge, UK – $40,000
- University of Melbourne, Australia – $30,000
- UCL (University College London), UK – $25,000.
The 25 most Expensive Universities in the World
#1. Harvey Mudd College, US
Cost: $80,036
This highly-rated college located in California is ranked first among the top ten most expensive universities in the world. This is by far the most expensive university in the world. Harvey Mudd College was founded in 1955 as a private college.
What is it about Harvey Mudd that makes it the most expensive college in the world?
Basically, It has a lot to do with the fact that it has the second-highest rate of STEM PhD production in the country, and Forbes ranked it as the 18th best school in the country!
In addition, U.S. News named its undergraduate engineering program the best in the country, tying it with the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Its primary focus is on STEM majors such as mathematics, science, engineering, and information technology.
#2. Johns Hopkins University
Cost: $68,852
This is the world’s second most expensive university and the second most expensive university on our list.
Johns Hopkins Institution is a private American research university located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1876 and named after its first benefactor, Johns Hopkins, an American businessman, abolitionist, and philanthropist.
Furthermore, it was the first research university in the United States, and it now invests more in research than any other US academic institution.
Also, it is widely regarded as transforming higher education as the first institution in the United States to mix teaching and research. Johns Hopkins University has produced 27 Nobel laureates to date.
#3. Parsons School of Design
Cost: $67,266
This prestigious design school is the world’s third most expensive university.
It is a private art and design college in New York City’s Greenwich Village neighbourhood. It is considered local art and design institution and one of the New School’s five colleges.
The renowned American Impressionist William Merritt Chase founded the school in 1896. Since its establishment, Parsons has been a leader in art and design education, championing new movements and teaching methods that have catapulted artists and designers to new heights both creatively and politically.
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#4. Dartmouth College
Cost: $67,044
This is the fourth most expensive university on our list. Eleazar Wheelock founded it in 1769, making it the ninth-oldest higher education institution in the United States and one of the nine schools chartered before the American Revolution.
Furthermore, the Ivy League College is a private university in Hanover, New Hampshire.
It has over 40 departments and programs in its undergraduate college, as well as graduate schools of Arts and Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, and Business.
Over 6,000 students attend the university, with around 4,000 undergraduates and 2,000 postgraduates.
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#5. Columbia University, US
Cost: $66,383
This highly rated expensive university is a private research university that was founded in 1754 by George II of Great Britain and is the 5th oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
The university was first known as King’s College, before being renamed Columbia University in 1784.
Furthermore, many university researchers and scientists have pioneered groundbreaking research and discoveries, including nuclear piles, brain-computer interfaces, and nuclear magnetic resonance. The researchers also discovered the first signs of continental drift and tectonic plates.
With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 5.8%, Columbia is currently the third most selective college in the United States and the second most selective in the Ivy League after Harvard.
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#6. New York University, US
Cost: $65,860
This renowned university is the world’s sixth most costly university on our list. It is the most well-known university in the United States Schools and Colleges.
Basically, New York Institution (NYU) is a private research university in New York City that was founded in 1831. It is one of the country’s largest private higher education institutions. The university is noted for its social science, fine arts, nursing, and dentistry undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Furthermore, The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest of New York University’s schools and colleges. The Tisch School of the Arts, which offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, acting, film, television, and dramatic writing, is also part of the complex.
Other graduate programs include the Silver School of Social Work, Stern School of Business, School of Law, School of Medicine, and Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Also, recruiters are interested in its graduates, as evidenced by its high ranking in the Graduate Employability Rankings 2017.
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#7. Sarah Lawrence College
Cost: $65,443
This Ivy League College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, about 25 kilometres north of Manhattan. Its innovative educational method allows students to select their own path of study, making it one of the state’s most prominent liberal arts colleges.
The college was founded in 1926 by real estate billionaire William Van Duzer Lawrence, who named it after his late wife, Sarah Bates Lawrence.
Basically, the school was designed to provide women with an education akin to Oxford University in the United Kingdom, where students receive intensive instruction from a varied selection of academic members.
There are 12 graduate study programs available at this institution. However, most students can design their own programs to meet their individual needs.
The university also provides a variety of study abroad opportunities, allowing students to pursue their studies in locations such as Havana, Beijing, Paris, London, and Tokyo.
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#8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US
Cost: $65,500
This prominent Institute is a private research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 1861.
MIT has five schools (architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; science). MIT’s educational philosophy, however, is based on the notion of educational innovation.
Furthermore, MIT researchers are leading the way in artificial intelligence, climate adaptation, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and poverty alleviation, and MIT research has previously fueled scientific breakthroughs like the development of radar, the invention of magnetic core memory, and the concept of the expanding universe.
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#9.The University of Chicago
Cost: $64,965
The prestigious University of Chicago, founded in 1856, is a private research university located in the heart of Chicago, the third most populous city in the United States.
Chicago is one of America’s premier institutions outside of the Ivy League, and it consistently ranks in the top 10 in national and international rankings.
Furthermore, beyond the arts and sciences, Chicago’s professional schools, such as the Pritzker School of Medicine, the Booth School of Business, and the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, have a stellar reputation.
Many academic disciplines, such as sociology, economics, law, and literary criticism, owe their growth to University of Chicago alumni.
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#10. Claremont McKenna University
Cost: $64,325
This top-rated university was founded in 1946 and is a liberal arts college located in the East Los Angeles county of Claremont.
The institution has a strong emphasis on business management and political science, as evidenced by its motto, “civilisation prospers via commerce.” The W.M. Keck Foundation is named after the philanthropist, and its gifts have helped to fund several campus projects.
Also, CMC has eleven research centres in addition to being a liberal arts college. The Keck Centre for International and Strategic Studies aims to provide students with a more solid worldview in a changing geopolitical landscape.
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#11. University of Oxford, UK
Cost: $62,000
The Institution of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, with a founding date that is uncertain, however, it is thought that teaching began there as early as the 11th century.
It consists of 44 colleges and halls, as well as the UK’s largest library system, and is located in and around Oxford’s ancient city centre, called “the dreaming city of spires” by 19th-century poet Matthew Arnold.
In addition, Oxford has a total of 22,000 students, roughly half of whom are undergraduates and 40% of whom are international students.
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#12. ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland
Cost: $60,000
This Highly-rated school is one of the world’s leading science and technology universities, with a reputation for cutting-edge research and innovation.
The Swiss Federal Polytechnic School was founded in 1855, and the university now has 21 Nobel laureates, two Fields Medalists, three Pritzker Prize winners, and one Turing Award winner among its alumni, including Albert Einstein himself.
Furthermore, The university contains 16 departments that offer academic education and perform scientific research in topics ranging from engineering and architecture to chemistry and physics.
The majority of degree programs at ETH Zurich integrate solid theory with practical application, and most are built on strong mathematical foundations.
In addition, ETH Zurich is one of the world’s major science and technology universities. The primary teaching language for undergraduates is German, but the majority of master’s and doctorate programs are in English.
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#13. Vassar College, US
Cost: $56,960
Basically, Vassar is a prestigious private college in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is a modest college with a total enrollment of 2,409 undergraduate students.
Admission is competitive, with a 25% admission rate at Vassar. Biology, Economics, and Mathematics are popular majors. Vassar graduates earn an average beginning income of $36,100, with 88% graduating.
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#14. Trinity College, US
Cost: $56,910
This well-known College located in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the state’s most historic educational institutions. It was founded in 1823 and is Connecticut’s second-oldest institution behind Yale University.
Furthermore, Trinity students obtain a wide education in a variety of areas and thinking skills at a liberal arts college. Above all, the college emphasizes individual thinking. Students are encouraged to pursue unusual combinations, such as politics with a minor in biology or engineering with a minor in art. Trinity offers about 30 multidisciplinary minors in addition to nearly 40 majors.
In addition, Trinity College is one of the few liberal arts colleges with an engineering major. It also has the first liberal arts university’s human rights program, which includes a series of lectures and workshops.
Students are also encouraged to participate in for-credit experiential learning programs such as research, internships, study abroad, or community-based learning.
Finally, Trinity’s charter prohibits it from imposing religious beliefs on any of its students. Students of all religions are welcome to attend the campus services and spiritual programs.
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#15. Landmark College, US
Cost: $56,800
This expensive school is a private college in Putney, Vermont exclusively for those with diagnosed learning disabilities, attention disorders, or autism.
Furthermore, It offers associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Established in 1985, Landmark College was the first institution of higher learning to pioneer college-level studies for students with dyslexia
In 2015, it topped CNN Money’s list of most expensive colleges. It was also the most expensive four-year, private non-profit by list price according to the Department of Education’s rankings for the 2012–2013 year; fees including room and board were reported to be $59,930 in 2013 and $61,910 in 2015
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#16. Franklin and Marshall College, US
Cost: $56,550
Basically, F&M College is a private liberal arts college located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
It is a modest college with a total enrollment of 2,236 undergraduate students. Admissions are fairly competitive, with a 37% admission rate at Franklin & Marshall. Liberal arts and humanities, economics, and business are popular majors.
Franklin & Marshall graduates earn a starting income of $46,000, with 85% graduating
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#17. University of Southern California, US
Cost: $56,225
This highly rated university also known as USC is a private research university in Los Angeles, California. It is California’s oldest private research university, founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney.
Basically, the university has one liberal arts school, the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and twenty-two undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, with around 21,000 undergraduate and 28,500 post-graduate students from all fifty states and more than 115 countries enrolled.
USC is rated as one of the top colleges in the country, and admittance to its programs is highly competitive.
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#18. Duke University, US
Cost: $56,225
This renowned university is one of the wealthiest private universities in the country and a leading producer of international scholars.
Duke University provides 53 majors and 52 minor options, allowing students to construct and form their own engineering degrees.
Furthermore, the university also offers 23 certificate programs. Students seeking a major may also pursue a second major, minor, or certificate.
As of 2019, Duke University has about 9,569 Graduate & Professional Students and 6,526 undergraduates.
The administration requires students to live on campus for the first three years in order for them to connect with other students and foster a sense of togetherness within the university.
On-campus, students can join over 400 clubs and organizations.
The fundamental organizational structure of the institution is the Duke University Union (DUU), which serves as the foundation for intellectual, social, and cultural life.
In addition, there is an Athletic Association with 27 sports and about 650 student-athletes. The university has been affiliated with three Turing Award winners and thirteen Noble Laureates. Duke’s alumni also include 25 Churchill Scholars and 40 Rhodes Scholars.
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#19. California Institute of Technology (Caltech), US
Cost: $55,000
Caltech (California Institute of Technology) is a private research institution located in Pasadena, California.
The university is well-known for its strengths in science and engineering, and It is one of a select group of technology institutes in the United States primarily dedicated to teaching technical arts and applied sciences, and its admissions process ensures that only a small number of the most outstanding students are enrolled.
In addition, Caltech boasts a strong research output and many high-quality facilities, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Caltech Seismological Laboratory, and the International Observatory Network.
Also, Caltech is one of the greatest academic institutions in the world and one of the most selective in the United States.
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#20. Stanford University, US
Cost $51,000
This well-known University is a private research university in Stanford, California, close to the city of Palo Alto.
Stanford has one of the largest university campuses in the United States, with over 17,000 students enrolled in 18 interdisciplinary research institutes and seven schools: the Graduate School of Business, the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities and Sciences, the Law School, and the School of Medicine.
This famous university is regarded among the best in the world.
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#21. Imperial College London, UK
Cost: $50,000
The Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine, is a public research institution in London.
This prestigious UK college is focused completely on science, engineering, medicine, and business. It is ranked 7th in the world in the QS World University Rankings.
Furthermore, Imperial College London is a unique college in the UK, focused completely on science, engineering, medicine, and business, and is ranked 7th in the world in the QS World University Rankings.
Finally, Imperial provides a research-led education that exposes you to real-world difficulties with no easy answers, teaching that challenges everything, and the opportunity to work in multi-cultural, multi-national teams.
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#22. Harvard University, US
Cost: $47,074
This renowned university, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a private Ivy League research university.
It was founded in 1636, is the country’s oldest higher education institution and is largely considered a world-class university in terms of impact, prestige, and academic pedigree.
Basically, only the academic elite gain admission into Harvard, and the nominal cost of attendance is exorbitant.
however, the university’s enormous endowment allows it to offer multiple financial assistance packages, which approximately 60% of students take advantage of.
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#23. University of Cambridge, UK
Cost: $40,000
This top-rated university located in the heart of the old city of Cambridge, 50 miles north of London, is a public research university that serves over 18,000 students from all over the world.
It is worthy of note that Applications to this prestigious university are made to specific colleges rather than the institution as a whole. You can live and often be taught in your college, where you will receive small group teaching sessions called college supervisions.
In addition, Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology are six academic schools spread across the university’s colleges, holding approximately 150 faculties and students.
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#24. University of Melbourne, Australia
Cost: $30,000
The University of Melbourne is a public research university in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1853 and is Australia’s second-oldest university as well as Victoria’s oldest.
Its main campus is in Parkville, an inner suburb north of Melbourne’s central business area, and it has numerous other campuses throughout Victoria.
Basically, Over 8,000 academic and professional staff members serve a dynamic student body of around 65,000, including 30,000 international students from over 130 countries.
Furthermore, the institution features ten residential colleges where the majority of students live, providing a quick approach to creating an academic and social network. Each college offers athletic and cultural programs to supplement the academic experience.
Basically, degrees at the University of Melbourne stand out because they are modelled after those at leading institutions throughout the world. Students spend a year investigating various subject areas before deciding on a major.
They also study areas outside of their chosen discipline, providing Melbourne students with a breadth of knowledge that distinguishes them.
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#25. University College London (UCL), UK
Cost: $25,000
Last on our list is University College London a public research university in London, England, founded in 1826.
It is a federal University of London member institution and the second-biggest university in the United Kingdom by total enrolment and the largest by postgraduate enrolment.
Furthermore, UCL is widely regarded as an academic powerhouse, consistently ranking in the top 20 in a variety of global rankings. According to the “QS World University Rankings 2021,” UCL is ranked eighth in the world.
UCL provides over 675 postgraduate programs and encourages its community to collaborate across traditional academic lines.
The vision of UCL is to revolutionize the way the world is understood, knowledge is created, and problems are solved.
Finally, In the QS Graduate Employability Rankings, UCL was placed among the top 20 universities in the world for graduate employability.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Expensive Universities
What are the top 10 most expensive universities in the world?
The top 10 must expensive universities are given below: Harvey Mudd College, US – $70,853 Johns Hopkins University- 68,852 Parsons School of Design - $67,266 Dartmouth College - $67,044 Columbia University, US – $66,383 New York University, US – $65,860 Sarah Lawrence College - $65,443 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US – $65,500 The University of Chicago - $64,965 Claremont McKenna University - $64,325
What is the most expensive tuition in the world?
Harvey Mudd has the most expensive tuition in the world, its tuition fee alone cost up to $60,402.
Is it more expensive to study in UK or US?
The US has some of the most expensive universities in the World. In general, studying at highly ranked universities in the UK is less expensive than studying at similarly ranked universities in the United States, given that degree programs in the United Kingdom are frequently shorter than those in the United States.
Is NYU more expensive than Harvard?
Yes, NYU is far more expensive than Harvard. It costs around $65,850 to study at NYU, Whereas Harvard charges around $47,074
Does Harvard accept poor students?
Of course, Havard accepts poor student. They have various financial aid programs available to underprivileged students who meet the qualifications.
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Conclusion
Finally, Scholars, we have come to the end of this helpful guide.
We hope this article provides you with all the information to apply to any of the expensive Ivy League schools listed above.
This post contains most of, if not all of the most expensive universities around the world. We have provided brief descriptions of each of the universities to make your decision process very easy.
Best of Luck, Scholars!!
