Average Cost of Private School in Arizona

Private schools often have opportunities to improve education that public schools don’t offer: more one-on-one time between students and teachers, specialized programs, high-quality facilities, or connection and focus on a particular culture or religious practice. Because of these additions, private schools can have costs ranging from one or two thousand dollars to tens of thousands per year.

The average tuition cost for private schools in Arizona is $10,255 per year. The tuition cost for elementary schools ranges from $2,000-$30,000 with an average of $9,675 per year, high schools range from $1,700-$83,000 with an average of $15,260, and preschools average $6,855 annual tuition.

Below is more information on some of the schools with the lowest tuitions in the state and some of the schools with the highest. Private schools will often span the different categories of school, some covering elementary and middle school grades and some covering middle school and high school all in the same program. This list will indicate which program at the school has the lowest or highest tuition for each category, regardless of whether or not the school is specifically listed as a high school, elementary school, or preschool.

High Schools

Private high schools in Arizona average $15,260 per year in tuition costs. The lowest tuition for private high schools in Arizona is $1,700 at Centennial Academy, while the highest tuition cost is $83,000 at Sedona Sky Academy. Sedona Sky Academy is a specialized, therapeutic boarding school for adolescent girls, so the next highest tuition for a traditional private high school in Arizona is $54,000 at Verde Valley School.

Centennial Academy

Centennial Academy is a private high school in Colorado City, AZ with an affiliation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “Mormon church”. The student body is co-ed and covers grades 10 to 12. There are 31 official teachers with a student-to-teacher ratio of 4:1. Their dress code is formal. The student body is around 120 students every year. There isn’t much else publicly recorded about Centennial Academy, but it does have the lowest tuition in the state.

Sedona Sky Academy

Sedona Sky Academy is an alternative private school aimed toward therapy and treatment for troubled girls. It’s primarily focused on girls that have depression, anxiety, and/or trauma-related issues. The student body is all-female and spans ages 14 to 18, correlating to grades 8 to 12. There are about 30 students enrolled each year, and the majority tend to be juniors and seniors. There are 4 official teachers, making the student-teacher ratio 7:1, and 80% of the staff holds an advanced degree.

The programs at Sedona Sky Academy focus on tailoring the academic and extracurricular activities to each specific student. There’s a specialized equine program and an art program created at Sedona Sky to correlate with their therapeutic practices.

There is also a Sedona Sky Acadamy middle school that is for girls ages 11-14.

Verde Valley School

Verde Valley School is a private high school located in Sedona that serves grades 9 to 12. They are one of the only IB Boarding schools in the country. There are 34 faculty members that fill the roles of teachers to administrators to sports coaches. All classes are either pre-IB or IB, specifically for 11th and 12th graders. The student body is co-ed with around 100 students every year. There are 24 official teachers and the average class size is 12 students; the student-to-teacher ratio is 4:1.

There are various extracurriculars offered, including clubs and several sports: Coffee House Poetry Club, Model UN, Organic Gardening, UN Millennium Development Goals Committee, Theater, Archery, Basketball, Climbing, Cross Country, Cycling, Dance, Equestrian, Golf, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, and Volleyball.

85% of the student body lives in the dorms on campus, and each dorm building has between 3 to 5 dorm parents. There are dining halls, laundry facilities, common areas, and sports fields to accommodate the students’ needs while they stay there. Beyond basic academics, students are encouraged to participate in various outdoor activities, the school-specific IB research program, and different field expeditions.

Elementary Schools

For private elementary schools in Arizona, the average tuition cost is $9,675 per year. The lowest tuition is at East Fork Lutheran Grade School and High School for $2,000 per year, and the most expensive tuition is at Abbie School for $30,000 a year.

East Fork Lutheran Grade School and High School

East Fork Lutheran School is a Christian private school in Whiteriver Arizona aimed at students between kindergarten and twelfth grade. There are 12 official teachers with an average of 25 students per class; the student-teacher ratio is 14:1. The student body is co-ed and has roughly 170 students, 99% being students of color. It offers basketball, cross country, flag football, softball, track and field, and volleyball as sports.

The school is associated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and was made to specifically serve the Apache people in accordance with WELS’ other missionary and welfare work. There’s a devotional and prayer every morning, and the rest of the school day is filled with traditional academics.

Abbie School

Abbie School in Tucson Arizona is for children with special needs, such as autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. The school teaches children from kindergarten to 12th grade and has an average class size of 8 children with an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio. (Source)

Preschools

The average tuition for preschools in Arizona is $6,855 per year. The lowest tuition cost is found at Ahwahtukee Foothills Montessori for $1,125 per year, and the highest tuition is at All Saints’ Episcopal Day School for $20,995 per year.

Ahwahtukee Foothills Montessori

The Ahwahtukee Foothills Montessori school in Phoenix serves children from 18 months to kindergarten age. It averages 50 students a year, has 7 official teachers, and has a student-teacher ratio of 7:1. It follows traditional Montessori teaching programs and also offers additional classes in Spanish, Art, Art Appreciation, Music, and Physical Education.

All Saints’ Episcopal Day School

All Saints’ Episcopal Day School is a Christian private school—also in Phoenix—that serves children from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade. The student body averages 500 students per year, is co-ed, and has a formal dress code. There are 59 official teachers, 63% of the staff has an advanced degree, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 9:1. There are several traditional sports offered as well as several leadership-focused clubs and extracurriculars.