Is private school cheaper in Irvine or Lincoln?

Lincoln has lower average private school tuition at $7,200/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. That's $13,200/year less, or $171,600 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Lincoln is $13,200/year less than Irvine. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $171,600 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $13,300/year in Irvine, $5,000/year in Lincoln.

How do Irvine and Lincoln 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). Lincoln averages $7,200/year ($5,150 below average).

Private School Cost: Irvine vs Lincoln

Lincoln averages $13,200/year less for private school (183% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $171,600 per child.

Bottom Line

Lincoln is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $7,200/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. Religious schools run $5,000/year on the low end.

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Lincoln

$7,200

avg tuition/year

$5,150 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Irvine	Lincoln	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,400/yr	$7,200/yr	+$13,200
Religious Schools	$13,300/yr	$5,000/yr	+$8,300
Independent/Prep	$39,700/yr	$15,600/yr	+$24,100
Elementary (K-5)	$17,300/yr	$6,100/yr	+$11,200
Middle School (6-8)	$20,400/yr	$7,200/yr	+$13,200
High School (9-12)	$24,500/yr	$8,600/yr	+$15,900

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Irvine

$265,200

Lincoln

$93,600

Choosing Lincoln saves $171,600 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $343,200.

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

Lincoln

Lincoln Christian High School

Christian · K–12 · $9,600-$11,800/yr

Pius X High School (Lincoln)

Catholic · 9–12 · $8,800/yr

Full Irvine breakdown → Full Lincoln breakdown →

California private school costs Nebraska 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.