Private vs Public School Calculator

1. Enter this year private tuition and the years your child would attend.
2. Add a yearly tuition increase so later years are not understated.
3. Enter any financial aid, and the extra costs you would still pay for public school.
4. Read the extra cost of private, the private total after aid, and the public extras total.

Here is what each result means:

Choosing between private and public school is partly about money and partly about fit. On the money side, private school means years of tuition, while public school is free to attend but still carries real costs: activities, tutoring, supplies and fees. This tool lines up both over the full time your child would attend.

Seeing the whole-run cost matters because one year of tuition can look manageable while thirteen years does not. A clear total lets you weigh the price against the things money cannot show directly, such as class size, programs, values and how well each school fits your child.

It grows this year figures by your yearly increase for each year, totals them, subtracts aid from the private side, and compares.

1. Apply the yearly increase to tuition and to public extras.
2. Add each side across all the years.
3. Take aid off the private side, then compare the two totals.

To budget the private tuition itself against savings and family income, use the tuition budget calculator.

Suppose private tuition is $12,000 this year for 13 years, rising 4%, with $2,000 aid a year, while public extras run $1,500 a year.

Calculation: the inflation factor over 13 years at 4 percent is about 16.63, so gross private tuition totals near $199,500 and public extras near $24,900. Aid removes $26,000, leaving a private net near $173,500. Private costs about $148,600 more than public, roughly $11,400 a year.

Neither choice is only its headline price. Both carry extras worth budgeting.

Fill in your real numbers for both sides so the comparison reflects your family, not a sticker price.

Number of Years

Full K-12 stacks up far more than a few high school years. The years input drives the total more than any other.

Tuition Increases

A few percent a year compounds into tens of thousands over a long run. Do not plan on today price for every year.

Financial Aid

Aid can change the picture, but confirm whether it renews each year and whether it grows with tuition.

Class Size and Attention

Smaller classes can mean more individual attention, which some families weigh heavily.

Programs and Fit

Specific programs, values or a better match for your child can justify a cost the calculator cannot score.

Public School Strengths

Many public schools offer strong academics, sports and diversity at no tuition. A higher price is not always more value.

Before Enrolling

See the full multi-year cost before you commit to a private path, not just the first bill.

When Comparing Schools

Run the numbers for each private option against your public alternative.

When Planning Savings

Turn the yearly gap into a savings target so tuition does not strain your budget.

1. Comparing One Year, Not the Run

The first year understates the choice. Compare every year your child would attend.

2. Treating Public as Free

Public school still costs money for activities, supplies and sometimes tutoring. Enter those extras.

3. Ignoring Tuition Increases

Private tuition usually rises each year. Using today price understates the total.

4. Assuming Aid Renews in Full

Confirm whether aid repeats every year and keeps pace with tuition before counting on it.

5. Judging on Cost Alone

Fit, programs and values matter too. Use the number as one input, not the whole decision.

The maths is exact for your inputs, but a schooling choice is about more than a total.

That depends on your family. The money side can be large, often over $150,000 across K-12, but value includes class size, programs and fit that a total cannot show. Use the cost as one input, not the whole answer.

It adds up fast. Thirteen years of $12,000 tuition rising 4 percent a year tops $200,000 before aid. Even a few high school years can reach tens of thousands.

Tuition is free, but families still pay for activities, supplies, fees and sometimes tutoring. Those extras are real and belong in a fair comparison.

Many schools raise tuition a few percent a year, often around 3 to 5 percent. Ask each school for its recent history and plan on rising, not flat, costs.

Yes, if you expect it. Enter the aid per year, and confirm whether it renews and whether it grows with tuition, since one-year awards can overstate the benefit.

Common ones are supplies, activity and sports fees, field trips, technology and tutoring when classes are large. They vary by district but are rarely zero.

This tool compares two schooling paths over many years. A tuition budget calculator focuses on funding one path against your savings, aid and income.

Not always. Many public schools offer strong academics and programs at no tuition, and some private schools cost more without a clear edge. Judge on fit, not price alone.

No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere, unless you choose Save, which keeps the result only on this device.

• Private school (Wikipedia).
• Cost of private vs public education (Investopedia).
• Compound growth explained (Maths Is Fun).