Is private school cheaper in Rapid City or Scranton?

Rapid City has lower average private school tuition at $5,800/year vs $12,200/year in Scranton. That's $6,400/year less, or $83,200 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Rapid City is $6,400/year less than Scranton. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $83,200 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $4,100/year in Rapid City, $7,800/year in Scranton.

How do Rapid City and Scranton private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Rapid City averages $5,800/year ($6,550 below average). Scranton averages $12,200/year ($150 below average).

Private School Cost: Rapid City vs Scranton

Rapid City averages $6,400/year less for private school (110% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $83,200 per child.

Bottom Line

Rapid City is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $5,800/year vs $12,200/year in Scranton. Religious schools run $4,100/year on the low end.

Rapid City

$5,800

avg tuition/year

$6,550 below national avg

Lower cost

Scranton

$12,200

avg tuition/year

$150 below national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Rapid City	Scranton	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$5,800/yr	$12,200/yr	-$6,400
Religious Schools	$4,100/yr	$7,800/yr	-$3,700
Independent/Prep	$11,800/yr	$28,300/yr	-$16,500
Elementary (K-5)	$4,900/yr	$10,400/yr	-$5,500
Middle School (6-8)	$5,800/yr	$12,200/yr	-$6,400
High School (9-12)	$7,000/yr	$14,600/yr	-$7,600

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Rapid City

$75,400

Scranton

$158,600

Choosing Rapid City saves $83,200 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $166,400.

Sample Schools

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

Scranton

Holy Cross High School (Dunmore)

Catholic · 9–12 · $11,200/yr

Wyoming Seminary

Independent · 9–12 · $36,800-$42,000/yr

Full Rapid City breakdown → Full Scranton breakdown →

South Dakota private school costs Pennsylvania private school costs

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.