Is private school cheaper in Boston or Irvine?

Irvine has lower average private school tuition at $20,400/year vs $36,800/year in Boston. That's $16,400/year less, or $213,200 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Irvine over Boston?

Average tuition in Irvine is $16,400/year less than Boston. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $213,200 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $18,500/year in Boston, $13,300/year in Irvine.

How do Boston and Irvine private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Boston averages $36,800/year ($24,450 above average). Irvine averages $20,400/year ($8,050 above average).

Private School Cost: Boston vs Irvine

Irvine averages $16,400/year less for private school (80% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $213,200 per child.

Bottom Line

Irvine is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $20,400/year vs $36,800/year in Boston. Religious schools run $13,300/year on the low end.

Boston

$36,800

avg tuition/year

$24,450 above national avg

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Boston	Irvine	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$36,800/yr	$20,400/yr	+$16,400
Religious Schools	$18,500/yr	$13,300/yr	+$5,200
Independent/Prep	$56,000/yr	$39,700/yr	+$16,300
Elementary (K-5)	$30,000/yr	$17,300/yr	+$12,700
Middle School (6-8)	$36,800/yr	$20,400/yr	+$16,400
High School (9-12)	$46,000/yr	$24,500/yr	+$21,500

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Boston

$478,400

Irvine

$265,200

Choosing Irvine saves $213,200 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $426,400.

Sample Schools

Boston

Boston Latin School (Exam)

Exam School (Public) · 7–12

Roxbury Latin School

Independent (need-based) · 7–12

Belmont Hill School

Independent · 7–12 · $59,800/yr

Boston College High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $23,100/yr

Irvine

Sage Hill School

Independent · 9–12 · $45,200/yr

Woodbridge Village Christian School

Christian · K–12 · $16,800/yr

Our Lady Queen of Angels School

Catholic · K–8 · $10,400-$12,200/yr

Full Boston breakdown → Full Irvine breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs California private school costs

Related Comparisons

Irvine vs Los Angeles → New York vs Boston → Boston vs Phoenix → Boston vs Philadelphia →

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.