Is private school cheaper in San Francisco or West Palm Beach?

West Palm Beach has lower average private school tuition at $11,300/year vs $34,200/year in San Francisco. That's $22,900/year less, or $297,700 over a K-12 career.

How much can I save on private school by choosing West Palm Beach over San Francisco?

Average tuition in West Palm Beach is $22,900/year less than San Francisco. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $297,700 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $16,000/year in San Francisco, $7,800/year in West Palm Beach.

How do San Francisco and West Palm Beach 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). West Palm Beach averages $11,300/year ($1,050 below average).

Private School Cost: San Francisco vs West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach averages $22,900/year less for private school (203% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $297,700 per child.

Bottom Line

West Palm Beach is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $11,300/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

West Palm Beach

$11,300

avg tuition/year

$1,050 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	San Francisco	West Palm Beach	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$34,200/yr	$11,300/yr	+$22,900
Religious Schools	$16,000/yr	$7,800/yr	+$8,200
Independent/Prep	$52,000/yr	$23,200/yr	+$28,800
Elementary (K-5)	$28,000/yr	$9,600/yr	+$18,400
Middle School (6-8)	$34,200/yr	$11,300/yr	+$22,900
High School (9-12)	$42,000/yr	$13,600/yr	+$28,400

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

San Francisco

$444,600

West Palm Beach

$146,900

Choosing West Palm Beach saves $297,700 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $595,400.

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

West Palm Beach

Palm Beach Day Academy

Independent · PK–8 · $32,400/yr

Cardinal Newman High School (WPB)

Catholic · 9–12 · $15,200/yr

Full San Francisco breakdown → Full West Palm Beach breakdown →

California private school costs Florida 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.