Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or Frederick?

Frederick has lower average private school tuition at $16,700/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $15,300/year less, or $198,900 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Frederick is $15,300/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $198,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $11,300/year in Frederick.

How do Cambridge and Frederick 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). Frederick averages $16,700/year ($4,350 above average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Frederick

Frederick averages $15,300/year less for private school (92% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $198,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Frederick is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $16,700/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $11,300/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Frederick

$16,700

avg tuition/year

$4,350 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	Frederick	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$16,700/yr	+$15,300
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$11,300/yr	+$6,000
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$35,100/yr	+$29,900
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$14,200/yr	+$13,000
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$16,700/yr	+$15,300
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$20,000/yr	+$18,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Frederick

$217,100

Choosing Frederick saves $198,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $397,800.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Frederick

Frederick Classical Charter School (Private Prep)

Independent · K–12 · $11,200/yr

Visitation Academy (Frederick MD)

Catholic · PK–8 · $12,400/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full Frederick breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs Maryland private school costs

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.