Is private school cheaper in San Francisco or Waterbury?

Waterbury has lower average private school tuition at $20,500/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $13,700/year less, or $178,100 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Waterbury is $13,700/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $178,100 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $16,000/year in San Francisco, $11,300/year in Waterbury.

How do San Francisco and Waterbury 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). Waterbury averages $20,500/year ($8,150 above average).

Private School Cost: San Francisco vs Waterbury

Waterbury averages $13,700/year less for private school (67% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $178,100 per child.

Bottom Line

Waterbury is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $20,500/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. Religious schools run $11,300/year on the low end.

San Francisco

$34,200

avg tuition/year

$21,850 above national avg

Waterbury

$20,500

avg tuition/year

$8,150 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	San Francisco	Waterbury	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$34,200/yr	$20,500/yr	+$13,700
Religious Schools	$16,000/yr	$11,300/yr	+$4,700
Independent/Prep	$52,000/yr	$40,800/yr	+$11,200
Elementary (K-5)	$28,000/yr	$17,400/yr	+$10,600
Middle School (6-8)	$34,200/yr	$20,500/yr	+$13,700
High School (9-12)	$42,000/yr	$24,600/yr	+$17,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

San Francisco

$444,600

Waterbury

$266,500

Choosing Waterbury saves $178,100 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $356,200.

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

Waterbury

Holy Cross High School (Waterbury)

Catholic · 9–12 · $14,800/yr

Crosby High School (Waterbury)

Independent · 9–12 · $9,800/yr

Full San Francisco breakdown → Full Waterbury breakdown →

California private school costs Connecticut 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.