10 richest colleges in America

Mrck - These colleges are not "rich" because of the tuition they charge.  They are "rich" due to the huge endowment base and huge contributions from alumni.  Tuition is essentially a breakeven proposition.  They balance their annual budget by tuition increases, with very little surplus left over (if any) to add to their "riches".

Let me just say that the tuition money does not go for professor's salaries.  Professors usually earn less than a truck driver or an electician or a dock worker or a fireman or a plumber or an auto mechanic or, etc., etc., etc.  I was a professor for 20 years of my working life.

all that money to be spent to be taught by a librel professer. no thanks

Honestly... most of you leaving comments are not educated about the College Process, Financial Aid, etc.  I own a College Planning Company whose sole purpose is to reduce the cost of College for the students and the parents.  We guarantee - in writing - a minimum of $50,000 in savings... however last year we averaged nearly $130,000!  Before you start sending your students into a Community College... realize that only 18% ever go on to get a 4-year degree - and the average time it takes is 7.2 years!  State Colleges are not much better with only a 38% graduation rate - taking on average 6.4 years to obtain a 4-year degree.  The University Colleges are averaging 5.8 years, for a 4-year degree - but maintain a 72% graduation rate.  Now compare that with a Private College - with a 94% graduation rate in 4.4 years.  Most Private Colleges reduce the price of their education much, much more than a Public College will ever be able to offer, in the form of Gift Aid, participation at a much higher rate with regards to Financial Aid - and yet most parents look at the sticker price of the Colleges, and base their decisions on that.  There is so much we as parents don't know... yet we are making decision for our kids based on what... on being under educated and under informed about the College Process?  Making those decisions without being educated is not the wisest decision to make.  To get educated... go to www.collegefundingco​​nnection.org, order the "Free Report", and then decide if you want to navigate these waters alone.  The wise choice would be to get some professional assistance... the same way you would if you needed Financial Planning, an Attorney, or a Doctor.  This is one of the biggest financial decision of a parents life.  College is not a 4-year decision... it's a 40-year decision.  Don't make the wrong one!

A few of these institutions should become strictly merit based and offer full scholarships to nearly all who get in. At 52K, Harvard might notice the potential 500M it doesn't get in tuition (an overstatement as they certainly provide some financial aid), but it's still not enough to wipe out investment gains most years on 30B.  They certainly should get their tuition out of the stratosphere.

With all this money why do they have to charge so much for tuition?  I would think that it would be wise to help people that can't afford to pay the huge fees for school and I don't mean for illegal alien students.

I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet but a lot of the "professors" who teach students at these high-end colleges are graduate students and graduate assistants, not the high paid Ph.ds you'd expect given the price of admission.Parents...​.....save your money and send your kids to the great state universities around the country.

Columbia??? Really? I hear that women that go there are so poor they cant afford their own birth control.

70% of these schools are private.  Who gives a rat's a%& what they do with their endowments?