Is private school cheaper in Cambridge or Wilmington?

Wilmington has lower average private school tuition at $10,000/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. That's $22,000/year less, or $286,000 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Wilmington is $22,000/year less than Cambridge. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $286,000 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,300/year in Cambridge, $7,100/year in Wilmington.

How do Cambridge and Wilmington 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). Wilmington averages $10,000/year ($2,350 below average).

Private School Cost: Cambridge vs Wilmington

Wilmington averages $22,000/year less for private school (220% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $286,000 per child.

Bottom Line

Wilmington is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $10,000/year vs $32,000/year in Cambridge. Religious schools run $7,100/year on the low end.

Cambridge

$32,000

avg tuition/year

$19,650 above national avg

Wilmington

$10,000

avg tuition/year

$2,350 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Cambridge	Wilmington	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$32,000/yr	$10,000/yr	+$22,000
Religious Schools	$17,300/yr	$7,100/yr	+$10,200
Independent/Prep	$65,000/yr	$21,100/yr	+$43,900
Elementary (K-5)	$27,200/yr	$8,500/yr	+$18,700
Middle School (6-8)	$32,000/yr	$10,000/yr	+$22,000
High School (9-12)	$38,400/yr	$12,000/yr	+$26,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cambridge

$416,000

Wilmington

$130,000

Choosing Wilmington saves $286,000 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $572,000.

Sample Schools

Cambridge

Cambridge School of Weston

Independent · 9–12 · $59,400/yr

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Independent · PK–12 · $58,800/yr

Wilmington

Cape Fear Academy

Independent · PK–12 · $16,400/yr

Wilmington Christian Academy

Christian · K–12 · $9,400-$11,800/yr

Full Cambridge breakdown → Full Wilmington breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs North Carolina 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.