Are you looking to apply and attend a college in the world? It’s no news anymore that there are the most expensive universities in the world and the US has the most of them. The tuition fees for the universities are some of the highest in the world.
Also, the world has some of the top-quality universities in the world. These universities you will find on the list of the best and most expensive universities in the world are mostly private schools. And we will recommend going for any of them if it’s something within your financial reach.
However, investing a great deal of money in tuition fees into a university doesn’t always mean receiving a first-class education, instead, it helps hugely if you are looking to build valuable networks and kick-start your career in a top institution. Also, it boosts your employment opportunities for job-seeking in the future. If you can get it, do it!
In this article, we will be making a list of the 10 most expensive universities in the world to assist in your search. Also, we will further discuss why there are the most expensive universities in the US.
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Which University is the Hardest to Get Into?
One of the universities widely regarded as the most challenging to gain admission to is Harvard University. Founded in 1636, Harvard has established itself as an Ivy League institution with a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and rigorous standards. Each year, thousands of exceptionally qualified students from around the world vie for a limited number of spots in their undergraduate programs.
The university’s highly selective admissions process considers a holistic review of applicants, including their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, personal essays, recommendation letters, and standardized test scores. Harvard’s rigorous standards, coupled with a large number of exceptionally talented applicants, make it incredibly challenging to secure a place at this prestigious institution.
However, it’s worth noting that there are many excellent universities worldwide, each with its own unique admission criteria and level of competitiveness.
Most Expensive Universities in the World
Here are the most expensive universities in the world in 2023:
- Harvey Mudd College
- Johns Hopkins University
- Parsons School of Design
- Dartmouth College
- Columbia University
- New York University
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Wesleyan University
- The University of Chicago
- Claremont McKenna University
1. Harvey Mudd College
Established in 1955, this college sits at the top of our list of the most expensive universities in the world. Also, it doubles as one of the top-quality universities in the world too. And according to U.S. News & World Report, It is also the fifteenth-best college of liberal arts in the United States.
The University focuses on technology, mathematics, art, social science, humanities, and engineering. It is also one of the top leading schools in those areas.
Harvey Mudd College is located in California, United States and the total fee to study at this college is $70,853.
2. Johns Hopkins University
This University is the second most expensive university in the world. It’s a private academic institution founded in 1876 and was named after its first benefactor, Johns Hopkins.
Johns Hopkins was an American merchant, philanthropist, and abolitionist.
The school is located in Baltimore, United States and it costs a total fee of $68,852 to study here.
3. Parsons School of Design
This school of design sits as our third most expensive school in the world. It is a private art and Design college located in New York City, Lower Manhattan, Greenwich Village.
And the tuition fee to study at this school is $67,266. The school is regarded as a local college for the arts and design and it is also one of the New School’s five colleges.
4. Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College was founded in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock and is the fourth most expensive university in the world. The school doubles as the ninth-ancient higher education institution in the US.
Also, it is one of the nine colleges shattered before the American Revolution.
This University is located in Hanover, NH 03755, the United States and it costs a tuition fee of $67,044 to study here.
5. Columbia University
Established in 1754, Columbia University is America’s most ancient college and it is the fourth most expensive university in the world. It is located at the morning-side heights occupying 32 acres of land.
Also, Columbia University has campus sites in the following major cities:
- Beijing
- Amman
- Paris
- Mumbai
- Istanbul
- Rio De Janeiro.
The University was founded when the King’s College by King George II of Great Britain was proclaimed a ritual charter. And the university has since at the time of its establishment produced renowned graduates in various fields.
It has produced five founding fathers of the United States and the good Supreme Court judges of the United States.
Also, the university is famous for being the first higher education institution to grant master’s degrees in the United States.
It is located on 116th St & Broadway, New York, NY 10027, USA and it costs $66,383 to study here.
6. New York University
Founded in 1831, New York University is the 6th most expensive university in the world. It also doubles as one of the most expensive universities in the US. Also, it is the most prominent university in the United States Schools and Colleges.
Also, New York University has the largest student population. In 2015, it was recorded to have had about 57,245 students. It is located in New York, NY 100003, USA and it costs $65,850 to study here.
The University has its main campus in Greenwich in Lower, Manhattan and it has further set more campus sites in the following areas:
- Berlin
- Accra
- Florence
- Madrid
- London
- Buenos Aires
- Prague
- Sydney
- Tel Aviv.
The University has produced prominent alums in numerous fields like NASA Johnson Space Center chief engineer, Jay Shanley.
Sarah Lawrence College
This university was founded in 1926 by William Duzer Lawrence. He was a real estate mogul and he established this university in honor of his wife, Sarah, in his private estate in Westchester.
The school has provided professional and quality education in arts and humanities for women. And it has since its establishment produced numerous women leaders, professionals, and indicators, in various fields.
Women like Barbara Walters, Yoko Ono, Amanda Burden, Sigourney Weaver, and Alice Walker, received education in this college.
The school is located at 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708, USA and it costs $65,630 to study here.
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is the right most expensive university in the world. Founded in 1831 in Middletown, Connecticut, Wesleyan University is one of the liberal arts colleges “the little three,” competing as a member of the NESCAC and with Amherst and Williams Colleges.
It is a private university located at 45 Wyllys Ave, Middletown, CT 06459, US. By the time of its establishment, it was founded for only males and it was the first educational institution to be named after John Wesley – the founder of Methodism.
However, the university would become co-educational after it accepted women as candidates between 1872, 19090, and 1970.
This reversal would later lead to the establishment of the foundation of Connecticut College in 1912.
It costs $65,443 to study here.
The University of Chicago
This is the ninth university on our list as one of the most expensive universities in the world. In 1890, the university was honored as the best and most prominent university in the USA. It is currently the largest university in the world by size.
As of the time of writing this, the University of Chicago has a population of 15, 312 students. It focuses on the following fields:
- Education
- Science
- Research
- Entertainment
- Policy
- Trade.
Some of the renowned alumni of this university include Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, and founder of Oracle, Larry Ellison.
The University is located at 5801 A Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA and it costs $64,965 to study here.
Claremont McKenna University
This is the tenth university on the list of the most expensive universities in the world.
It is the best college in Western America and it holds the title of the nation’s eighteen places for best university. Some renowned people who received education in Claremont Mckenna University include the cofounder of Ethos Water, Peter Thum; the Starbucks Vice President, and Congressman David Dreier. Also, there was Robin Williams – the late award-winning comedian.
The school is located in California, USA and it costs $64,325.
Why These Schools Are the Most Expensive Universities in the World
You may have wondered why universities in the world are quite expensive and almost unaffordable for some set of people and yet, people still go to them every year.
Here are the reasons they are expensive:
They employ the best lecturers and professors
Naturally, higher education is a work-intensive industry with slow profits in productivity and because of that, universities that hire or employ some of the top and quality lecturers and professors also have to pay them well.
Also, universities spend huge amounts on staffing and compensations and all of these set the costs of health insurance and other benefits these lecturers and professors receive, to increase.
These most expensive universities in the world seem to be the choice of every student
You will agree that in the production companies of the goods and services we consume, the higher the demand, the higher the price. That is, when demand increases, prices rise, and that’s the case with these universities in the world.
There’s been a heightened demand for higher education since 1985 and from them to slightly 2000, university compensations have increased since the last decade too.
Meanwhile, the overflowing number is students in the universities shows that the universities are either worth as much as they cost or more than they do.
Financial aid causes tuition increase
There have been more student loans and this simply explains the reason government funding assistance programs have improved extensively. How are, this contributes to the increase in tuition fees in universities?
Back in the 70s, there were almost no financial assistance services and the majority of students had not done nor collected college loans.
However, after the Middle Income Student Assistance Act was enacted in Congress in 1978, students were eligible for scholarship funds and Pell Grants. As a result, a quite number more students applied for financial aid. These Universities increase fees and take advantage of this to handle things on their own.
Around the 70s, tuition fees in the universities in the world rose, and people’s incomes did too. As a result, the financial burdens for universities in the world are reduced.
However, from 1978 to about 2015, this burden began to rise again and even with the declining economic growth.
State funding cuts
Public universities around the world all hope on national government funding. However, state investment has declined by over 38 billion dollars and as a result, public tertiary institutions are pushed to boost their tuitions over their efforts to make up for the cut down in funding. And for this reason, students get fined.
However, before you apply to any of the most expensive universities in the world, it is important to know that the high cost of education doesn’t necessarily guarantee an automatic better college degree.
However, employers are known to consider the name of your alma mater when deciding to offer you a job. Even though your zeal and enthusiasm about the job do more sometimes.
Conclusion
These 10 most expensive universities in the world are a must-go if you can afford any one of them, however, it is important you know that paying a huge amount doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best degrees.
However, you choose them for other benefits and you could still obtain an excellent degree.
We hope you find our list helpful. We wish you the best!
FAQs
Harvey Mudd College
Johns Hopkins University
Parsons School of Design
Dartmouth College
Columbia University
New York University
Sarah Lawrence College
Wesleyan University
The University of Chicago
Claremont McKenna University
While expensive universities often offer exceptional educational experiences, it’s important to note that quality education can be found at various institutions. The value of education depends on individual goals, interests, and resources.
While attending an expensive university may provide advantages in terms of networking and reputation, future earnings depend on various factors such as field of study, individual effort, experience, and job market conditions.
