Is private school cheaper in Raleigh or San Francisco?

Raleigh has lower average private school tuition at $13,000/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $21,200/year less, or $275,600 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Raleigh is $21,200/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $275,600 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $8,200/year in Raleigh, $16,000/year in San Francisco.

How do Raleigh and San Francisco private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Raleigh averages $13,000/year ($650 above average). San Francisco averages $34,200/year ($21,850 above average).

Private School Cost: Raleigh vs San Francisco

Raleigh averages $21,200/year less for private school (163% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $275,600 per child.

Bottom Line

Raleigh is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $13,000/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $8,200/year on the low end.

Raleigh

$13,000

avg tuition/year

$650 above national avg

Lower cost

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Raleigh	San Francisco	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$13,000/yr	$34,200/yr	-$21,200
Religious Schools	$8,200/yr	$16,000/yr	-$7,800
Independent/Prep	$24,500/yr	$52,000/yr	-$27,500
Elementary (K-5)	$10,600/yr	$28,000/yr	-$17,400
Middle School (6-8)	$13,000/yr	$34,200/yr	-$21,200
High School (9-12)	$16,000/yr	$42,000/yr	-$26,000

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Raleigh

$169,000

San Francisco

$444,600

Choosing Raleigh saves $275,600 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $551,200.

Sample Schools

Raleigh

Ravenscroft School

Independent · PK–12 · $26,800-$29,200/yr

Cardinal Gibbons High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $14,400/yr

Cary Academy

Independent · 6–12 · $22,400-$24,800/yr

Raleigh Charter High School

Charter (Free) · 9–12

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 Raleigh breakdown → Full San Francisco breakdown →

North Carolina private school costs California private school costs

Related Comparisons

Los Angeles vs San Francisco → San Francisco vs San Jose → Raleigh vs Charlotte → 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.