The cost of attending college is on the rise, and colleges in our region are no exception, according to a Philadelphia Business Journal analysis of Department of Education data.

Here in Delaware County, Haverford College, at $84,748; Villanova University, at $81,105; and Swarthmore College, at $80,014, are second, third, and fourth highest as the most expensive colleges in the region behind the University of Pennsylvania at $85,738, writes Joanne Drilling and Ryan Mulligan for Philadelphia Business Journal.

Haverford’s attending costs have risen 42 percent between 2013 and 2023. Villanova’s costs have risen 43 percent, while Swarthmore College’s are up 37 percent.

That’s for full-time undergraduates living on campus and includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, and on-campus room and board.

Not every student pays full price due to financial aid. Schools like Haverford and Swarthmore offer financial aid programs that meet 100 percent of student needs.

“The schools people tend to think of as the most expensive in the country, for low- and middle-income families, are often the least expensive,” said Phillip Levin, a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow. “And it’s because (the schools) have very large endowments and can use that money to reduce costs.”

Get more details on the most expensive colleges in the Philadelphia Business Journal.