What private school costs in Washington (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 36 Washington private school websites. The middle price is $17,335 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $1,500 to $52,940.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $14,001 | 26 | $1,500 to $50,300 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $14,186 | 27 | $2,500 to $52,940 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $22,959 | 22 | $2,800 to $52,940 |
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 Washington 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 Washington.
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 15 | $18,388 | $13,628 (8) | $13,628 (8) | $23,652 (7) |
| Other Christian | 14 | $12,425 | $12,425 (12) | $13,560 (13) | $15,845 (10) |
| Nonsectarian | 6 | $38,293 | $34,750 (5) | $48,545 (5) | $50,550 (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
Washington's public schools spent $18,564 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($17,335) is 93% 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.
Every Washington school with verified tuition
| School | City | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm Foundation Christian School | Battle Ground | $11,070 to $14,205 | 2026-27 |
| Bellevue Children's Academy | Bellevue | $30,450 | 2026-27 |
| Crosspoint | Bremerton | $10,400 to $14,600 | 2026-27 |
| John F Kennedy Catholic High School | Burien | $23,652 | 2026-27 |
| Sacred Heart School | Clyde Hill | $18,375 | 2026-27 |
| Archbishop Murphy High School | Everett | $22,259 | 2026-27 |
| Northshore Christian Academy | Everett | $12,310 to $13,925 | 2026-27 |
| Lighthouse Christian School | Gig Harbor | $13,815 to $14,655 | 2026-27 |
| Eastside Preparatory School | Kirkland | $50,300 | 2026-27 |
| Lynden Christian Middle School | Lynden | $11,265 | 2026-27 |
| Lynden Christian Schools: Administration | Lynden | $10,404 to $14,274 | 2026-27 |
| Grace Academy | Marysville | $10,599 to $12,599 | 2026-27 |
| Cascade Christian -Junior High/High School | Puyallup | $16,810 to $18,530 | 2026-27 |
| The Bear Creek School | Redmond | $32,120 to $38,830 | 2026-27 |
| Renton Christian School | Renton | $16,750 | 2026-27 |
| Christ the King Catholic School | Richland | $9,000 | 2026-27 |
| Liberty Christian School | Richland | $10,430 to $12,260 | 2026-27 |
| St. Francis of Assisi School | Seahurst | $13,070 | 2026-27 |
| Bishop Blanchet High School | Seattle | $25,300 | 2026-27 |
| Hamlin Robinson School | Seattle | $34,750 to $37,310 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Names Academy | Seattle | $26,520 | 2026-27 |
| Holy Rosary School | Seattle | $14,186 | 2026-27 |
| King's School | Seattle | $16,265 to $26,700 | 2026-27 |
| O'Dea High School | Seattle | $24,035 | 2026-27 |
| Seattle Academy | Seattle | $52,940 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph School | Seattle | $20,276 to $21,264 | 2026-27 |
| The Bush School | Seattle | $41,835 to $50,800 | 2026-27 |
| St. Luke School | Shoreline | $18,388 | 2026-27 |
| Enlightium Academy | Spokane | $1,500 to $2,800 | not stated |
| Gonzaga Preparatory School | Spokane | $17,859 | 2026-27 |
| Annie Wright Schools | Tacoma | $31,265 to $37,520 | 2026-27 |
| Bellarmine Preparatory School | Tacoma | $22,265 | 2026-27 |
| Charles Wright Academy | Tacoma | $31,500 to $38,115 | 2026-27 |
| St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School | Tacoma | $11,930 | 2026-27 |
| St. Patrick Catholic School | Tacoma | $11,800 | 2026-27 |
| Kings Way Christian Schools | Vancouver | $12,540 to $17,090 | 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 Washington.
- 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: 35 for 2026-27, 1 for not stated.
- 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 Washington?
Among the 36 Washington private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $17,335 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $14,001 for kindergarten to grade 5 (26 schools), $14,186 for grades 6 to 8 (27 schools), $22,959 for grades 9 to 12 (22 schools). Prices run from $1,500 to $52,940 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Washington?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $22,959 (22 schools), against $14,001 for kindergarten to grade 5 (26 schools).
Does Washington help pay for private school?
No state program pays private school tuition. Families pay tuition themselves, less any financial aid the school offers.
Are Catholic schools cheaper than other private schools in Washington?
It depends on the comparison. Among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $18,388 (15 schools), against $12,425 for other Christian schools (14) and $38,293 for nonsectarian schools (6), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Washington
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, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.