What private school costs in Kentucky (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 29 Kentucky private school websites. The middle price is $10,300 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $3,600 to $31,500.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $9,105 | 24 | $3,600 to $22,500 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $9,649 | 24 | $5,500 to $30,600 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $12,593 | 15 | $5,500 to $31,500 |
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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 20 | $10,590 | $9,015 (15) | $9,770 (15) | $14,747 (6) |
| Other Christian | 6 | $7,245 | $7,245 (6) | $8,195 (6) | $8,815 (6) |
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
Kentucky's public schools spent $14,596 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($10,300) is 71% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $11,075 | 15 | $3,600 to $31,500 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Kentucky school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation Christian Academy | Bowling Green | $7,490 to $7,775 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph Elementary School | Cold Spring | $8,295 | 2025-26 |
| St. James Catholic School | Elizabethtown | $7,260 | 2026-27 |
| St. Henry District High School | Erlanger | $11,092 | 2025-26 |
| Blessed Sacrament Elementary School | Ft Mitchell | $7,935 | 2025-26 |
| St. Agnes School | Ft Wright | $8,290 | 2026-27 |
| Lexington Christian Academy | Lexington | $11,872 to $15,857 | 2026-27 |
| Sayre School | Lexington | $22,500 to $30,785 | 2026-27 |
| Assumption High School | Louisville | $18,000 | 2026-27 |
| Highlands Latin School | Louisville | $3,600 to $10,300 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Spirit School | Louisville | $11,075 | 2026-27 |
| Kentucky Country Day School | Louisville | $21,500 to $31,500 | 2026-27 |
| Louisville Collegiate School | Louisville | $19,725 to $30,500 | 2026-27 |
| Mercy Academy | Louisville | $16,900 | 2026-27 |
| Notre Dame Academy | Louisville | $9,770 | 2026-27 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes School | Louisville | $10,300 | 2027-28 |
| Sacred Heart Model School | Louisville | $18,620 | 2026-27 |
| St. Albert the Great School | Louisville | $10,940 | 2026-27 |
| St. Bernard Catholic School | Louisville | $9,015 | not stated |
| St. Gabriel School | Louisville | $11,290 | 2026-27 |
| St. Patrick School | Louisville | $10,880 | 2026-27 |
| St. Xavier High School | Louisville | $17,000 | 2026-27 |
| Whitefield Academy | Louisville | $9,194 to $9,854 | 2026-27 |
| Community Christian Academy K-12 | Paducah | $5,200 to $5,500 | 2025-26 |
| St. Mary School System | Paducah | $7,485 to $8,095 | 2026-27 |
| Notre Dame Academy | Park Hills | $12,593 | 2026-27 |
| North Hardin Christian School | Radcliff | $7,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Timothy School | Union | $7,645 | 2026-27 |
| Villa Madonna Academy | Villa Hills | $7,030 to $10,975 | 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 Kentucky.
- 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: 23 for 2026-27, 4 for 2025-26, 1 for not stated, 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 Kentucky?
Among the 29 Kentucky private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $10,300 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $9,105 for kindergarten to grade 5 (24 schools), $9,649 for grades 6 to 8 (24 schools), $12,593 for grades 9 to 12 (15 schools). Prices run from $3,600 to $31,500 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Kentucky?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $12,593 (15 schools), against $9,105 for kindergarten to grade 5 (24 schools).
Does Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
No, among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $10,590 (20 schools), against $7,245 for other Christian schools (6), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Kentucky
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, 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.