Is private school cheaper in West Palm Beach or Wilmington?

Wilmington has lower average private school tuition at $10,000/year vs $11,300/year in West Palm Beach. That's $1,300/year less, or $16,900 over a K-12 career.

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

Average tuition in Wilmington is $1,300/year less than West Palm Beach. Over 13 years (K-12), that's $16,900 per child. Religious schools are the most affordable option in both cities: $7,800/year in West Palm Beach, $7,100/year in Wilmington.

How do West Palm Beach and Wilmington private school costs compare to the national average?

The national average private school tuition is $12,350/year. West Palm Beach averages $11,300/year ($1,050 below average). Wilmington averages $10,000/year ($2,350 below average).

Private School Cost: West Palm Beach vs Wilmington

Wilmington averages $1,300/year less for private school (13% cheaper). Over K-12, that's $16,900 per child.

Bottom Line

Wilmington is the cheaper city for private school. Average tuition: $10,000/year vs $11,300/year in West Palm Beach. Religious schools run $7,100/year on the low end.

West Palm Beach

$11,300

avg tuition/year

$1,050 below national avg

Wilmington

$10,000

avg tuition/year

$2,350 below national avg

Lower cost

Tuition by School Type & Grade

Category	West Palm Beach	Wilmington	Difference
All Schools (Average)	$11,300/yr	$10,000/yr	+$1,300
Religious Schools	$7,800/yr	$7,100/yr	+$700
Independent/Prep	$23,200/yr	$21,100/yr	+$2,100
Elementary (K-5)	$9,600/yr	$8,500/yr	+$1,100
Middle School (6-8)	$11,300/yr	$10,000/yr	+$1,300
High School (9-12)	$13,600/yr	$12,000/yr	+$1,600

K-12 Total Cost (13 Years)

West Palm Beach

$146,900

Wilmington

$130,000

Choosing Wilmington saves $16,900 per child over a full K-12 career. Two kids? That's $33,800.

Sample Schools

West Palm Beach

Palm Beach Day Academy

Independent · PK–8 · $32,400/yr

Cardinal Newman High School (WPB)

Catholic · 9–12 · $15,200/yr

Wilmington

Cape Fear Academy

Independent · PK–12 · $16,400/yr

Wilmington Christian Academy

Christian · K–12 · $9,400-$11,800/yr

Full West Palm Beach breakdown → Full Wilmington breakdown →

Florida private school costs North Carolina 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.