What private school costs in the District of Columbia (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 12 District of Columbia private school websites. The middle price is $45,830 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $19,644 to $59,965.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $46,835 | 6 | $24,336 to $55,250 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $51,019 | 8 | $24,336 to $58,265 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $40,750 | 7 | $19,644 to $59,965 |
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
OSP pays up to $10,000 for grades K to 8 and $15,000 for grades 9 to 12 (2026-27). Federally funded under the SOAR Act. EdChoice reports an average of $11,318 in 2024-25 (read October 2, 2026).
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $46,835 | Up to $10,000 | $36,835 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $51,019 | Up to $10,000 | $41,019 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $40,750 | Up to $15,000 | $25,750 |
"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. "Up to" means the award can be lower.
D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program: who can get it and how to apply
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonsectarian | 6 | $49,569 | $47,430 (3) | $53,604 (6) | $55,833 (4) |
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
The District of Columbia's public schools spent $31,529 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($45,830) is 145% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $45,830 | 12 | $19,644 to $59,965 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every District of Columbia school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Carroll High School | Washington | $19,644 | 2026-27 |
| Edmund Burke School | Washington | $51,708 to $54,846 | 2026-27 |
| Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School | Washington | $40,750 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Trinity School | Washington | $24,336 | 2026-27 |
| Lowell School | Washington | $52,500 to $55,500 | 2026-27 |
| Sheridan School | Washington | $46,240 to $50,330 | 2026-27 |
| Sidwell Friends School | Washington | $55,250 | 2026-27 |
| St. Johns College High School | Washington | $29,950 | 2026-27 |
| St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School | Washington | $45,420 to $49,980 | 2026-27 |
| Templeton Academy | Washington | $35,000 | 2026-27 |
| The Field School | Washington | $58,265 to $59,965 | 2026-27 |
| Washington International School | Washington | $47,430 to $56,820 | 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 the District of Columbia.
- 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: 12 for 2026-27.
- 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 the District of Columbia?
Among the 12 District of Columbia private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $45,830 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $46,835 for kindergarten to grade 5 (6 schools), $51,019 for grades 6 to 8 (8 schools), $40,750 for grades 9 to 12 (7 schools). Prices run from $19,644 to $59,965 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in the District of Columbia?
Not among the schools we verified: the median high school price is $40,750 (7 schools), against $46,835 for kindergarten to grade 5 (6 schools). Fewer schools publish both, so compare the schools you are considering.
How much does the state pay toward private school in the District of Columbia?
OSP pays up to $10,000 for grades K to 8 and $15,000 for grades 9 to 12 (2026-27). For kindergarten to grade 5, the median published price of $46,835 less the Opportunity Scholarship Program award leaves about $36,835 a year, before fees and any school aid.
More
All private schools in the District of Columbia
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.