16 Colleges Now Cost More Than $100K a Year

If six digits for a single year of college sounds far-fetched, 16 schools have now crossed that line. New data from the Princeton Review, shared with CNBC, show the "cost of attendance"—including tuition, housing, food, books, and transportation—will top $100,000 for the 2026–27 year at 16 American institutions of higher education. Still, experts stress that few students actually pay sticker price.

Private colleges are increasingly "discounting" tuition, with the average price cut for first-time, full-time students reaching 57%, according to a major association of college finance officers. At the six-figure schools, average need-based grants for first-year students run roughly $42,000 to $79,000. Elite schools, including Harvard, Penn, and MIT, now fully cover tuition for many families earning less than $200,000. A look at the 16 priciest schools:

1. Harvey Mudd College, $104,512
2. Duke University, $103,975
3. University of Chicago, $103,821
4. University of Southern California, $103,162
5. Barnard College, $103,000
6. Washington University, $102,260
7. Smith College, $102,226
8. Fordham University, $102,188
9. Claremont McKenna, $101,990
10. Vassar College, $101,051
11. Wesleyan University, $101,030
12. New York University, $100,998
13. Georgetown University, $100,864
14. Bates College, $100,437
15. Colgate University, $100,224
16. Haverford College, $100,026