Is private school cheaper in New York City or Rockford?

Rockford has lower average private school tuition at $10,900/year vs $38,500/year in New York City. That's $27,600/year less, or $358,800 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Rockford over New York City?

Average tuition in Rockford is $27,600/year less than New York City. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $358,800 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $17,500/year in New York City, $6,900/year in Rockford.

How do New York City and Rockford private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. New York City averages $38,500/year ($26,150 above average). Rockford averages $10,900/year ($1,450 below average).

Private School Cost: New York City vs Rockford

Rockford averages $27,600/year less for private school (253% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $358,800 per child.

Bottom Line

Rockford is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $10,900/year vs $38,500/year in New York City. Religious schools run $6,900/year on the low end.

New York City

$38,500

avg tuition/year

$26,150 above national avg

Rockford

$10,900

avg tuition/year

$1,450 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	New York City	Rockford	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$38,500/yr	$10,900/yr	+$27,600
Religious Schools	$17,500/yr	$6,900/yr	+$10,600
Independent/Prep	$58,000/yr	$25,100/yr	+$32,900
Elementary (K-5)	$32,000/yr	$9,300/yr	+$22,700
Middle School (6-8)	$38,500/yr	$10,900/yr	+$27,600
High School (9-12)	$48,000/yr	$13,100/yr	+$34,900

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

New York City

$500,500

Rockford

$141,700

Choosing Rockford saves $358,800 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $717,600.

Sample Schools

New York City

Dalton School

Independent · K–12 · $60,310/yr

Trinity School NYC

Independent · K–12 · $59,900/yr

Horace Mann School

Independent · K–12 · $59,200/yr

Regis High School

Catholic (tuition-free) · 9–12

Rockford

Keith Country Day School

Independent · PK–12 · $11,200-$14,400/yr

Boylan Catholic High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $10,800/yr

Full New York City breakdown → Full Rockford breakdown →

New York private school costs Illinois private school costs

Related Comparisons

New York vs Boston → New York vs Philadelphia → New York vs Chicago → New York 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.