PrivateSchoolCost

Private School Cost: Cedar Rapids vs Montgomery

Cedar Rapids averages $600/year less for private school (9% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $7,800 per child.

Bottom Line

Cedar Rapids is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $6,800/year vs $7,400/year in Montgomery. Religious schools run $4,800/year on the low end.

Cedar Rapids

IA

$6,800

avg tuition/year

$5,550 below national avg
Lower cost

Montgomery

AL

$7,400

avg tuition/year

$4,950 below national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category Cedar Rapids Montgomery Difference
All Schools (Average) $6,800/yr $7,400/yr -$600
Religious Schools $4,800/yr $5,500/yr -$700
Independent/Prep $14,300/yr $15,100/yr -$800
Elementary (K-5) $5,800/yr $6,300/yr -$500
Middle School (6-8) $6,800/yr $7,400/yr -$600
High School (9-12) $8,200/yr $8,900/yr -$700

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Cedar Rapids

$88,400

Montgomery

$96,200

Choosing Cedar Rapids saves $7,800 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $15,600.

Sample Schools

Cedar Rapids

Xavier High School (Cedar Rapids)

Catholic · 9–12 · $9,400/yr

Cedar Rapids Christian School

Christian · K–12 · $8,400-$10,400/yr

Montgomery

Montgomery Academy

Independent · K–12 · $14,200/yr

Saint James School (Montgomery)

Christian · PK–12 · $12,800/yr

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.