Is private school cheaper in San Francisco or Scranton?

Scranton has lower average private school tuition at $12,200/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $22,000/year less, or $286,000 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Scranton is $22,000/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $286,000 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $16,000/year in San Francisco, $7,800/year in Scranton.

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

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. San Francisco averages $34,200/year ($21,850 above average). Scranton averages $12,200/year ($150 below average).

Private School Cost: San Francisco vs Scranton

Scranton averages $22,000/year less for private school (180% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $286,000 per child.

Bottom Line

Scranton is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $12,200/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $7,800/year on the low end.

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Scranton

$12,200

avg tuition/year

$150 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	San Francisco	Scranton	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$34,200/yr	$12,200/yr	+$22,000
Religious Schools	$16,000/yr	$7,800/yr	+$8,200
Independent/Prep	$52,000/yr	$28,300/yr	+$23,700
Elementary (K-5)	$28,000/yr	$10,400/yr	+$17,600
Middle School (6-8)	$34,200/yr	$12,200/yr	+$22,000
High School (9-12)	$42,000/yr	$14,600/yr	+$27,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

San Francisco

$444,600

Scranton

$158,600

Choosing Scranton saves $286,000 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $572,000.

Sample Schools

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

Scranton

Holy Cross High School (Dunmore)

Catholic · 9–12 · $11,200/yr

Wyoming Seminary

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

Full San Francisco breakdown → Full Scranton breakdown →

California private school costs Pennsylvania private school costs

Related Comparisons

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

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.