Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or San Francisco?

Cambridge has lower average private school tuition at $32,000/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $2,200/year less, or $28,600 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Cambridge is $2,200/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $28,600 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $16,000/year in San Francisco.

How do Cambridge and San Francisco 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). San Francisco averages $34,200/year ($21,850 above average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs San Francisco

Cambridge averages $2,200/year less for private school (7% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $28,600 per child.

Bottom Line

Cambridge is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $32,000/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $16,000/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Lower cost

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	San Francisco	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$34,200/yr	-$2,200
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$16,000/yr	+$1,300
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$52,000/yr	+$13,000
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$28,000/yr	-$800
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$34,200/yr	-$2,200
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$42,000/yr	-$3,600

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

San Francisco

$444,600

Choosing Cambridge saves $28,600 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $57,200.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

San Francisco

San Francisco University High School

Independent · 9–12 · $56,830/yr

The Urban School of San Francisco

Independent · 9–12 · $56,200/yr

Katherine Delmar Burke School

Independent · K–8 · $48,900/yr

St. Ignatius College Preparatory

Catholic · 9–12 · $24,600/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full San Francisco breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs California private school costs

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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.