What private school costs in Rhode Island (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 13 Rhode Island private school websites. The middle price is $15,150 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $5,500 to $52,000.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $18,600 | 9 | $5,500 to $46,000 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $14,495 | 11 | $5,500 to $50,610 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $23,775 | 8 | $15,150 to $52,000 |
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 Rhode Island pays toward private school
Rhode Island tax-credit scholarships average about $3,245 (2024). Each scholarship organization sets the amount. The average is from EdChoice.
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 | 8 | $12,363 | $6,748 (4) | $11,775 (7) | $17,598 (4) |
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
Rhode Island's public schools spent $22,110 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($15,150) is 69% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $42,300 | 5 | $16,650 to $52,000 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every Rhode Island school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Paul School | Cranston | $5,500 | 2026-27 |
| Providence Country Day School | East Providence | $18,600 to $28,900 | 2026-27 |
| St. Raphael Academy | Pawtucket | $15,150 | 2026-27 |
| St. Teresa School | Pawtucket | $6,345 | 2025-26 |
| St. Philomena School of the Sacred Heart | Portsmouth | $11,775 | 2026-27 |
| Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island | Providence | $26,900 | 2026-27 |
| La Salle Academy | Providence | $16,650 to $18,650 | 2026-27 |
| Lincoln School | Providence | $42,300 to $49,700 | 2026-27 |
| Moses Brown School | Providence | $45,480 to $51,750 | 2026-27 |
| Wheeler School | Providence | $46,000 to $52,000 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop Hendricken High School | Warwick | $14,495 to $16,895 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph School | West Warwick | $7,150 | 2026-27 |
| Mount St. Charles Academy | Woonsocket | $12,950 to $18,300 | 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 Rhode Island.
- 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: 12 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 Rhode Island?
Among the 13 Rhode Island private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $15,150 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $18,600 for kindergarten to grade 5 (9 schools), $14,495 for grades 6 to 8 (11 schools), $23,775 for grades 9 to 12 (8 schools). Prices run from $5,500 to $52,000 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Rhode Island?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $23,775 (8 schools), against $18,600 for kindergarten to grade 5 (9 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island tax-credit scholarships average about $3,245 (2024).
More
All private schools in Rhode Island
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, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.