Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or Scranton?

Scranton has lower average private school tuition at $12,200/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $19,800/year less, or $257,400 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Scranton is $19,800/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $257,400 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $7,800/year in Scranton.

How do Cambridge and Scranton 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). Scranton averages $12,200/year ($150 below average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Scranton

Scranton averages $19,800/year less for private school (162% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $257,400 per child.

Bottom Line

Scranton is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $12,200/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $7,800/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Scranton

$12,200

avg tuition/year

$150 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	Scranton	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$12,200/yr	+$19,800
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$7,800/yr	+$9,500
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$28,300/yr	+$36,700
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$10,400/yr	+$16,800
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$12,200/yr	+$19,800
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$14,600/yr	+$23,800

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Scranton

$158,600

Choosing Scranton saves $257,400 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $514,800.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Scranton

Holy Cross High School (Dunmore)

Catholic · 9–12 · $11,200/yr

Wyoming Seminary

Independent · 9–12 · $36,800-$42,000/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full Scranton breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs Pennsylvania 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.