Is private school cheaper in Springfield or Trenton?

Trenton has lower average private school tuition at $16,800/year vs $22,500/year in Springfield. That's $5,700/year less, or $74,100 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Trenton is $5,700/year less than Springfield. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $74,100 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $12,200/year in Springfield, $10,800/year in Trenton.

How do Springfield and Trenton private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. Springfield averages $22,500/year ($10,150 above average). Trenton averages $16,800/year ($4,450 above average).

Private School Cost: Springfield vs Trenton

Trenton averages $5,700/year less for private school (34% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $74,100 per child.

Bottom Line

Trenton is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $16,800/year vs $22,500/year in Springfield. Religious schools run $10,800/year on the low end.

Springfield

$22,500

avg tuition/year

$10,150 above national avg

Trenton

$16,800

avg tuition/year

$4,450 above national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	Springfield	Trenton	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$22,500/yr	$16,800/yr	+$5,700
Religious Schools	$12,200/yr	$10,800/yr	+$1,400
Independent/Prep	$45,800/yr	$35,800/yr	+$10,000
Elementary (K-5)	$19,100/yr	$14,300/yr	+$4,800
Middle School (6-8)	$22,500/yr	$16,800/yr	+$5,700
High School (9-12)	$27,000/yr	$20,200/yr	+$6,800

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

Springfield

$292,500

Trenton

$218,400

Choosing Trenton saves $74,100 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $148,200.

Sample Schools

Springfield

Cathedral High School (Springfield MA)

Catholic · 9–12 · $12,200/yr

The MacDuffie School

Independent · 6–12 · $38,400/yr

Trenton

Notre Dame High School (Trenton NJ)

Catholic · 9–12 · $14,200/yr

Trenton Catholic Academy

Catholic · K–12 · $12,400/yr

Full Springfield breakdown → Full Trenton breakdown →

Massachusetts private school costs New Jersey private school costs

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.