A college education has long been an important driver of socioeconomic advancement in the United States. However, the cost of enrolling in colleges and universities has skyrocketed in recent years, making a four-year post-secondary education prohibitively expensive for many working and middle-class families.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the average cost of undergraduate education at a private four-year college increased by over 800% from 1980 to 2020 – nearly four times faster than inflation as measured by the consumer price index.
While the cost of higher education is generally rising, some colleges and universities stand out as being particularly expensive compared to others in the same state. Of the 99 four-year colleges and universities in New York with available data from NCES and enrolling at least 800 undergraduate students, New York University is among the most expensive. The average annual net price at the school – including tuition, books, room and board, including financial aid – is $50,991.
Based in New York, the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an acceptance rate of 13.0%. Among the 28,772 undergraduate students enrolled at the school, Visual and Performing Arts is the most popular major.
All data in this story is from the NCES. Colleges and universities were ranked based on the average annual net tuition for full-time first-time students who received scholarships or scholarships during the 2020-21 school year. Only public and private nonprofit schools that award mostly bachelor’s degrees and had at least 800 students enrolled as of fall 2021 were considered.
Condition | The most expensive school | avg Annual net price ($) | Acceptance Rate (%) | Undergraduate enrollment | Ratio of students to faculties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Tuskegee University | 36,907 | 34.2 | 2.184 | 9 |
Alaska | University of Alaska Anchorage | 12,816 | 69.0 | 10,259 | 12 |
Arizona | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | 37,501 | 73.8 | 3,033 | 17 |
Arkansas | Harding University | 20,533 | 54.1 | 3,684 | 16 |
California | California Institute of the Arts | 53,916 | 29.0 | 965 | 7 |
Colorado | University of Denver | 39,973 | 63.6 | 5,867 | 10 |
Connecticut | Connecticut College | 44,820 | 41.0 | 1,829 | 9 |
Delaware | University of Delaware | 19.122 | 72.3 | 19,410 | fifteen |
Florida | Ringling College of Art and Design | 51,318 | 68.7 | 1,663 | 12 |
Georgia | Savannah College of Art and Design | 45,163 | 80.8 | 12,772 | 20 |
Hawaii | Chaminade University of Honolulu | 27.171 | 90.1 | 1,549 | 10 |
Idaho | The College of Idaho | 23,329 | 56.3 | 1.119 | 12 |
Illinois | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 50,214 | 81.0 | 2,795 | 10 |
Indiana | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | 39,294 | 77.4 | 2,081 | 11 |
Iowa | Grinell College | 37,423 | 10.5 | 1,748 | 9 |
Kansas | Mid America Nazarene University | 28,554 | 64.7 | 1.171 | 10 |
Kentucky | University of Transylvania | 26,271 | 92.0 | 970 | 10 |
Louisiana | Tulane University of Louisiana | 45,048 | 9.6 | 8,700 | 8th |
Maine | University of New England | 36,261 | 90.0 | 3,671 | 12 |
Maryland | Loyola University Maryland | 32,901 | 84.2 | 3,787 | 12 |
Massachusetts | Emerson College | 48,842 | 45.3 | 4.117 | 13 |
Michigan | Kettering University | 34,760 | 85.6 | 1,516 | 12 |
Minnesota | Carleton College | 31,718 | 17.5 | 2,044 | 8th |
Mississippi | Mississippi College | 18,667 | 49.0 | 2,523 | 13 |
Missouri | Saint-Louis University | 30,096 | 70.0 | 8,745 | 9 |
Montana | Carol College | 24,285 | 83.9 | 1,098 | 11 |
Nebraska | Creighton University | 31,040 | 77.7 | 4,481 | 11 |
Nevada | State College of Nevada | 17,046 | 79.0 | 7.158 | 18 |
New Hampshire | Saint Anselm College | 34,450 | 77.6 | 1,954 | 11 |
New Jersey | Stevens Institute of Technology | 40,828 | 52.7 | 4,064 | 12 |
New Mexico | Western New Mexico University | 13,483 | 100.0 | 1,982 | 12 |
new York | New York University | 50,991 | 13.0 | 28,772 | 8th |
North Carolina | High Point University | 40,604 | 80.3 | 4,910 | 17 |
North Dakota | University of Jamestown | 20,095 | 75.8 | 1,018 | 11 |
Ohio | Oberlin College | 44,689 | 34.3 | 2,942 | 9 |
Oklahoma | University of Oklahoma City | 26,350 | 79.2 | 1,429 | 10 |
Oregon | Willamette University | 37,400 | 79.6 | 1,236 | 12 |
Pennsylvania | Lafayette College | 38,754 | 40.7 | 2,725 | 10 |
Rhode Island | Bryant University | 40,310 | 73.6 | 3,063 | 13 |
South Carolina | Furman University | 33,999 | 71.4 | 2.307 | 9 |
South Dakota | Augustana University | 26,795 | 71.8 | 1,715 | 11 |
Tennessee | Belmont University | 35,268 | 88.1 | 7,076 | 14 |
Texas | Baylor University | 46,039 | 56.7 | 15.191 | 16 |
Utah | Westminster College | 26,956 | 75.7 | 1.166 | 8th |
Vermont | Champlain College | 36,276 | 62.4 | 3.217 | 13 |
Virginia | Hampton University | 33.204 | 80.1 | 2,867 | 13 |
Washington | Seattle University | 36,671 | 82.1 | 4.241 | 11 |
West Virginia | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 20,512 | 84.4 | 982 | 12 |
Wisconsin | Marquette University | 33,566 | 86.3 | 7,660 | 13 |
Wyoming | University of Wyoming | 10,452 | 96.8 | 8,869 | 14 |