What private school costs in New Mexico (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 15 New Mexico private school websites. The middle price is $15,600 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $5,985 to $30,118.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $12,275 | 10 | $5,985 to $24,950 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $15,435 | 13 | $6,520 to $30,118 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $21,900 | 6 | $6,650 to $30,118 |
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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonsectarian | 9 | $24,670 | $17,340 (5) | $25,820 (7) | $29,358 (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
New Mexico's public schools spent $17,664 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($15,600) is 88% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $17,340 | 7 | $5,985 to $30,118 |
| Santa Fe | $20,335 | 4 | $15,435 to $25,820 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every New Mexico school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Academy | Albuquerque | $30,118 | 2026-27 |
| Bosque School | Albuquerque | $29,358 | 2026-27 |
| Manzano Day School | Albuquerque | $17,340 | 2026-27 |
| Oak Grove Classical Academy | Albuquerque | $5,985 to $7,035 | 2026-27 |
| Sandia Preparatory School | Albuquerque | $28,200 | 2027-28 |
| St. Pius X High School | Albuquerque | $9,350 to $15,600 | 2026-27 |
| Sunset Mesa School | Albuquerque | $15,600 | 2026-27 |
| Las Cruces Catholic School | Las Cruces | $6,520 | 2025-26 |
| Rehoboth Christian School | Rehoboth | $8,950 to $9,425 | not stated |
| St. Thomas Aquinas School | Rio Rancho | $7,185 | not stated |
| Gateway Christian School | Roswell | $6,250 to $6,650 | 2025-26 |
| Desert Montessori School | Santa Fe | $15,435 | 2026-27 |
| La Mariposa Montessori | Santa Fe | $16,000 | 2026-27 |
| May Center for Learning | Santa Fe | $24,670 to $25,820 | 2026-27 |
| Rio Grande School | Santa Fe | $24,950 | 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 New Mexico.
- 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: 10 for 2026-27, 2 for not stated, 2 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 New Mexico?
Among the 15 New Mexico private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $15,600 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $12,275 for kindergarten to grade 5 (10 schools), $15,435 for grades 6 to 8 (13 schools), $21,900 for grades 9 to 12 (6 schools). Prices run from $5,985 to $30,118 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in New Mexico?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $21,900 (6 schools), against $12,275 for kindergarten to grade 5 (10 schools).
Does New Mexico help pay for private school?
No state program pays private school tuition. Families pay tuition themselves, less any financial aid the school offers.
More
All private schools in New Mexico
Tuition in other states (at least 12 verified schools): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.