The 15 Most Expensive High Schools in America

Every family wants the best education possible for their children. For some families, this means sending their children to private schools, even as early as kindergarten. While private schools abound, it’s not something every family can afford without financial aid — especially if they have one of the nation’s most elite schools in mind — and sometimes even then, it’s out of reach for all but the wealthiest.

According to the Education Data Initiative, the annual cost of all private schools nationwide is $12,350 per student. And, of course, the final bill depends on where you live.

In Vermont, for example, the average tuition costs $19,089 for private elementary schools and $23,922 for private K-12s. And on the low end, the average private school tuition overall is $5,542 in Iowa.

Find out which high schools across America are the most expensive.

• Location: Milton, Massachusetts
• Annual tuition: $63,950

Known for its commitment to fostering academic excellence and holistic development, Milton Academy offers a comprehensive range of programs and educational opportunities and is dedicated to expanding students’ intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and social engagement. There are just 1,021 students, with a 6-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $64,100

The Brearley School is an all-girls’ liberal arts school that aims to foster a love of learning in an intellectually diverse environment. The school aims to promote not only intellectual rigor, but positive character traits, such as empathy and confidence. There are only 774 students with a 6-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $64,550

This all-girls school in Manhattan, established in 1922, is built on four academic pillars: presence, empathy, research and purpose. The school aims to create students who have strong social-emotional skills as well as intellectual empathy. Curriculum is research-driven teaching, and they work to build a strong sense of purpose in their students. There are only 475 students with a 7-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $64,600

Marymount is a Catholic girls’ K-12 school that seeks to promote tradition and innovation, pushing students toward leadership and social responsibility. It has 771 students and a 5-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $64,610

Located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this K-12 Catholic girls school offers numerous academic programs, as well as arts, athletics and more. It promotes analytical thought and reflection, plus fosters global and cultural engagement. There are 733 students and a 6-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Culver, Indiana
• Annual tuition: $65,000

Founded in 1894, Culver Academies are residential schools for grades nine through 12 — with separate schools for boys and for girls — along the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana.

They host 830 students during the school year and more than 1,300 during the summer, with a focus on leadership. There is a 6-to-1 student to teacher ratio during the school year.

• Location: Concord, New Hampshire
• Annual tuition: $65,000

Founded in 1856, St. Paul’s School is a boarding school located 68 miles from Boston in bucolic woods.

Students have many programs and facilities available to them, including the Lindsay Center for Mathematics and Science, a 95,000 square-foot athletic and fitness center, indoor rowing tanks, a boathouse, the Friedman Community Center, Visual Arts Building and more.

• Location: Lakeville, Connecticut
• Annual tuition: $65,490

The Hotchkiss School is an independent boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. Founded in 1891, it primarily focuses on students in grades nine through 12 and a small number of postgraduates. According to its website, “When you join Hotchkiss, you join a diverse community that represents individuals from around the country and the globe.”

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $65,846

Founded in 1892 by Clara B. Spence, the Spence School is an all-girls K-12 school in Manhattan. The school’s website describes their academic vision as “a spirited adventure grounded in inquiry — learning to live in questions — and a desire to delve deeper and pursue challenge and complexity.” There are 790 students and a 5-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: New York, New York
• Annual tuition: $65,850

Avenues the World School, founded in 2012, is a private K-12 school on 10th Avenue in New York City, which strives to offer a “transformative education.” They promote an academic program of “unparalleled rigor” and consider themselves a “world school” that helps to develop future leaders and innovators. They have 1,958 students and a 5-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Woodberry, Virginia
• Annual tuition: $67,650

Woodberry is an all boys boarding high school in the Virginia countryside that aims to challenge boys while building community and excellence. There are 392 students and a 7-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Middletown, Delaware
• Annual tuition: $69,400

St. Andrew’s School is a private boarding high school in Delaware, founded in 1929. It claims to be a “different” kind of boarding school that is open to “hard-working, ambitious students, regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status.” They provide need-based tuitions to every admitted student to back this up. There are 320 students and a 4-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Alexandria, Virginia
• Annual tuition: $72,000

For more than 175 years, this private boarding high school has made a commitment to “personal honor, ethical leadership and spiritual growth.” The school also uses its physical proximity and connections to Washington, D.C., to offer students “an educational experience unlike any other.” It has 463 students and a 5-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Lawrenceville, New Jersey
• Annual tuition: $73,220

The Lawrenceville School is a private boarding high school in New Jersey. Its curriculum, titled “Harkness Learning,” is a collaborative form of learning that, they say, “encourages intellectual effort and social-emotional learning through discussion, experimentation and critical review.” There are 822 students and a 7-to-1 student to teacher ratio.

• Location: Ojai, California
• Annual tuition: $77,880

Located on a 427-acre campus in Ojai, California, the Thacher School stands as a distinguished co-ed boarding institution. Established in 1889, initially as a boys’ school, it now holds the title of California’s oldest co-ed boarding school. The school’s history underwent a transformative shift in 1977, when it welcomed its first female students, ultimately resulting in its pioneering co-ed graduating class of 1978.

Jordan Rosenfeld, Jami Farkas and Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.

Methodology: To find the 50 most expensive high schools in America, GOBankingRates used Niche’s 2024 Best Private High Schools in America data to analyze the top 200 ranked schools. For each private school, GOBankingRates found the following factors: (1) 2023-2024 yearly tuition for the highest grade level (does not include room and board); (2) enrollment numbers; (3) student to teacher ratio; (4) Niche ranking; and (5) location (City, State). Only factor (1) was used to determine final rankings. Those schools that did not separate room and board from tuition were not included. All data was collected on and up to date as of July 3, 2024.