What private school costs in Massachusetts (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 32 Massachusetts private school websites. The middle price is $22,400 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $5,850 to $56,930.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $31,720 | 13 | $5,850 to $50,500 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $30,733 | 22 | $5,850 to $56,930 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $22,183 | 26 | $12,672 to $56,800 |
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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 19 | $19,350 | $7,400 (3) | $20,975 (13) | $21,630 (18) |
| Nonsectarian | 10 | $45,838 | $45,908 (8) | $46,605 (6) | $51,291 (5) |
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
Massachusetts's public schools spent $24,429 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($22,400) is 92% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $20,725 | 3 | $11,487 to $47,725 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Massachusetts school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop Feehan | Attleboro | $16,250 | 2026-27 |
| British International School of Boston | Boston | $46,040 to $51,291 | 2026-27 |
| Archbishop Williams High School | Braintree | $19,350 to $22,000 | 2025-26 |
| Cardinal Spellman High School | Brockton | $21,600 | 2026-27 |
| Dexter Southfield | Brookline | $47,500 | 2026-27 |
| The Park School | Brookline | $49,800 | 2026-27 |
| Shady Hill School | Cambridge | $44,740 to $56,930 | 2026-27 |
| Brimmer & May School | Chestnut Hill | $45,775 | 2026-27 |
| Boston College High School | Dorchester | $35,000 | 2026-27 |
| The Williston Northampton School | Easthampton | $45,900 to $56,800 | 2026-27 |
| Groton School | Groton | $48,850 | 2026-27 |
| Notre Dame Academy | Hingham | $34,600 | 2026-27 |
| St. John Paul II School | Hyannis | $11,685 to $15,693 | 2026-27 |
| Central Catholic | Lawrence | $18,785 | 2026-27 |
| Lawrence Catholic Academy | Lawrence | $5,850 | 2026-27 |
| Lowell Catholic | Lowell | $7,400 to $15,000 | 2026-27 |
| Malden Catholic High School | Malden | $20,975 to $22,365 | 2026-27 |
| Milton Academy | Milton | $50,500 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop Stang High School | North Dartmouth | $15,100 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop Fenwick High School | Peabody | $23,200 | 2026-27 |
| Covenant Christian Academy | Peabody | $16,415 to $21,650 | 2026-27 |
| Austin Preparatory School | Reading | $37,400 | 2026-27 |
| St. John's High School | Shrewsbury | $21,440 to $21,660 | 2026-27 |
| Fay School | Southborough | $31,720 to $54,060 | 2026-27 |
| Pope Francis Preparatory School | Springfield | $13,900 | 2026-27 |
| Academy of Notre Dame | Tyngsboro | $10,200 to $19,200 | 2026-27 |
| Catholic Memorial | West Roxbury | $31,185 | 2026-27 |
| Xaverian Brothers High School | Westwood | $30,280 | 2026-27 |
| Whitinsville Christian School | Whitinsville | $15,270 to $19,630 | 2026-27 |
| Bancroft School | Worcester | $20,725 to $39,950 | 2026-27 |
| St. Paul Diocesan Jr/Sr High School | Worcester | $11,487 to $12,672 | 2026-27 |
| Worcester Academy | Worcester | $43,225 to $47,725 | 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 Massachusetts.
- 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: 31 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 Massachusetts?
Among the 32 Massachusetts private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $22,400 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $31,720 for kindergarten to grade 5 (13 schools), $30,733 for grades 6 to 8 (22 schools), $22,183 for grades 9 to 12 (26 schools). Prices run from $5,850 to $56,930 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Massachusetts?
Not among the schools we verified: the median high school price is $22,183 (26 schools), against $31,720 for kindergarten to grade 5 (13 schools). Fewer schools publish both, so compare the schools you are considering.
Does Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
Yes, among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $19,350 (19 schools), against $45,838 for nonsectarian schools (10), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Massachusetts
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.