PrivateSchoolCost

Private School Cost: Savannah vs Wilmington

Wilmington averages $700/year less for private school (7% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $9,100 per child.

Bottom Line

Wilmington is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $10,000/year vs $10,700/year in Savannah. Religious schools run $7,100/year on the low end.

Savannah

GA

$10,700

avg tuition/year

$1,650 below national avg

Wilmington

NC

$10,000

avg tuition/year

$2,350 below national avg
Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category Savannah Wilmington Difference
All Schools (Average) $10,700/yr $10,000/yr +$700
Religious Schools $7,400/yr $7,100/yr +$300
Independent/Prep $21,700/yr $21,100/yr +$600
Elementary (K-5) $9,100/yr $8,500/yr +$600
Middle School (6-8) $10,700/yr $10,000/yr +$700
High School (9-12) $12,800/yr $12,000/yr +$800

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Savannah

$139,100

Wilmington

$130,000

Choosing Wilmington saves $9,100 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $18,200.

Sample Schools

Savannah

Savannah Christian Preparatory School

Christian · PK–12 · $14,800/yr

Benedictine Military School

Catholic · 9–12 · $11,400/yr

Wilmington

Cape Fear Academy

Independent · PK–12 · $16,400/yr

Wilmington Christian Academy

Christian · K–12 · $9,400-$11,800/yr

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.