Is private school cheaper in San Francisco or Sioux Falls?

Sioux Falls has lower average private school tuition at $5,900/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $28,300/year less, or $367,900 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Sioux Falls is $28,300/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $367,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $16,000/year in San Francisco, $4,200/year in Sioux Falls.

How do San Francisco and Sioux Falls 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). Sioux Falls averages $5,900/year ($6,450 below average).

Private School Cost: San Francisco vs Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls averages $28,300/year less for private school (480% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $367,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Sioux Falls is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $5,900/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $4,200/year on the low end.

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Sioux Falls

$5,900

avg tuition/year

$6,450 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	San Francisco	Sioux Falls	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$34,200/yr	$5,900/yr	+$28,300
Religious Schools	$16,000/yr	$4,200/yr	+$11,800
Independent/Prep	$52,000/yr	$12,000/yr	+$40,000
Elementary (K-5)	$28,000/yr	$5,000/yr	+$23,000
Middle School (6-8)	$34,200/yr	$5,900/yr	+$28,300
High School (9-12)	$42,000/yr	$7,100/yr	+$34,900

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

San Francisco

$444,600

Sioux Falls

$76,700

Choosing Sioux Falls saves $367,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $735,800.

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

Sioux Falls

O'Gorman High School (Sioux Falls)

Catholic · 9–12 · $8,800/yr

Sioux Falls Christian Schools

Christian · K–12 · $9,200-$11,400/yr

Full San Francisco breakdown → Full Sioux Falls breakdown →

California private school costs South Dakota 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.