College Compass GuideTrue north for every college search.

Colleges that spend the most on teaching

Colleges ranked by instructional spending for each full-time-equivalent student.

Colleges that spend the most on teaching704 schools

704 schools qualify, ranked by teaching spending per student. The top 25 are shown.

How this list is made

  • Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
  • Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
  • Has instructional spending per full-time-equivalent student from federal data (College Scorecard).
  • Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
  • Ordered by instructional spending per student, highest first.

Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.

  1. 1

    Washington University in St. Louis

    St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Missouri

    • $181,929 on teaching per student
    • 7 students per faculty member
  2. 2

    Stanford University

    Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $154,517 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  3. 3

    California Institute of Technology

    Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in California

    • $124,489 on teaching per student
    • 3 students per faculty member
  4. 4

    Columbia University in the City of New York

    New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll

    Top 2% for graduation

    • $110,371 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  5. 5

    Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Maryland

    • $101,214 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  6. 6

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Massachusetts

    • $99,057 on teaching per student
    • 3 students per faculty member
  7. 7

    University of Chicago

    Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Illinois

    • $96,069 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  8. 8

    Curtis Institute of Music

    Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit

    #1 in Pennsylvania

    • $92,076 on teaching per student
    • 2 students per faculty member
  9. 9

    Duke University

    Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in North Carolina

    • $87,044 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  10. 10

    Yale University

    New Haven, CT · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll

    #1 in Connecticut

    • $80,541 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  11. 11

    University of California-Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A

    • $73,875 on teaching per student
    • 20 students per faculty member
  12. 12

    Princeton University

    Princeton, NJ · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll

    #1 in New Jersey

    • $73,220 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  13. 13

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll

    Top 1% for earnings

    • $67,953 on teaching per student
    • 8 students per faculty member
  14. 14

    Emory University

    Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Georgia

    • $55,602 on teaching per student
    • 10 students per faculty member
  15. 15

    Williams College

    Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $51,880 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  16. 16

    Harvard University

    Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $51,780 on teaching per student
    • 7 students per faculty member
  17. 17

    University of Southern California

    Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $49,674 on teaching per student
    • 9 students per faculty member
  18. 18

    Northwestern University

    Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $48,932 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  19. 19

    Claremont McKenna College

    Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $47,965 on teaching per student
    • 8 students per faculty member
  20. 20

    Rice University

    Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    #1 in Texas

    • $47,816 on teaching per student
    • 6 students per faculty member
  21. 21

    Swarthmore College

    Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $46,961 on teaching per student
    • 7 students per faculty member
  22. 22

    San Francisco Conservatory of Music

    San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit

    Top 16% for graduation

    • $46,591 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  23. 23

    The New England Conservatory of Music

    Boston, MA · Private nonprofit

    Top 16% for graduation

    • $46,533 on teaching per student
    • 5 students per faculty member
  24. 24

    Soka University of America

    Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Top 4% for graduation

    • $45,356 on teaching per student
    • 7 students per faculty member
  25. 25

    Pomona College

    Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll

    Exceptional: Compass grade A+

    • $45,049 on teaching per student
    • 7 students per faculty member

Compare cost and outcomes

SchoolNet price a yearMedian debtEarnings 10 years outGraduation rate
Washington University in St. Louis$21,786$17,500$86,18294%
Stanford University$13,807$12,000$124,08092%
California Institute of Technology$16,075—$128,56694%
Columbia University in the City of New York$21,590$21,500$102,49196%
Johns Hopkins University$18,809$10,250$87,55594%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology$20,111$14,768$143,37296%
University of Chicago$14,860$15,000$91,88596%
Curtis Institute of Music———96%
Duke University$29,612$13,000$97,80097%
Yale University$23,777$12,975$100,53396%
University of California-Los Angeles$12,548$14,000$82,51193%
Princeton University$6,128$10,320$110,06698%
University of Pennsylvania$28,699$15,715$111,37197%
Emory University$22,585$18,250$80,13791%
Williams College$17,716$12,761$88,66594%
Harvard University$19,066$14,000$101,81798%
University of Southern California$32,740$18,000$92,49892%
Northwestern University$29,167$15,000$89,36395%
Claremont McKenna College$28,849$13,500$104,73691%
Rice University$13,370$11,000$89,71895%
Swarthmore College$23,149$17,500$80,25792%
San Francisco Conservatory of Music$42,607$27,000—74%
The New England Conservatory of Music$46,754$27,000$34,48373%
Soka University of America$18,260$15,650$55,01792%
Pomona College$19,285$11,782$77,77993%

Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.

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