What private school costs in Ohio (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 59 Ohio private school websites. The middle price is $8,219 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $5,800 to $51,750.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $7,400 | 39 | $5,800 to $32,200 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $7,500 | 41 | $5,800 to $34,900 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $13,000 | 35 | $8,400 to $51,750 |
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
EdChoice pays $6,166 for grades K-8, $8,408 for grades 9-12. Families at or below 450% of the poverty level ($148,500 for a family of four) get the full amount. Above that it is scaled down.
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $7,400 | $6,166 | $1,234 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $7,500 | $6,166 | $1,334 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $13,000 | $8,408 | $4,592 |
"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.
Program rule: Families with verified income at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines do not pay the tuition left after EdChoice; families above that may owe the difference. Schools may still charge fees.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 39 | $7,700 | $6,850 (24) | $6,850 (24) | $13,725 (16) |
| Other Christian | 14 | $8,205 | $8,047 (10) | $8,920 (12) | $10,755 (14) |
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
Ohio's public schools spent $17,257 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($8,219) is 48% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $8,200 | 9 | $5,800 to $18,600 |
| Cleveland | $11,900 | 5 | $6,166 to $20,000 |
| Columbus | $13,000 | 4 | $7,500 to $13,300 |
| Toledo | $12,750 | 3 | $7,903 to $17,420 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Ohio school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Trinity School | Avon | $7,000 | not stated |
| St. Charles Elementary School | Boardman | $6,200 | 2025-26 |
| St. Ambrose School | Brunswick | $6,750 | 2026-27 |
| Harvest Preparatory School | Canal Winchester | $7,300 to $9,700 | 2026-27 |
| Spring Valley Academy | Centerville | $9,760 to $12,350 | 2026-27 |
| Notre Dame Elementary School | Chardon | $7,700 to $9,050 | 2026-27 |
| Guardian Angels Elementary School | Cincinnati | $8,200 | 2026-27 |
| John Paul II Catholic School | Cincinnati | $6,550 | 2026-27 |
| Our Lady of Grace Catholic School | Cincinnati | $6,165 | 2026-27 |
| Roger Bacon High School | Cincinnati | $11,400 | 2026-27 |
| St. Ignatius School | Cincinnati | $5,800 | 2026-27 |
| St. Mary School | Cincinnati | $8,300 | 2026-27 |
| St. Michael Elementary School | Cincinnati | $6,366 | 2026-27 |
| St. Ursula Academy | Cincinnati | $17,400 | 2026-27 |
| Ursuline Academy of Cincinnati | Cincinnati | $18,600 | 2026-27 |
| Al Ihsan School | Cleveland | $6,166 to $8,407 | not stated |
| Cleveland Central Catholic High School | Cleveland | $11,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Adalbert Catholic School | Cleveland | $6,200 | not stated |
| St. Joseph Academy | Cleveland | $19,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Martin de Porres High School | Cleveland | $20,000 | not stated |
| Lutheran High School East | Cleveland Heights | $11,500 | 2026-27 |
| Ruffing Montessori School | Cleveland Heights | $17,400 to $20,405 | 2026-27 |
| Heartland Christian School & Preschool | Columbiana | $6,166 to $8,408 | 2025-26 |
| Bishop Hartley High School | Columbus | $13,000 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop Watterson High | Columbus | $13,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Andrew School | Columbus | $7,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Francis de Sales High School | Columbus | $13,300 | 2026-27 |
| Walsh Jesuit High School | Cuyahoga Falls | $16,500 | 2026-27 |
| Carroll High School | Dayton | $13,500 | 2026-27 |
| East Dayton Christian School | Dayton | $6,165 to $8,400 | 2026-27 |
| Sacred Heart of Jesus Elementary School | Fairfield | $6,350 | 2026-27 |
| St. Hilary School | Fairlawn | $7,650 | 2026-27 |
| St. Angela Merici Elementary School | Fairview Park | $6,700 | 2026-27 |
| Middletown Christian School | Franklin | $9,000 to $11,300 | 2026-27 |
| The Columbus Academy | Gahanna | $32,200 to $36,200 | 2026-27 |
| Trinity High School | Garfield Heights | $12,408 | 2025-26 |
| Grove City Christian School | Grove City | $8,219 to $11,135 | 2026-27 |
| Seton Catholic School | Hudson | $6,750 | 2026-27 |
| Western Reserve Academy | Hudson | $51,750 | 2026-27 |
| Lakewood Catholic Academy | Lakewood | $9,900 | 2026-27 |
| Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary | Liberty Township | $6,380 | 2026-27 |
| Corpus Christi Academy | Lyndhurst | $7,415 | 2026-27 |
| -- Mansfield Christian School- | Mansfield | $7,545 to $9,570 | 2026-27 |
| St. Susanna Elementary School | Mason | $7,195 | 2025-26 |
| Medina Christian Academy | Medina | $8,190 to $10,375 | 2026-27 |
| Medina Christian Academy Upper School | Medina | $8,190 to $10,375 | 2026-27 |
| Lake Catholic High School | Mentor | $13,950 | 2026-27 |
| St. Gabriel School | Mentor | $6,600 | 2026-27 |
| Lake Ridge Academy | North Ridgeville | $21,000 to $23,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Barnabas School | Northfield | $6,950 | 2026-27 |
| Lutheran High School West | Rocky River | $10,250 to $14,750 | 2026-27 |
| Magnificat High School | Rocky River | $20,650 | 2026-27 |
| Sandusky Central Catholic School | Sandusky | $8,900 to $10,500 | not stated |
| Central Catholic High School | Toledo | $12,750 | 2026-27 |
| Emmanuel Christian School | Toledo | $7,903 to $9,800 | 2026-27 |
| St. Johns Jesuit High School & Academy | Toledo | $17,420 | 2025-26 |
| Gesu School | University Heights | $7,400 | 2026-27 |
| Worthington Christian School, Upper | Westerville | $14,023 | 2026-27 |
| Worthington Christian School | Worthington | $10,907 to $14,023 | 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 Ohio.
- 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: 49 for 2026-27, 5 for not stated, 5 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 Ohio?
Among the 59 Ohio private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $8,219 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $7,400 for kindergarten to grade 5 (39 schools), $7,500 for grades 6 to 8 (41 schools), $13,000 for grades 9 to 12 (35 schools). Prices run from $5,800 to $51,750 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Ohio?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $13,000 (35 schools), against $7,400 for kindergarten to grade 5 (39 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in Ohio?
EdChoice pays $6,166 for grades K-8, $8,408 for grades 9-12. For kindergarten to grade 5, the median published price of $7,400 less the EdChoice award leaves about $1,234 a year, before fees and any school aid. Families with verified income at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines do not pay the tuition left after EdChoice; families above that may owe the difference. Schools may still charge fees.
Are Catholic schools cheaper than other private schools in Ohio?
Yes, among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $7,700 (39 schools), against $8,205 for other Christian schools (14), using each school's lowest published rate.
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, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.