What private school costs in Alabama (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 28 Alabama private school websites. The middle price is $9,848 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $4,815 to $32,164.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $9,540 | 26 | $4,815 to $26,027 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $9,965 | 25 | $4,950 to $26,027 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $10,578 | 26 | $4,950 to $32,164 |
A grade band is shown when at least 3 schools publish a price for it. Where a school lists several prices in one band, we take the lowest full-year day rate.
What is left to pay after the state award
CHOOSE Act pays $7,000 per student at a participating school. Homeschooled students get $2,000 each, up to $4,000 a family.
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $9,540 | $7,000 | $2,540 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $9,965 | $7,000 | $2,965 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $10,578 | $7,000 | $3,578 |
"Left to pay" is the median price minus the award, for a student who gets the award. It leaves out fees, books, uniforms and any aid the school gives.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Christian | 15 | $9,730 | $9,730 (15) | $9,658 (14) | $9,835 (13) |
Groups with at least 5 verified schools. Band medians show the number of schools in brackets; "too few" means under 3. Affiliation comes from the federal Private School Universe survey (2023-24).
Compared with public school spending
Alabama's public schools spent $13,627 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($9,848) is 72% of that figure.
- Public spending is not a price. It is total current spending on public schools (teachers, staff, upkeep, transport, meals and more) divided by enrolled students. No family pays it, and it leaves out building construction and debt.
- The years differ. Public spending is for the 2023-24 school year, the latest the Census Bureau has published; tuition is mostly for 2026-27. Neither is adjusted for inflation.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8, total current spending per pupil. Every state side by side: private tuition vs public school spending.
By city
| City | Median lowest rate | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $11,573 | 4 | $11,000 to $32,164 |
| Huntsville | $12,525 | 4 | $10,100 to $15,084 |
| Mobile | $8,451 | 4 | $5,220 to $15,130 |
| Montgomery | $7,500 | 4 | $4,815 to $11,000 |
| Madison | $13,755 | 3 | $6,000 to $15,350 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Alabama school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone High School | Birmingham | $11,000 to $12,000 | 2025-26 |
| Cornerstone Schools of Alabama | Birmingham | $11,000 to $12,000 | 2025-26 |
| John Carroll Catholic High School | Birmingham | $12,145 | 2026-27 |
| The Altamont School | Birmingham | $26,027 to $32,164 | 2026-27 |
| Decatur Heritage Christian Academy | Decatur | $9,965 to $10,755 | 2026-27 |
| Houston Academy | Dothan | $7,083 to $15,073 | not stated |
| Restoration Academy | Fairfield | $13,300 | 2026-27 |
| Bayshore Christian School | Fairhope | $9,350 to $9,835 | 2026-27 |
| Hooper Academy | Hope Hull | $7,000 to $7,600 | 2026-27 |
| Kingdom Heights Preparatory School | Huntsville | $12,250 to $13,000 | 2026-27 |
| Valley Leadership Academy | Huntsville | $10,100 to $10,400 | not stated |
| Westminster Christian Academy | Huntsville | $13,755 to $15,084 | 2026-27 |
| Whitesburg Christian Academy | Huntsville | $12,800 to $14,200 | 2026-27 |
| Lifegate Academy | Madison | $6,000 to $7,500 | 2026-27 |
| Madison Academy | Madison | $14,174 to $15,350 | 2026-27 |
| Westminster Christian Acad - Lower School Campus | Madison | $13,755 | 2026-27 |
| Cottage Hill Christian Academy | Mobile | $7,172 to $8,943 | 2026-27 |
| Faith Academy | Mobile | $5,220 to $5,520 | 2026-27 |
| McGill-Toolen Catholic High School | Mobile | $15,130 | 2026-27 |
| St. Luke's Episcopal School | Mobile | $9,730 to $14,770 | 2026-27 |
| Evangel Christian Academy | Montgomery | $7,500 to $8,250 | 2026-27 |
| Montgomery Christian School | Montgomery | $11,000 | not stated |
| Talent Education & Art Christian Academy | Montgomery | $7,500 to $9,500 | not stated |
| The Oaks Classical Cottage School | Montgomery | $4,815 to $4,950 | 2026-27 |
| Victory Christian School | Pell City | $5,250 to $5,950 | 2025-26 |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy | Rainsville | $5,000 | not stated |
| American Christian Academy | Tuscaloosa | $7,900 to $8,500 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Spirit Catholic School | Tuscaloosa | $8,400 to $9,500 | 2026-27 |
Ranges run from the lowest to the highest grade band the school publishes. Each school's page links the source we read.
Read this before you quote it
- This is not a random sample. We started with the largest schools and the schools families already search for, so large, established schools are over-represented. Treat the medians as "what these schools publish", not as the average for every private school in Alabama.
- These are published prices before financial aid. Required fees, books, uniforms and transport are extra, and many schools lower the price through aid.
- Many schools do not publish a price, and those are missing here. School years: 20 for 2026-27, 5 for not stated, 3 for 2025-26.
- Each figure was read on the school's own website or tuition sheet, and a script re-opened that page and kept the figure only if the same dollar amount appears on it. Most recent check: .
Every state, with a free CSV of all figures and sources: private school tuition by state. A school whose price has changed can send us the new figure.
Questions parents ask
How much is private school in Alabama?
Among the 28 Alabama private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $9,848 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $9,540 for kindergarten to grade 5 (26 schools), $9,965 for grades 6 to 8 (25 schools), $10,578 for grades 9 to 12 (26 schools). Prices run from $4,815 to $32,164 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Alabama?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $10,578 (26 schools), against $9,540 for kindergarten to grade 5 (26 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in Alabama?
CHOOSE Act pays $7,000 per student at a participating school. For kindergarten to grade 5, the median published price of $9,540 less the CHOOSE Act award leaves about $2,540 a year, before fees and any school aid.
More
All private schools in Alabama
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.