This week, the U.S. Department of Education released its annual list of the country's most expensive colleges. And the winner for four-year public college with highest tuition is -- drumroll please -- the University of Pittsburgh at $16,590 per year.

The new data reveal that tuitions of public, four-year colleges rose from 2010-11 to 2012-13 by an average of 13 percent. The University of Pittsburgh beat out Penn State University, the former most expensive school, though several PSU campuses remain toward the top of the list.

The tuition numbers include required fees, and net price is the cost of attendance minus grant and scholarship aid, according to the Department of Education College Affordability and Transparency Center website. The data reported is for full-time beginning students.

Check out the list below to see the 18 public colleges with the highest annual tuition prices: