Is private school cheaper in Irvine or San Francisco?

Irvine has lower average private school tuition at $20,400/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $13,800/year less, or $179,400 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Irvine is $13,800/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $179,400 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $13,300/year in Irvine, $16,000/year in San Francisco.

How do Irvine and San Francisco 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). San Francisco averages $34,200/year ($21,850 above average).

Private School Cost: Irvine vs San Francisco

Irvine averages $13,800/year less for private school (68% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $179,400 per child.

Bottom Line

Irvine is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $20,400/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $13,300/year on the low end.

Irvine

$20,400

avg tuition/year

$8,050 above national avg

Lower cost

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Irvine	San Francisco	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$20,400/yr	$34,200/yr	-$13,800
Religious Schools	$13,300/yr	$16,000/yr	-$2,700
Independent/Prep	$39,700/yr	$52,000/yr	-$12,300
Elementary (K-5)	$17,300/yr	$28,000/yr	-$10,700
Middle School (6-8)	$20,400/yr	$34,200/yr	-$13,800
High School (9-12)	$24,500/yr	$42,000/yr	-$17,500

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Irvine

$265,200

San Francisco

$444,600

Choosing Irvine saves $179,400 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $358,800.

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

San Francisco

San Francisco University High School

Independent · 9–12 · $56,830/yr

The Urban School of San Francisco

Independent · 9–12 · $56,200/yr

Katherine Delmar Burke School

Independent · K–8 · $48,900/yr

St. Ignatius College Preparatory

Catholic · 9–12 · $24,600/yr

Full Irvine breakdown → Full San Francisco breakdown →

California private school costs

Related Comparisons

Los Angeles vs San Francisco → San Francisco vs San Jose → Irvine vs Los Angeles → San Francisco vs Houston →

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.