Word has reached the Hatchet newsroom (via DCist who got it from the Consumerist which credits Campus Grotto) that GW may no longer be the most expensive school in the country. A definitive list is nearly impossible to come by because of the different methods of calculating total costs but here’s a quick look at the numbers:
University spokeswoman Tracy Schario said the range for the class of 2012 is $50,342 to $52,577, including a $30 student fee that Campus Grotto appears to have missed. Sarah Lawrence College, according to admissions and financial aid representatives reached yesterday, costs $54,586 to attend this academic year, factoring in fees, room and board, and tuition. Sarah Lawrence does not use fixed-tuition, as GW does.
Campus Grotto places GW as second in total cost at $50,312 with Sarah Lawrence topping the list at $53,166.
| College | Total Cost |
| 1. Sarah Lawrence College | $53,166 |
| 2. George Washington University | $50,312 |
| 3. New York University | $50,182 |
| 4. Georgetown University | $49,689 |
| 5. Connecticut College | $49,385 |
| 6. Bates College | $49,350 |
| 7. Johns Hopkins University | $49,278 |
| 8. Skidmore College | $49,266 |
| 9. Scripps College | $49,236 |
| 10. Middlebury College | $49,210 |
Schario, however, said the University uses information from Cambridge Associates, a consulting firm, to compile lists. The data provided by Schario places GW behind Sarah Lawrence and neighboring school, Georgetown University. The list “reflects tuition, fees, room and board for new students,” Schario said.
| College | Total Cost |
| 1. Sarah Lawrence College | $53,166 |
| 2. Georgetown University | $50,557 |
| 3. George Washington University | $50,357 |
| 4. New York University | $50,282 |
| 5. Carnegie Mellon University | $49,614 |
| 6. Boston College | $49,560 |
| 7. Tufts University | $49,358 |
| 8. University of Chicago | $49,329 |
| 9. Johns Hopkins University | $49,278 |
| 10. Washington University | $49,274 |
Alexa Millinger contributed to this report.
