What private school costs in Illinois (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 49 Illinois private school websites. The middle price is $14,800 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $5,300 to $57,150.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $9,189 | 31 | $5,300 to $44,585 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $9,400 | 29 | $5,300 to $43,425 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $15,975 | 30 | $8,525 to $57,150 |
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 Illinois pays toward private school
No state program pays private school tuition. Families pay the published price, less any financial aid the school offers. School choice in Illinois.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 30 | $14,875 | $7,700 (13) | $7,700 (13) | $16,000 (17) |
| Other Christian | 8 | $8,555 | $8,555 (8) | $8,787 (8) | $9,975 (7) |
| Nonsectarian | 8 | $39,100 | $38,250 (7) | $39,900 (5) | $44,213 (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
Illinois's public schools spent $21,776 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($14,800) is 68% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $19,400 | 18 | $5,300 to $44,585 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Illinois school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette Catholic High School | Alton | $9,370 | 2026-27 |
| St. James School | Arlington Heights | $10,866 to $11,659 | 2026-27 |
| Marmion Academy | Aurora | $16,000 | 2026-27 |
| Universal School | Bridgeview | $9,100 to $10,300 | 2026-27 |
| St. Laurence H.S. | Burbank | $14,800 | 2026-27 |
| British International School of Chicago South Loop | Chicago | $39,950 to $43,425 | 2026-27 |
| British International School of Chicago, Lincoln P | Chicago | $39,950 | 2026-27 |
| Catherine Cook School | Chicago | $38,250 to $39,900 | 2026-27 |
| Depaul College Prep | Chicago | $20,600 | 2026-27 |
| Lycee Francais de Chicago | Chicago | $28,925 to $29,500 | 2026-27 |
| Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School | Chicago | $15,700 | 2026-27 |
| Mount Carmel High School | Chicago | $15,995 | 2026-27 |
| Near North Montessori | Chicago | $26,346 | 2026-27 |
| Resurrection College Prep High School | Chicago | $16,450 | 2026-27 |
| Sacred Heart Schools | Chicago | $31,233 | 2026-27 |
| St. Barnabas Elementary School | Chicago | $9,189 | 2026-27 |
| St. Christina School | Chicago | $6,325 | 2026-27 |
| St. Clement School | Chicago | $17,219 | 2026-27 |
| St. Ignatius College Prep | Chicago | $24,300 | 2026-27 |
| St. Nicholas Tolentine School | Chicago | $5,300 | 2025-26 |
| St. Rita of Cascia High School | Chicago | $14,950 | 2026-27 |
| The Latin School of Chicago | Chicago | $44,585 | 2026-27 |
| Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi | Chicago | $18,200 | 2026-27 |
| Marian Catholic High School | Chicago Heights | $16,100 | 2026-27 |
| Lutheran School Association | Decatur | $6,890 to $8,990 | 2026-27 |
| St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic School | Downers Grove | $6,263 | 2026-27 |
| Ic Catholic Prep | Elmhurst | $16,500 | 2026-27 |
| Timothy Christian Schools | Elmhurst | $12,330 to $15,955 | 2026-27 |
| Joliet Catholic Academy | Joliet | $15,750 | 2026-27 |
| Nazareth Academy | La Grange Park | $18,200 | 2026-27 |
| Lake Forest Academy | Lake Forest | $57,150 | 2026-27 |
| Maryville Christian School | Maryville | $7,250 to $8,525 | 2026-27 |
| Christian Heritage Academy | Northfield | $12,950 to $16,400 | 2026-27 |
| St. Catherine of Alexandria School | Oak Lawn | $6,783 | 2026-27 |
| Fenwick High School | Oak Park | $19,450 | 2026-27 |
| Southwest Chicago Christian Schools Associaiton | Palos Heights | $12,250 to $15,950 | 2026-27 |
| St. Paul of the Cross School | Park Ridge | $7,775 | 2026-27 |
| Peoria Notre Dame High School | Peoria | $13,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Philomena School | Peoria | $6,068 | 2026-27 |
| St. Peter School | Quincy | $5,733 | 2026-27 |
| Schaumburg Christian School | Schaumburg | $8,920 to $9,627 | 2026-27 |
| Sacred Heart Griffin High School | Springfield | $10,550 | 2027-28 |
| Springfield Christian School | Springfield | $7,200 | not stated |
| Islamic Foundation School | Villa Park | $8,300 to $9,700 | 2026-27 |
| St. Patrick School | Wadsworth | $7,700 | 2026-27 |
| St. Francis High School | Wheaton | $16,400 | 2026-27 |
| St. Francis Xavier School | Wilmette | $9,686 | 2026-27 |
| North Shore Country Day School | Winnetka | $30,700 to $45,000 | 2026-27 |
| Parkview Christian Academy | Yorkville | $8,190 to $9,975 | not stated |
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 Illinois.
- 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: 45 for 2026-27, 2 for not stated, 1 for 2025-26, 1 for 2027-28.
- 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 Illinois?
Among the 49 Illinois private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $14,800 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $9,189 for kindergarten to grade 5 (31 schools), $9,400 for grades 6 to 8 (29 schools), $15,975 for grades 9 to 12 (30 schools). Prices run from $5,300 to $57,150 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Illinois?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $15,975 (30 schools), against $9,189 for kindergarten to grade 5 (31 schools).
Does Illinois help pay for private school?
No state program pays private school tuition. Families pay tuition themselves, less any financial aid the school offers.
Are Catholic schools cheaper than other private schools in Illinois?
It depends on the comparison. Among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $14,875 (30 schools), against $8,555 for other Christian schools (8) and $39,100 for nonsectarian schools (8), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Illinois
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, 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.