Is private school cheaper in Boston or Springfield?

Springfield has lower average private school tuition at $22,500/year vs $36,800/year in Boston. That's $14,300/year less, or $185,900 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Springfield is $14,300/year less than Boston. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $185,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $18,500/year in Boston, $12,200/year in Springfield.

How do Boston and Springfield 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). Springfield averages $22,500/year ($10,150 above average).

Private School Cost: Boston vs Springfield

Springfield averages $14,300/year less for private school (64% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $185,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Springfield is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $22,500/year vs $36,800/year in Boston. Religious schools run $12,200/year on the low end.

Boston

$36,800

avg tuition/year

$24,450 above national avg

Springfield

$22,500

avg tuition/year

$10,150 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Boston	Springfield	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$36,800/yr	$22,500/yr	+$14,300
Religious Schools	$18,500/yr	$12,200/yr	+$6,300
Independent/Prep	$56,000/yr	$45,800/yr	+$10,200
Elementary (K-5)	$30,000/yr	$19,100/yr	+$10,900
Middle School (6-8)	$36,800/yr	$22,500/yr	+$14,300
High School (9-12)	$46,000/yr	$27,000/yr	+$19,000

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Boston

$478,400

Springfield

$292,500

Choosing Springfield saves $185,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $371,800.

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

Springfield

Cathedral High School (Springfield MA)

Catholic · 9–12 · $12,200/yr

The MacDuffie School

Independent · 6–12 · $38,400/yr

Full Boston breakdown → Full Springfield breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs

Related Comparisons

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.