Is private school cheaper in Riverside or San Jose?

Riverside has lower average private school tuition at $14,900/year vs $25,200/year in San Jose. That's $10,300/year less, or $133,900 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing Riverside over San Jose?

Average tuition in Riverside is $10,300/year less than San Jose. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $133,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $9,700/year in Riverside, $13,800/year in San Jose.

How do Riverside and San Jose private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Riverside averages $14,900/year ($2,550 above average). San Jose averages $25,200/year ($12,850 above average).

Private School Cost: Riverside vs San Jose

Riverside averages $10,300/year less for private school (69% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $133,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Riverside is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $14,900/year vs $25,200/year in San Jose. Religious schools run $9,700/year on the low end.

Riverside

$14,900

avg tuition/year

$2,550 above national avg

Lower cost

San Jose

$25,200

avg tuition/year

$12,850 above national avg

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Riverside	San Jose	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$14,900/yr	$25,200/yr	-$10,300
Religious Schools	$9,700/yr	$13,800/yr	-$4,100
Independent/Prep	$29,000/yr	$40,500/yr	-$11,500
Elementary (K-5)	$12,700/yr	$20,500/yr	-$7,800
Middle School (6-8)	$14,900/yr	$25,200/yr	-$10,300
High School (9-12)	$17,900/yr	$31,200/yr	-$13,300

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Riverside

$193,700

San Jose

$327,600

Choosing Riverside saves $133,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $267,800.

Sample Schools

Riverside

Notre Dame High School (Riverside)

Catholic · 9–12 · $17,800/yr

Riverside Christian School

Christian · K–12 · $9,200-$11,400/yr

San Jose

Harker School

Independent · K–12 · $48,200-$51,600/yr

Bellarmine College Preparatory

Catholic · 9–12 · $22,800/yr

Archbishop Mitty High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $21,400/yr

Presentation High School

Catholic · 9–12 · $20,800/yr

Full Riverside breakdown → Full San Jose breakdown →

California private school costs

Related Comparisons

Los Angeles vs San Jose → San Francisco vs San Jose →

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.