What private school costs in Iowa (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 12 Iowa private school websites. The middle price is $9,042 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $8,075 to $16,272.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $8,930 | 11 | $8,075 to $10,950 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $8,930 | 9 | $8,075 to $10,950 |
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
Students First ESA pays $8,148 per student for 2026-27. Paid in two equal installments, fall and spring. Homeschooled students do not qualify.
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $8,930 | $8,148 | $782 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $8,930 | $8,148 | $782 |
"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.
Iowa Students First Education Savings Account: who can get it and how to apply
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 6 | $8,703 | $8,475 (5) | $8,560 (5) | too few |
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
Iowa's public schools spent $14,369 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($9,042) is 63% 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.
Every Iowa school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School | Ankeny | $8,075 | 2026-27 |
| Montessori School of Iowa City | Coralville | $10,693 | 2025-26 |
| John F Kennedy Catholic School | Davenport | $8,930 | 2026-27 |
| St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School | Davenport | $8,930 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Family School | Des Moines | $8,600 | 2026-27 |
| St. Anthony Elementary School | Des Moines | $8,250 | 2026-27 |
| St. Edmond Catholic School | Fort Dodge | $8,475 to $9,340 | 2026-27 |
| Heritage Christian School | North Liberty | $9,902 | 2026-27 |
| Orange City Christian School | Orange City | $10,950 | 2026-27 |
| Pella Christian Grade School | Pella | $10,300 to $10,625 | 2026-27 |
| Royal Legacy Christian Academy | Waterloo | $9,153 | 2026-27 |
| Dowling Catholic High School | West Des Moines | $16,272 | 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 Iowa.
- 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: 11 for 2026-27, 1 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 Iowa?
Among the 12 Iowa private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $9,042 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $8,930 for kindergarten to grade 5 (11 schools), $8,930 for grades 6 to 8 (9 schools). Prices run from $8,075 to $16,272 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
How much does the state pay toward private school in Iowa?
Students First ESA pays $8,148 per student for 2026-27. For kindergarten to grade 5, the median published price of $8,930 less the Students First ESA award leaves about $782 a year, before fees and any school aid.
More
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, 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.