Is private school cheaper in Columbus or Lafayette?

Lafayette has lower average private school tuition at $6,200/year vs $12,500/year in Columbus. That's $6,300/year less, or $81,900 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Lafayette over Columbus?

Average tuition in Lafayette is $6,300/year less than Columbus. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $81,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $8,000/year in Columbus, $4,600/year in Lafayette.

How do Columbus and Lafayette private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Columbus averages $12,500/year ($150 above average). Lafayette averages $6,200/year ($6,150 below average).

Private School Cost: Columbus vs Lafayette

Lafayette averages $6,300/year less for private school (102% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $81,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Lafayette is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $6,200/year vs $12,500/year in Columbus. Religious schools run $4,600/year on the low end.

Columbus

$12,500

avg tuition/year

$150 above national avg

Lafayette

$6,200

avg tuition/year

$6,150 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Columbus	Lafayette	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$12,500/yr	$6,200/yr	+$6,300
Religious Schools	$8,000/yr	$4,600/yr	+$3,400
Independent/Prep	$23,500/yr	$14,900/yr	+$8,600
Elementary (K-5)	$10,200/yr	$5,300/yr	+$4,900
Middle School (6-8)	$12,500/yr	$6,200/yr	+$6,300
High School (9-12)	$15,500/yr	$7,400/yr	+$8,100

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Columbus

$162,500

Lafayette

$80,600

Choosing Lafayette saves $81,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $163,800.

Sample Schools

Columbus

Columbus School for Girls

Independent · PK–12 · $22,400-$24,800/yr

Columbus Academy

Independent · PK–12 · $24,200-$26,800/yr

DeSales High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $12,800/yr

Watterson Catholic High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $13,400/yr

Lafayette

Teurlings Catholic High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $9,600/yr

Ascension Episcopal School (Lafayette)

Independent (Episcopal) · PK–12 · $14,800/yr

Full Columbus breakdown → Full Lafayette breakdown →

Ohio private school costs Louisiana private school costs

Related Comparisons

Chicago vs Columbus → Columbus vs Cincinnati → Minneapolis vs Columbus →

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.