PrivateSchoolCost

Private School Cost: Anchorage vs Austin

Anchorage averages $3,600/year less for private school (30% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $46,800 per child.

Bottom Line

Anchorage is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $11,900/year vs $15,500/year in Austin. Religious schools run $7,900/year on the low end.

Anchorage

AK

$11,900

avg tuition/year

$450 below national avg
Lower cost

Austin

TX

$15,500

avg tuition/year

$3,150 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category Anchorage Austin Difference
All Schools (Average) $11,900/yr $15,500/yr -$3,600
Religious Schools $7,900/yr $9,400/yr -$1,500
Independent/Prep $21,500/yr $28,200/yr -$6,700
Elementary (K-5) $10,100/yr $12,800/yr -$2,700
Middle School (6-8) $11,900/yr $15,500/yr -$3,600
High School (9-12) $14,300/yr $19,200/yr -$4,900

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Anchorage

$154,700

Austin

$201,500

Choosing Anchorage saves $46,800 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $93,600.

Sample Schools

Anchorage

Pacific Northern Academy

Independent · PK–12 · $14,800/yr

Holy Rosary Academy (Anchorage)

Catholic · PK–8 · $9,600-$11,800/yr

Austin

St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Austin)

Independent · PK–12 · $32,800-$35,400/yr

Austin Preparatory School

Catholic · 6–12 · $14,200/yr

St. Michael's Catholic Academy

Catholic · 9–12 · $15,800/yr

Hyde Park Baptist School

Christian · PK–12 · $13,400-$15,200/yr

About This Comparison

This comparison uses NCES Private School Universe Survey data, adjusted for metro-level cost-of-living differences. "Average tuition" blends religious schools (Catholic, Christian) and independent day/prep schools. Religious schools typically cost 60-70% less than independent schools in the same city.

Grade-level estimates (elementary, middle, high) are derived from the city average using national grade-level multipliers. High school tuition typically runs 15-25% above the city average; elementary runs 10-20% below.