Is private school cheaper in Irvine or Rapid City?

Rapid City has lower average private school tuition at $5,800/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. That's $14,600/year less, or $189,800 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Rapid City is $14,600/year less than Irvine. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $189,800 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $13,300/year in Irvine, $4,100/year in Rapid City.

How do Irvine and Rapid City 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). Rapid City averages $5,800/year ($6,550 below average).

Private School Cost: Irvine vs Rapid City

Rapid City averages $14,600/year less for private school (252% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $189,800 per child.

Bottom Line

Rapid City is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $5,800/year vs $20,400/year in Irvine. Religious schools run $4,100/year on the low end.

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Rapid City

$5,800

avg tuition/year

$6,550 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Irvine	Rapid City	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,400/yr	$5,800/yr	+$14,600
Religious Schools	$13,300/yr	$4,100/yr	+$9,200
Independent/Prep	$39,700/yr	$11,800/yr	+$27,900
Elementary (K-5)	$17,300/yr	$4,900/yr	+$12,400
Middle School (6-8)	$20,400/yr	$5,800/yr	+$14,600
High School (9-12)	$24,500/yr	$7,000/yr	+$17,500

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Irvine

$265,200

Rapid City

$75,400

Choosing Rapid City saves $189,800 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $379,600.

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

Rapid City

Rapid City Christian Schools

Christian · K–12 · $8,600-$10,800/yr

St. Thomas More High School (Rapid City)

Catholic · 9–12 · $8,400/yr

Full Irvine breakdown → Full Rapid City breakdown →

California private school costs South Dakota 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.