Average Private High School Tuition 2026: $9,200–42,000 Day vs. Boarding
Private high school tuition averages $14,200/year nationally. Religious schools run around $9,200. Independent schools average $28,750. High school costs 15% more than the same school’s elementary tuition — more specialized teachers and more extracurriculars drive that premium.
2026 High School Tuition at a Glance
High School Tuition by School Type (National Average)
Source: NCES Private School Universe Survey. Grades 9–12.
| School Type | Annual Tuition | Per Month | 4 years Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious school | $9,200 | $920 | $36,800 |
| Montessori | $14,370 | $1,440 | $57,480 |
| National average (all types) | $14,200 | $1,420 | $56,800 |
| Independent school | $28,750 | $2,880 | $115,000 |
Private High School Cost by State
All-type average tuition with 15% grade-level adjustment. Source: NCES. Sorted by all-school average.
| State | All Schools | Religious | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $30,880 | $17,830 | $51,980 |
| Massachusetts | $25,870 | $14,030 | $52,670 |
| Connecticut | $24,550 | $13,570 | $48,870 |
| New York | $23,170 | $13,220 | $49,220 |
| New Hampshire | $20,530 | $11,730 | $44,280 |
| New Jersey | $19,260 | $12,420 | $41,170 |
| Vermont | $18,690 | $11,270 | $40,830 |
| California | $18,030 | $11,730 | $35,080 |
| Maryland | $17,770 | $12,070 | $37,380 |
| Rhode Island | $17,080 | $10,930 | $37,380 |
| Virginia | $16,390 | $11,270 | $32,780 |
| Hawaii | $16,330 | $10,470 | $30,470 |
| Washington | $15,470 | $10,580 | $33,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $15,240 | $9,780 | $35,420 |
| Maine | $15,240 | $9,430 | $32,780 |
| Delaware | $14,720 | $9,780 | $27,830 |
| Colorado | $14,320 | $9,320 | $28,170 |
| Illinois | $14,200 | $8,970 | $32,780 |
| Oregon | $13,970 | $9,430 | $28,170 |
| Texas | $13,170 | $8,970 | $27,830 |
| Georgia | $12,940 | $8,970 | $26,220 |
| Nevada | $12,880 | $8,970 | $25,870 |
| Alaska | $12,480 | $8,280 | $22,430 |
| Tennessee | $12,250 | $8,630 | $25,870 |
| Florida | $12,020 | $8,280 | $24,720 |
| North Carolina | $11,790 | $8,280 | $24,720 |
| Arizona | $11,360 | $8,510 | $21,740 |
| Minnesota | $11,330 | $7,820 | $25,870 |
| Michigan | $10,640 | $7,360 | $22,770 |
| New Mexico | $10,640 | $7,470 | $21,280 |
| Ohio | $10,520 | $7,470 | $24,380 |
| South Carolina | $10,290 | $7,470 | $21,280 |
| Utah | $10,290 | $7,130 | $20,470 |
| Missouri | $10,060 | $7,130 | $23,570 |
| Wisconsin | $9,950 | $6,670 | $22,430 |
| Wyoming | $9,720 | $6,670 | $18,630 |
| Indiana | $9,720 | $7,130 | $20,130 |
| Alabama | $9,480 | $7,070 | $19,320 |
| Montana | $9,370 | $6,320 | $18,170 |
| Kentucky | $9,370 | $6,900 | $20,470 |
| Kansas | $9,030 | $6,320 | $18,630 |
| Oklahoma | $8,800 | $6,320 | $18,170 |
| Idaho | $8,800 | $5,980 | $17,020 |
| Nebraska | $8,570 | $5,980 | $18,630 |
| Iowa | $8,340 | $5,870 | $17,480 |
| West Virginia | $8,340 | $5,980 | $16,680 |
| Arkansas | $8,220 | $6,210 | $16,330 |
| North Dakota | $7,880 | $5,520 | $15,520 |
| Louisiana | $7,880 | $5,870 | $18,980 |
| Mississippi | $7,420 | $5,520 | $14,720 |
| South Dakota | $7,190 | $5,180 | $14,720 |
Why High School Costs 15% More
The premium comes from staffing. AP and IB courses require credentialed specialists. Science labs need expensive equipment and dedicated lab staff. College counseling departments — a major selling point for private high school — add $300,000–$500,000 per year to a school’s budget. Those costs get spread across fewer students than the lower school, so each family’s share goes up.
Athletic programs also contribute. Varsity sports at competitive schools involve paid coaches, travel budgets, and facility costs that far exceed what a public school’s booster club covers.
Boarding vs. Day School for High School
Day school high school runs $9,200–$28,750 depending on type. Add room and board, and boarding school tuition averages $42,000/year nationally, with elite New England schools hitting $60,000–$70,000. If you’re comparing day vs. boarding, the boarding premium over four years typically exceeds $80,000 before any financial aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average private high school tuition?
Private high school tuition averages $14,200/year for day school in 2026. Religious high schools run around $9,200/year; independent day schools average $28,750. Add boarding and the average jumps to $42,000/year, with elite New England schools (Exeter, Andover, Hotchkiss) at $65,000–72,000.
How much does boarding school cost vs. day school?
Day school runs $9,200–28,750/year depending on type. Boarding school adds $25,000–40,000 for room, board, and activities on top of base tuition, bringing the total to $42,000/year nationally. Elite boarding schools run $65,000–72,000/year. Over four years, the boarding premium over a comparable day school typically exceeds $80,000 before financial aid.
Why is private high school more expensive than elementary?
High school runs 15% more than the same school’s elementary rate on average. AP and IB courses require credentialed specialists. Labs need equipment and staff. College counseling departments cost $300,000–500,000/year to run. Varsity sports add coaching, travel, and facility costs. All of that gets divided across fewer students than the lower school, so each family’s share goes up.
Is the college prep premium at private high school worth it?
Private high school graduates attend four-year colleges at higher rates than public school graduates, but the research on causation vs. selection is genuinely mixed. Students at elite independent schools have the best outcomes, but those schools also select for students already on track for those outcomes. The clearest case for value: AP/IB course access, small class sizes for writing-heavy subjects, and college counseling quality at schools where that staff is dedicated rather than split across 300+ students.
Data: NAIS Annual Tuition Survey, NCEA Catholic School Statistics, NCES Private School Universe Survey, College Board Independent School Aid Research
Last updated: September 2025
How we calculate this · Financial aid is not guaranteed. Contact each school's financial aid office for current aid availability and application deadlines.