US: Sarah Lawrence College most expensive in the land

In the hyper-competitive world of higher education, a top ranking in national surveys is zealously sought, writes Marc Santora in the International Herald Tribune. But during this moment of deep economic anxiety, Sarah Lawrence College finds itself No 1 in an inopportune category: the most expensive school in the United States.

With students paying $53,166 per year for tuition, room and board, Sarah Lawrence, a liberal arts school of 1,200 with 42 acres of Tudor-style buildings, edged out George Washington University and New York University as the priciest school in America, according to a report by the College Board. They are among more than 100 colleges and universities costing more than $44,000 a year.

Across the nation, college costs rose 6.4 percent this fall, the College Board report says, with the average price tag for private, four-year schools at $25,143, and public universities, $6,585.
Full report on the International Herald Tribune site