To print article, click Print on your browser's File menu. Go back   Tuition Savings Calculator Find scholarships online Look for a school Shop for books on financing education Do your taxes online Find It! Article Index Fast Answers Tools Index Site Map Recent articles by Bankrate.com: • Employment strategies for 50-somethings, 8/11/2005 • The worlds worst mortgage, 8/3/2005 • 6 mortgage myths that can cost you money, 7/29/2005 More...		The Basics Top 10 priciest colleges and the cheapest Hold on to your backpack. Here are the most expensive colleges -- and the ones that cost the least, based on tuition and required fees.  By Bankrate.com No matter how much money you've got in your bank account, pricing out a year at college can cause anyone to go into sticker shock. True, it's an investment that pays dividends over a lifetime, but upfront costs are an important consideration for anyone thinking of going to school. Tuition alone can top $30,000 at some private colleges. On average, the price of a private college is about four times that of a public university. And while there are plenty of exceptions, good schools can command higher tuition than their less-celebrated peers. Start investing with $100. Explore our new ETF center. "Like anything else, it's supply and demand," says Jeff Selingo, business and politics editor at the Chronicle of Higher Education. With more students graduating from high school -- and a college degree considered essential to securing a good job -- colleges are able to charge more for their services. Just a part of the story While the sticker prices are surprising, they're not the full story, says Selingo. "Few people actually pay what is advertised," he says. "What also goes into that is federal and state financial aid, college scholarships and institutional aid. There's a lot of money that's immediately deducted from that price." Listed below are the most expensive colleges -- as well as those that will make the smallest impact on your pocketbook. All of the figures are based on tuition and required fees charged to first-time, full-time undergraduates at four-year colleges and universities, based on a nine-month academic year of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours. Related news and commentary on MSN Money • College plans for the rich, the poor and the in-between • Saving for college? Put all your tools to work • How to find free money for college • The top 10 shocks for college grads • What are the pros and cons of prepaying for tuition The numbers represent 2004-05 costs gathered by the College Board. Prices for public colleges and universities are for in-state residents.  Most expensive private schools School Price 1. Sarah Lawrence College -- Bronxville, N.Y. $32,416 2. Kenyon College -- Gambier, Ohio $32,170 3. Trinity College -- Hartford, Conn. $31,940 4. George Washington University -- Washington, D.C. $31,710 5. Hamilton College -- Clinton, N.Y. $31,700 6. Bowdoin College -- Brunswick, Maine $31,656 7. Wesleyan University -- Middletown, Conn. $31,650 8. Columbia University -- New York, N.Y. $31,472 9. Colgate University -- Hamilton, N.Y. $31,440 10. Pitzer College -- Claremont, Calif. $31,438  Most expensive public schools School Price 1. Penn State University -- University Park, Pa. $10,856 2. University of Pittsburgh -- Pittsburgh, Pa. $10,830 3. University of Vermont -- Burlington, Vt. $10,226 4. University of New Hampshire -- Durham, N.H. $9,226 5. New Jersey Institute of Technology -- Newark, N.J. $9,180 6. Temple University -- Philadelphia, Pa. $9,102 7. University of Massachusetts -- Amherst, Mass. $9,008 8. Rutgers University -- New Brunswick, N.J. $8,564 9. University of Cincinnati -- Cincinnati, Ohio $8,379 10. Rutgers University -- Newark, N.J. $8,209  Least expensive private schools School Price 1. National Hispanic University -- San Jose, Calif. $4,610 2. Arkansas Baptist College -- Little Rock, Ark. $5,074 3. Talladega College -- Talladega, Ala. $7,128 4. Lane College -- Jackson, Tenn. $7,176 5. Tougaloo College -- Tougaloo, Miss. $8,375 6. Judson College -- Elgin, Ill. $9,420 7. Paine College -- Augusta, Ga. $9,624 8. Augustine College -- Raleigh, N.C. $10,388 9. Barber-Scotia College -- Concord, N.C. $10,686 10. Wesleyan College -- Macon, Ga. $10,900  Least expensive public schools School Price 1. University of Nevada -- Reno, Nev. $2,682 2. Florida State University -- Tallahassee, Fla. $2,890 3. San Diego State University -- San Diego, Calif. $2,936 4. University of Florida -- Gainesville, Fla. $2,955 5. Florida Atlantic University -- Boca Raton, Fla. $3,092 6. Texas A&M University -- Kingsville, Texas $3,109 7. Florida International University -- Miami, Fla. $3,156 8. University of South Florida -- Tampa, Fla. $3,167 9. University of Central Florida -- Orlando, Fla. $3,180 10. University of Nevada -- Las Vegas, Nev. $3,210 By Erin Peterson, Bankrate.com More Resources ·  E-mail us your comments on this article ·  Post on the Your Money message board ·  Get a daily dose of market news Search MSN Money     tips   advertisement Sponsored Links
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