Prospective college students want to go to the school that will best equip them for success in their future. Among the factors students consider are school reputation, degree programs, amenities, and alumni networks. However, the most important consideration for many students is cost.
Many college students and their parents pay tens of thousands of dollars a year with the hope that their pricey college degree will help them land a lucrative career after they graduate. Some students who come from wealthy backgrounds can go to any school that accepts them without worrying about cost. But most college students rely on grants, scholarships, and student loans to fund their education — and even that is not always enough.
The price of a college education is more than four times higher than it was in 1985. Private colleges are particularly expensive, with total tuition, fees, and room and board all adding up to a net price of nearly $40,000 per year on average.
There are many additional factors that contribute to higher prices at some colleges and universities. Ken Redd of the Board of Directors at the National Association for College Admission Counseling told 24/7 Wall St. in an interview that colleges have raised prices as they’ve incorporated more technology, higher-priced faculty, and additional health resources for students. The college’s location is also a factor, as in places with higher costs of living, higher staff salary and upkeep costs are often passed on to the students.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the net price — which includes tuition, fees, and on-campus housing and meal plans net of scholarships and grants — at each four-year college and university in America to determine the most expensive college in every state.
Click here to see the most expensive college in every state.
Source: adam_jones / Flickr
1. Alabama
> College: Tuskegee University
> Net price: $30,847
> Avg. Alabama 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,520
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,833
> Admission rate: 50.0%
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Source: Courtesy of Alaska Pacific University
2. Alaska
> College: Alaska Pacific University
> Net price: $17,866
> Avg. Alaska 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,204
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 296
> Admission rate: 55.1%
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Source: Embry-Riddle Prescott / Wikimedia Commons
3. Arizona
> College: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
> Net price: $34,120
> Avg. Arizona 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $10,138
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,606
> Admission rate: 76.3%
Source: John Brown University
4. Arkansas
> College: John Brown University
> Net price: $22,338
> Avg. Arkansas 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,964
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,972
> Admission rate: 77.1%
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Source: BART
5. California
> College: San Francisco Art Institute
> Net price: $52,451
> Avg. California 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,558
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 299
> Admission rate: 92.6%
Source: Carl Hill / Getty Images
6. Colorado
> College: University of Denver
> Net price: $35,163
> Avg. Colorado 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,317
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 5,765
> Admission rate: 53.5%
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Source: Amst94 / Wikimedia Commons
7. Connecticut
> College: Sacred Heart University
> Net price: $40,177
> Avg. Connecticut 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $11,832
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 5,603
> Admission rate: 57.2%
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Source: Wesley College
8. Delaware
> College: Wesley College
> Net price: $23,823
> Avg. Delaware 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $10,334
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,446
> Admission rate: 60.5%
Source: Courtesy of Ringling College of Art and Design
9. Florida
> College: Ringling College of Art and Design
> Net price: $49,828
> Avg. Florida 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $4,803
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,456
> Admission rate: 78.1%
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Source: RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images
10. Georgia
> College: Savannah College of Art and Design
> Net price: $41,738
> Avg. Georgia 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,178
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 10,674
> Admission rate: 71.7%
Source: nesneJkraM / Getty Images
11. Hawaii
> College: Hawaii Pacific University
> Net price: $28,706
> Avg. Hawaii 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $10,068
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 3,560
> Admission rate: 75.4%
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Source: Stevens-Henager College
12. Idaho
> College: Stevens-Henager College
> Net price: $25,998
> Avg. Idaho 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,013
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 111
> Admission rate: N/A
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Source: Beyond My Ken / Wikimedia Commons
13. Illinois
> College: School of the Art Institute of Chicago
> Net price: $45,728
> Avg. Illinois 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $13,738
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,889
> Admission rate: 59.3%
Source: Courtesy of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology via Facebook
14. Indiana
> College: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
> Net price: $41,536
> Avg. Indiana 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,078
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,168
> Admission rate: 61.1%
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Source: Aureliusxv / Wikimedia Commons
15. Iowa
> College: Grinnell College
> Net price: $29,492
> Avg. Iowa 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,358
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,712
> Admission rate: 20.2%
Source: Kansas Wesleyan University
16. Kansas
> College: Kansas Wesleyan University
> Net price: $25,631
> Avg. Kansas 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,622
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 693
> Admission rate: 54.7%
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Source: Sullivan College of Technology and Design
17. Kentucky
> College: Sullivan College of Technology and Design
> Net price: $27,930
> Avg. Kentucky 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $10,061
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 306
> Admission rate: 100.0%
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Source: Chris Graythen / Getty Images
18. Louisiana
> College: Tulane University of Louisiana
> Net price: $33,886
> Avg. Louisiana 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,868
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 7,871
> Admission rate: 25.5%
Source: Courtesy of University of New England via Facebook
19. Maine
> College: University of New England
> Net price: $33,204
> Avg. Maine 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,461
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 4,423
> Admission rate: 83.1%
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Source: aimintang / Getty Images
20. Maryland
> College: Maryland Institute College of Art
> Net price: $41,386
> Avg. Maryland 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,921
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,749
> Admission rate: 57.1%
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
21. Massachusetts
> College: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
> Net price: $43,027
> Avg. Massachusetts 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $12,338
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 4,435
> Admission rate: 48.4%
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Source: Bryan Duggan / Wikimedia Commons
22. Michigan
> College: Kettering University
> Net price: $37,703
> Avg. Michigan 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $12,293
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,889
> Admission rate: 71.8%
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Source: sshepard / Getty Images
23. Minnesota
> College: University of St Thomas
> Net price: $31,470
> Avg. Minnesota 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $11,063
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 6,199
> Admission rate: 82.7%
Source: nataliemaynor / Flickr
24. Mississippi
> College: Millsaps College
> Net price: $23,413
> Avg. Mississippi 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,479
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 807
> Admission rate: 59.1%
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Source: pauladamsphotos / Flickr
25. Missouri
> College: Conception Seminary College
> Net price: $32,239
> Avg. Missouri 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,153
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 75
> Admission rate: 100.0%
Source: Dngvandaele / Wikimedia Commons
26. Montana
> College: Carroll College
> Net price: $26,636
> Avg. Montana 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $6,517
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,362
> Admission rate: 71.5%
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Source: The Creative Center via Facebook
27. Nebraska
> College: The Creative Center
> Net price: $36,338
> Avg. Nebraska 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,763
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 51
> Admission rate: 74.0%
Source: Courtesy of Chamberlain University Nevada
28. Nevada
> College: Chamberlain University-Nevada
> Net price: $32,905
> Avg. Nevada 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $6,064
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 293
> Admission rate: 83.3%
Source: DeLarge77 / Wikimedia Commons
29. New Hampshire
> College: Southern New Hampshire University
> Net price: $39,638
> Avg. New Hampshire 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $15,629
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 70,661
> Admission rate: 92.9%
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Source: Jeffrey Vock Photography.
QueenCity11 / Wikimedia Commons
30. New Jersey
> College: Stevens Institute of Technology
> Net price: $38,469
> Avg. New Jersey 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $13,566
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 3,123
> Admission rate: 39.1%
Source: Courtesy of St. John's College
31. New Mexico
> College: St. John’s College
> Net price: $31,845
> Avg. New Mexico 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $6,860
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 322
> Admission rate: 62.8%
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Source: Jewish Theological Seminary of America via Facebook
32. New York
> College: Jewish Theological Seminary of America
> Net price: $49,210
> Avg. New York 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,618
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 158
> Admission rate: 57.3%
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
33. North Carolina
> College: High Point University
> Net price: $39,101
> Avg. North Carolina 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,232
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 4,467
> Admission rate: 79.1%
Source: Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
34. North Dakota
> College: Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
> Net price: $20,408
> Avg. North Dakota 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,469
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 191
> Admission rate: 59.4%
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Source: Theseus.u / Wikimedia Commons
35. Ohio
> College: Cleveland Institute of Music
> Net price: $40,676
> Avg. Ohio 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,964
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 212
> Admission rate: 48.4%
Source: Oklahoma City University
36. Oklahoma
> College: Oklahoma City University
> Net price: $27,234
> Avg. Oklahoma 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,300
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,714
> Admission rate: 72.2%
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Source: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives / Wikimedia Commons
37. Oregon
> College: Lewis & Clark College
> Net price: $35,872
> Avg. Oregon 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,770
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,106
> Admission rate: 55.0%
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
38. Pennsylvania
> College: Drexel University
> Net price: $40,977
> Avg. Pennsylvania 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $14,099
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 15,534
> Admission rate: 74.6%
Source: DanielPenfield / Wikimedia Commons
39. Rhode Island
> College: Rhode Island School of Design
> Net price: $39,777
> Avg. Rhode Island 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $11,436
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 1,976
> Admission rate: 34.1%
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Source: Courtesy of Erskine College
40. South Carolina
> College: Erskine College
> Net price: $34,550
> Avg. South Carolina 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $12,167
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 575
> Admission rate: 75.9%
Source: Dakota Wesleyan University
41. South Dakota
> College: Dakota Wesleyan University
> Net price: $20,948
> Avg. South Dakota 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,333
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 792
> Admission rate: 72.7%
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Source: EVula / Wikimedia Commons
42. Tennessee
> College: Belmont University
> Net price: $35,382
> Avg. Tennessee 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $9,332
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 6,497
> Admission rate: 81.0%
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
43. Texas
> College: Baylor University
> Net price: $37,745
> Avg. Texas 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,566
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 14,316
> Admission rate: 39.7%
Source: Nightingale College
44. Utah
> College: Nightingale College
> Net price: $34,137
> Avg. Utah 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $6,423
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 326
> Admission rate: N/A
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Source: Landmark College
45. Vermont
> College: Landmark College
> Net price: $51,032
> Avg. Vermont 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $15,623
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 461
> Admission rate: 36.2%
Source: Devry University
46. Virginia
> College: DeVry University-Virginia
> Net price: $33,227
> Avg. Virginia 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $12,167
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 227
> Admission rate: 95.0%
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Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons
47. Washington
> College: University of Puget Sound
> Net price: $40,065
> Avg. Washington 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,259
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 2,413
> Admission rate: 78.9%
Source: Salem International University
48. West Virginia
> College: Salem International University
> Net price: $19,540
> Avg. West Virginia 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $7,285
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 892
> Admission rate: N/A
Source: patty_c / Getty Images
49. Wisconsin
> College: Marquette University
> Net price: $32,377
> Avg. Wisconsin 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $8,622
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 8,335
> Admission rate: 84.3%
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Source: ProgWork1 / Wikimedia Commons
50. Wyoming
> College: University of Wyoming
> Net price: $13,441
> Avg. Wyoming 4-yr public university tuition and fees: $4,311
> 2017 undergraduate enrollment: 9,791
> Admission rate: 95.1%
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