Is private school cheaper in Honolulu or Irvine?

Honolulu has lower average private school tuition at $20,200/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. That's $200/year less, or $2,600 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Honolulu over Irvine?

Average tuition in Honolulu is $200/year less than Irvine. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $2,600 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $12,900/year in Honolulu, $13,300/year in Irvine.

How do Honolulu and Irvine private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Honolulu averages $20,200/year ($7,850 above average). Irvine averages $20,400/year ($8,050 above average).

Private School Cost: Honolulu vs Irvine

Honolulu averages $200/year less for private school (1% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $2,600 per child.

Bottom Line

Honolulu is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $20,200/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. Religious schools run $12,900/year on the low end.

Honolulu

$20,200

avg tuition/year

$7,850 above national avg

Lower cost

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Honolulu	Irvine	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,200/yr	$20,400/yr	-$200
Religious Schools	$12,900/yr	$13,300/yr	-$400
Independent/Prep	$37,600/yr	$39,700/yr	-$2,100
Elementary (K-5)	$17,200/yr	$17,300/yr	-$100
Middle School (6-8)	$20,200/yr	$20,400/yr	-$200
High School (9-12)	$24,200/yr	$24,500/yr	-$300

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Honolulu

$262,600

Irvine

$265,200

Choosing Honolulu saves $2,600 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $5,200.

Sample Schools

Honolulu

Punahou School

Independent · K–12 · $27,400/yr

Iolani School

Independent (Episcopal) · K–12 · $24,800/yr

Saint Louis School (Honolulu)

Catholic · 9–12 · $13,800/yr

Irvine

Sage Hill School

Independent · 9–12 · $45,200/yr

Woodbridge Village Christian School

Christian · K–12 · $16,800/yr

Our Lady Queen of Angels School

Catholic · K–8 · $10,400-$12,200/yr

Full Honolulu breakdown → Full Irvine breakdown →

Hawaii private school costs California private school costs

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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.