The University of Chicago has the highest tuition and fees at $79,395 for the 2026-27 academic year. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images College can be a life-changing choice … and a lifelong investment. When deciding where to apply to college, students have to contend with a factor beyond the prospect of education and careers: the sometimes astronomical cost of college tuition. Today, over 42.8 million Americans owe a balance on their student loans , and the outstanding federal student loan balance totals nearly $1.7 trillion, according to the Education Data Initiative . While some Americans are pushing back on the rising costs of higher education, others are coughing up more money — or taking out more loans — to attend some of the nation's most prestigious colleges .…