Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or Honolulu?

Honolulu has lower average private school tuition at $20,200/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $11,800/year less, or $153,400 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Honolulu is $11,800/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $153,400 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $12,900/year in Honolulu.

How do Cambridge and Honolulu 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). Honolulu averages $20,200/year ($7,850 above average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Honolulu

Honolulu averages $11,800/year less for private school (58% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $153,400 per child.

Bottom Line

Honolulu is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $20,200/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $12,900/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Honolulu

$20,200

avg tuition/year

$7,850 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	Honolulu	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$20,200/yr	+$11,800
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$12,900/yr	+$4,400
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$37,600/yr	+$27,400
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$17,200/yr	+$10,000
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$20,200/yr	+$11,800
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$24,200/yr	+$14,200

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Honolulu

$262,600

Choosing Honolulu saves $153,400 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $306,800.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Honolulu

Punahou School

Independent · K–12 · $27,400/yr

Iolani School

Independent (Episcopal) · K–12 · $24,800/yr

Saint Louis School (Honolulu)

Catholic · 9–12 · $13,800/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full Honolulu breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs Hawaii 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.