PrivateSchoolCost

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Lafayette

Lafayette averages $25,800/year less for private school (416% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $335,400 per child.

Bottom Line

Lafayette is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $6,200/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $4,600/year on the low end.

Cambridge

MA

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Lafayette

LA

$6,200

avg tuition/year

$6,150 below national avg
Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category Cambridge Lafayette Difference
All Schools (Average) $32,000/yr $6,200/yr +$25,800
Religious Schools $17,300/yr $4,600/yr +$12,700
Independent/Prep $65,000/yr $14,900/yr +$50,100
Elementary (K-5) $27,200/yr $5,300/yr +$21,900
Middle School (6-8) $32,000/yr $6,200/yr +$25,800
High School (9-12) $38,400/yr $7,400/yr +$31,000

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Lafayette

$80,600

Choosing Lafayette saves $335,400 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $670,800.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Lafayette

Teurlings Catholic High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $9,600/yr

Ascension Episcopal School (Lafayette)

Independent (Episcopal) · PK–12 · $14,800/yr

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.