Is private school cheaper in San Francisco or Trenton?

Trenton has lower average private school tuition at $16,800/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $17,400/year less, or $226,200 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Trenton is $17,400/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $226,200 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $16,000/year in San Francisco, $10,800/year in Trenton.

How do San Francisco and Trenton 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). Trenton averages $16,800/year ($4,450 above average).

Private School Cost: San Francisco vs Trenton

Trenton averages $17,400/year less for private school (104% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $226,200 per child.

Bottom Line

Trenton is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $16,800/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $10,800/year on the low end.

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Trenton

$16,800

avg tuition/year

$4,450 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	San Francisco	Trenton	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$34,200/yr	$16,800/yr	+$17,400
Religious Schools	$16,000/yr	$10,800/yr	+$5,200
Independent/Prep	$52,000/yr	$35,800/yr	+$16,200
Elementary (K-5)	$28,000/yr	$14,300/yr	+$13,700
Middle School (6-8)	$34,200/yr	$16,800/yr	+$17,400
High School (9-12)	$42,000/yr	$20,200/yr	+$21,800

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

San Francisco

$444,600

Trenton

$218,400

Choosing Trenton saves $226,200 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $452,400.

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

Trenton

Notre Dame High School (Trenton NJ)

Catholic · 9–12 · $14,200/yr

Trenton Catholic Academy

Catholic · K–12 · $12,400/yr

Full San Francisco breakdown → Full Trenton breakdown →

California private school costs New Jersey 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.