What private school costs in South Carolina (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 32 South Carolina private school websites. The middle price is $8,772 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $4,400 to $36,820.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $8,074 | 29 | $4,400 to $31,620 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $10,485 | 31 | $4,800 to $36,820 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $11,579 | 27 | $4,800 to $36,820 |
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
ESTF pays $7,634 per student for 2026-27. Paid quarterly.
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $8,074 | $7,634 | $440 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $10,485 | $7,634 | $2,851 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $11,579 | $7,634 | $3,945 |
"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.
South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund: who can get it and how to apply
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Christian | 17 | $9,174 | $9,174 (17) | $12,034 (17) | $11,579 (15) |
| Nonsectarian | 10 | $9,478 | $8,000 (9) | $10,917 (10) | $8,000 (9) |
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
South Carolina's public schools spent $15,060 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($8,772) is 58% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $21,236 | 5 | $13,960 to $36,820 |
| Greenville | $9,174 | 3 | $8,370 to $28,095 |
Cities with at least 3 verified schools in the town itself. Each city page lists every school nearby.
Every South Carolina school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Christian Academy | Anderson | $5,400 | 2026-27 |
| Cross Schools | Bluffton | $15,250 to $18,250 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop England High School | Charleston | $18,350 | 2026-27 |
| First Baptist School of Charleston | Charleston | $13,960 to $17,040 | 2026-27 |
| Mason Preparatory School | Charleston | $21,550 to $22,320 | 2026-27 |
| Porter-Gaud School | Charleston | $31,620 to $36,820 | 2026-27 |
| The Cooper School | Charleston | $21,236 to $23,327 | 2026-27 |
| Cardinal Newman School | Columbia | $17,390 to $19,060 | not stated |
| Bob Jones Academy | Greenville | $8,370 to $11,170 | 2026-27 |
| Christ Church Episcopal School | Greenville | $23,555 to $28,095 | 2026-27 |
| Mitchell Road Christian Academy | Greenville | $9,174 to $12,034 | 2026-27 |
| Divine Redeemer School | Hanahan | $7,000 | 2026-27 |
| Hilton Head Christian Academy | Hilton Head Island | $15,350 to $20,500 | 2026-27 |
| Hilton Head Preparatory School | Hilton Head Island | $17,750 to $27,950 | 2026-27 |
| Francis Hugh Wardlaw Academy | Johnston | $7,005 | 2026-27 |
| The Carolina Academy | Lake City | $4,400 to $5,200 | 2026-27 |
| Lancaster Christian Academy | Lancaster | $4,800 | 2026-27 |
| Northside Christian Academy | Lexington | $7,850 to $10,334 | 2026-27 |
| St. John's Christian Academy | Moncks Corner | $7,200 to $7,950 | 2025-26 |
| Palmetto Christian Academy | Mount Pleasant | $12,825 to $16,025 | 2026-27 |
| Pee Dee Academy | Mullins | $6,300 | 2026-27 |
| Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach | $8,074 to $11,579 | 2026-27 |
| Lowcountry Christian Community School | North Charleston | $6,500 | 2026-27 |
| The Complete Student | Port Royal | $8,000 | not stated |
| Thomas Heyward Academy | Ridgeland | $7,500 | 2026-27 |
| Calhoun Academy | Saint Matthews | $6,024 to $6,204 | 2026-27 |
| Southside Christian School | Simpsonville | $16,147 to $21,706 | 2026-27 |
| Oakbrook Preparatory School | Spartanburg | $10,955 to $14,618 | 2026-27 |
| Spartanburg Day School | Spartanburg | $17,664 to $24,831 | 2026-27 |
| Pinewood Preparatory School | Summerville | $17,700 to $19,500 | 2026-27 |
| Wilson Hall | Sumter | $7,925 to $9,425 | 2026-27 |
| Colleton Preparatory Academy | Walterboro | $7,210 | 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 South Carolina.
- 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: 29 for 2026-27, 2 for not stated, 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 South Carolina?
Among the 32 South Carolina private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $8,772 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $8,074 for kindergarten to grade 5 (29 schools), $10,485 for grades 6 to 8 (31 schools), $11,579 for grades 9 to 12 (27 schools). Prices run from $4,400 to $36,820 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in South Carolina?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $11,579 (27 schools), against $8,074 for kindergarten to grade 5 (29 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in South Carolina?
ESTF pays $7,634 per student for 2026-27. For kindergarten to grade 5, the median published price of $8,074 less the Education Scholarship Trust Fund award leaves about $440 a year, before fees and any school aid.
More
All private schools in South Carolina
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, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.