Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or St. Louis?

St. Louis has lower average private school tuition at $13,000/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $19,000/year less, or $247,000 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing St. Louis over Cambridge?

Average tuition in St. Louis is $19,000/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $247,000 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $8,400/year in St. Louis.

How do Cambridge and St. Louis 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). St. Louis averages $13,000/year ($650 above average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs St. Louis

St. Louis averages $19,000/year less for private school (146% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $247,000 per child.

Bottom Line

St. Louis is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $13,000/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $8,400/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

St. Louis

$13,000

avg tuition/year

$650 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	St. Louis	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$13,000/yr	+$19,000
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$8,400/yr	+$8,900
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$24,500/yr	+$40,500
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$10,600/yr	+$16,600
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$13,000/yr	+$19,000
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$16,000/yr	+$22,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

St. Louis

$169,000

Choosing St. Louis saves $247,000 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $494,000.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

St. Louis

John Burroughs School

Independent · 7–12 · $28,400-$30,800/yr

MICDS (Mary Institute and Country Day School)

Independent · JK–12 · $30,200-$32,800/yr

Chaminade College Preparatory

Catholic · 6–12 · $16,800/yr

St. Louis University High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $17,400/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full St. Louis breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs Missouri 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.