What private school costs in Missouri (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 41 Missouri private school websites. The middle price is $13,500 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $4,750 to $38,570.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $9,060 | 23 | $4,750 to $28,120 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $10,250 | 26 | $4,750 to $38,570 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $18,750 | 27 | $5,750 to $38,570 |
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 Missouri pays toward private school
MOScholars pays up to $7,145 per student for 2026-27, more for some students. The 2026-27 maximum is $7,145 for most students, up to $8,931 for students eligible for free or reduced lunch, $11,432 for English learners and $12,504 for students with an IEP. These are ceilings: assistance organizations may award less, and the average award in 2025-26 was $6,831.
The award has no single set amount, so we do not work out what would be left to pay.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 25 | $11,250 | $7,645 (11) | $7,675 (13) | $19,950 (15) |
| Other Christian | 10 | $13,525 | $9,800 (7) | $12,100 (8) | $13,526 (8) |
| Nonsectarian | 5 | $26,355 | $25,558 (4) | $34,313 (4) | $37,400 (3) |
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
Missouri's public schools spent $14,241 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($13,500) is 95% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis | $21,725 | 17 | $5,900 to $38,570 |
| Kansas City | $15,003 | 6 | $7,675 to $33,015 |
| Kirkwood | $9,800 | 3 | $8,420 to $21,200 |
| O'Fallon | $9,060 | 3 | $6,940 to $13,200 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Missouri school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Infant Elementary School | Ballwin | $7,480 | 2026-27 |
| Ascension School | Chesterfield | $7,475 | 2026-27 |
| Christian Fellowship School | Columbia | $13,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph Catholic School | Imperial | $5,992 | 2026-27 |
| Helias Catholic High School | Jefferson City | $5,750 | 2026-27 |
| Academy Montessori Internationale | Kansas City | $12,480 | 2026-27 |
| Rockhurst High School | Kansas City | $17,525 | 2026-27 |
| St. Elizabeth Elementary School | Kansas City | $7,675 | 2026-27 |
| St. Teresa's Academy | Kansas City | $18,750 | 2026-27 |
| The Pembroke Hill School - Wornall Campus | Kansas City | $24,760 to $33,015 | 2026-27 |
| Visitation Catholic School | Kansas City | $8,500 | 2026-27 |
| Christ Community Lutheran School | Kirkwood | $9,800 | 2026-27 |
| St. Gerard Majella Catholic School | Kirkwood | $8,420 | 2026-27 |
| St. John Vianney High School | Kirkwood | $21,200 | 2026-27 |
| Summit Christian Academy | Lees Summit | $13,550 to $16,400 | 2026-27 |
| Assumption Catholic School | O'Fallon | $6,940 | 2026-27 |
| Christian School District | O'Fallon | $9,060 to $12,320 | 2026-27 |
| St. Dominic High School | O'Fallon | $13,200 | 2026-27 |
| Hillcrest SDA School | Olivette | $4,750 to $7,150 | not stated |
| Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School | Saint Louis | $10,800 | 2026-27 |
| Chaminade College Preparatory School | Saint Louis | $26,520 | 2026-27 |
| Community School | Saint Louis | $26,355 to $27,390 | 2026-27 |
| Cor Jesu Academy | Saint Louis | $21,725 | 2026-27 |
| Lutheran High School South | Saint Louis | $18,250 | 2026-27 |
| MICDS | Saint Louis | $28,120 to $38,570 | 2026-27 |
| Principia School | Saint Louis | $14,900 to $22,800 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph's Academy | Saint Louis | $21,990 | 2026-27 |
| St. Louis Priory School | Saint Louis | $31,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Louis University High School | Saint Louis | $26,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Margaret Mary Alacoque School | Saint Louis | $5,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Margaret of Scotland School | Saint Louis | $9,300 | 2026-27 |
| St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School | Saint Louis | $13,500 | 2027-28 |
| Ursuline Academy | Saint Louis | $19,950 | 2026-27 |
| Victory Christian Academy | Saint Louis | $7,000 to $9,000 | 2026-27 |
| Villa Duchesne School | Saint Louis | $24,565 to $30,940 | 2026-27 |
| Whitfield School | Saint Louis | $37,400 | 2026-27 |
| Lutheran High School of St. Charles County | Saint Peters | $13,552 | 2026-27 |
| Covenant Christian School | Town and Country | $13,780 | not stated |
| Westminster Christian Academy | Town and Country | $24,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Francis Borgia High School | Washington | $11,250 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Redeemer School | Webster Groves | $7,645 | 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 Missouri.
- 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: 38 for 2026-27, 2 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 Missouri?
Among the 41 Missouri private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $13,500 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $9,060 for kindergarten to grade 5 (23 schools), $10,250 for grades 6 to 8 (26 schools), $18,750 for grades 9 to 12 (27 schools). Prices run from $4,750 to $38,570 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Missouri?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $18,750 (27 schools), against $9,060 for kindergarten to grade 5 (23 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in Missouri?
MOScholars pays up to $7,145 per student for 2026-27, more for some students.
Are Catholic schools cheaper than other private schools in Missouri?
Yes, among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $11,250 (25 schools), against $13,525 for other Christian schools (10) and $26,355 for nonsectarian schools (5), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Missouri
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, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.