Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or McAllen?

McAllen has lower average private school tuition at $9,400/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $22,600/year less, or $293,800 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in McAllen is $22,600/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $293,800 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $6,400/year in McAllen.

How do Cambridge and McAllen 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). McAllen averages $9,400/year ($2,950 below average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs McAllen

McAllen averages $22,600/year less for private school (240% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $293,800 per child.

Bottom Line

McAllen is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $9,400/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $6,400/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

McAllen

$9,400

avg tuition/year

$2,950 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	McAllen	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$9,400/yr	+$22,600
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$6,400/yr	+$10,900
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$19,800/yr	+$45,200
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$8,000/yr	+$19,200
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$9,400/yr	+$22,600
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$11,300/yr	+$27,100

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

McAllen

$122,200

Choosing McAllen saves $293,800 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $587,600.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

McAllen

McAllen Christian Academy

Christian · K–12 · $8,200-$10,200/yr

St. Joseph Academy (McAllen)

Catholic · K–12 · $7,400-$9,200/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full McAllen breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs Texas 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.