Is private school cheaper in Irvine or Joliet?

Joliet has lower average private school tuition at $12,100/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. That's $8,300/year less, or $107,900 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Joliet is $8,300/year less than Irvine. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $107,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $13,300/year in Irvine, $7,600/year in Joliet.

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

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Irvine averages $20,400/year ($8,050 above average). Joliet averages $12,100/year ($250 below average).

Private School Cost: Irvine vs Joliet

Joliet averages $8,300/year less for private school (69% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $107,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Joliet is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $12,100/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. Religious schools run $7,600/year on the low end.

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Joliet

$12,100

avg tuition/year

$250 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Irvine	Joliet	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,400/yr	$12,100/yr	+$8,300
Religious Schools	$13,300/yr	$7,600/yr	+$5,700
Independent/Prep	$39,700/yr	$27,900/yr	+$11,800
Elementary (K-5)	$17,300/yr	$10,300/yr	+$7,000
Middle School (6-8)	$20,400/yr	$12,100/yr	+$8,300
High School (9-12)	$24,500/yr	$14,500/yr	+$10,000

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Irvine

$265,200

Joliet

$157,300

Choosing Joliet saves $107,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $215,800.

Sample Schools

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

Joliet

Joliet Catholic Academy

Catholic · 9–12 · $14,800/yr

Plainfield Academy

Christian · K–12 · $9,400-$11,800/yr

Full Irvine breakdown → Full Joliet breakdown →

California private school costs Illinois private school costs

Related Comparisons

Irvine vs Los Angeles →

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.