What private school costs in Wisconsin (2026-27)
We have read published tuition on 53 Wisconsin private school websites. The middle price is $9,550 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate, and prices run from $900 to $26,838.
By grade band
| Grades | Median published tuition | Schools | Lowest to highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $7,763 | 34 | $900 to $22,445 |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $7,875 | 31 | $900 to $25,607 |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $13,239 | 27 | $5,300 to $26,838 |
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
WI Choice pays $11,305 a year for grades K to 8 and $13,799 for grades 9 to 12 in 2026-27. The Special Needs Scholarship is $16,477, a figure the state labels as estimated. Four year old kindergarten is paid at $6,783. The state notes that all 2026-27 amounts can still change by statute.
| Grades | Median published tuition | Award | Left to pay at the median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten to grade 5 | $7,763 | $11,305 | No tuition beyond the award at a Choice school |
| Grades 6 to 8 | $7,875 | $11,305 | No tuition beyond the award at a Choice school |
| Grades 9 to 12 | $13,239 | $13,799 | $0 (the award is at least the median price) |
"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: Choice schools may not charge K to 8 Choice students tuition beyond the award; in grades 9 to 12 they may charge the difference only to families above 220% of the poverty level. Schools may still charge some fees.
Wisconsin Private School Choice Programs: who can get it and how to apply
By affiliation
| Affiliation | Schools | Median lowest rate | K to 5 | 6 to 8 | 9 to 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 23 | $7,875 | $6,915 (14) | $7,419 (12) | $13,520 (12) |
| Other Christian | 22 | $9,507 | $8,225 (15) | $8,875 (14) | $13,000 (11) |
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
Wisconsin's public schools spent $15,952 per student in fiscal year 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). The median published private tuition above ($9,550) is 60% 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 Wisconsin school with verified tuition
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 Wisconsin.
- 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: 36 for 2026-27, 12 for not stated, 4 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 Wisconsin?
Among the 53 Wisconsin private schools whose published tuition we verified, the middle price is $9,550 a year, using each school's lowest published full-year rate. By grade: $7,763 for kindergarten to grade 5 (34 schools), $7,875 for grades 6 to 8 (31 schools), $13,239 for grades 9 to 12 (27 schools). Prices run from $900 to $26,838 a year, before financial aid, and fees are extra.
Does private high school cost more than elementary school in Wisconsin?
Among the schools we verified, yes: the median high school price is $13,239 (27 schools), against $7,763 for kindergarten to grade 5 (34 schools).
How much does the state pay toward private school in Wisconsin?
WI Choice pays $11,305 a year for grades K to 8 and $13,799 for grades 9 to 12 in 2026-27. Choice schools may not charge K to 8 Choice students tuition beyond the award; in grades 9 to 12 they may charge the difference only to families above 220% of the poverty level. Schools may still charge some fees.
Are Catholic schools cheaper than other private schools in Wisconsin?
Yes, among the schools we verified: the median Catholic school price is $7,875 (23 schools), against $9,507 for other Christian schools (22), using each school's lowest published rate.
More
All private schools in Wisconsin
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, Washington.