What is the average college application fee in the U.S.?

The average U.S. college application fee is $41 as of 2015, according to U.S. News and World Report. Some colleges charge nothing for applicants who submit an online application but impose fees for traditional applications.

Of the 1,073 colleges tracked in U.S. News & World Report's study, the lowest application fee is $10 and the highest is $90, charged by Stanford University in California. Several of the nation's most prestigious universities charge $75, including Harvard University, Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Most colleges waive the application fee for students who demonstrate financial need. The College Board, which oversees the SAT, awards four college application fee waivers to every income-eligible high school senior who takes the SAT.