Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or Charlotte?

Charlotte has lower average private school tuition at $13,500/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $18,500/year less, or $240,500 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Charlotte over Cambridge?

Average tuition in Charlotte is $18,500/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $240,500 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $8,400/year in Charlotte.

How do Cambridge and Charlotte private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Cambridge averages $32,000/year ($19,650 above average). Charlotte averages $13,500/year ($1,150 above average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Charlotte

Charlotte averages $18,500/year less for private school (137% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $240,500 per child.

Bottom Line

Charlotte is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $13,500/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $8,400/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Charlotte

$13,500

avg tuition/year

$1,150 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	Charlotte	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$13,500/yr	+$18,500
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$8,400/yr	+$8,900
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$25,000/yr	+$40,000
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$11,000/yr	+$16,200
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$13,500/yr	+$18,500
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$16,700/yr	+$21,700

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Charlotte

$175,500

Choosing Charlotte saves $240,500 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $481,000.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Charlotte

Charlotte Latin School

Independent · K–12 · $26,800-$29,200/yr

Providence Day School

Independent · PK–12 · $24,800/yr

Myers Park Traditional School

Magnet (Free) · K–12

Charlotte Catholic High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $16,200/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full Charlotte breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs North Carolina private school costs

Related Comparisons

Atlanta vs Charlotte → Raleigh vs Charlotte →

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.