Average Cost of Private School in North Carolina
There are a variety of reasons that you may want your children to attend a private school. Private schools are not part of the public school system and so typically have fewer students and smaller classes, but they can be expensive. So, on average, how much does private school in North Carolina cost?
The average price of tuition to go to a private school in North Carolina is $9,689. Elementary schools are cheaper with an average cost of $9,125 per year, while high schools cost an average of $10,112 per year according to the Private School Review. 20% of these private schools are Christain.
While private schools are a bit of an investment, people generally have high praise for them. Here are some more details about the cost of private schools in North Carolina, as well as some of the best private schools in the area that you should know about.
Cost Of Private Schools By Category
There can be a variety of costs associated with attending a private school. The most basic type of cost is that of the school’s tuition. Private schools have a different source of funding than public schools.
While public schools are funded by taxes and government loans, private schools are not. Instead, they are funded by the parents of students, donations from alumni of the school, and occasionally through businesses or churches. Because of the cost of tuition, it is important to determine how much of a dent a private school will be putting in your pocket.
In data collected by the Private School Review, the average cost of tuition for private schools in North Carolina is just under $9,700 ($9,694 in 2022). In comparison, if you were to pay this cost for tuition for 12 years, from first grade to high school graduation, it would cost you over $116,000.
However, tuition for Private Schools in North Carolina tends to be cheaper than in many other places another the country. The national average cost of tuition for private schools is just under $12,000 ($11,988).
Another thing you will have to consider is whether the private school that you want to send your child to is an elementary or a high school. Private high schools tend to be more expensive than private elementary schools. Private high schools also tend to offer a more unique experience and curriculum than their public school counterparts.
Private Colleges In North Carolina
Another option to attend a private school is to go to a private university. Private universities are similar to their primary and high school counterparts in a lot of ways. They also have some differences, many of them because of the different type of instruction that occurs in them.
Like private elementary and high schools, private colleges rely on funding that is provided by companies or individuals. They supplement this funding with the tuition that students are required to pay.
By mixing this tuition and donations from outside the school, private universities are able to provide for all of their and their students’ needs. Any excess money ends up in an endowment fund, where it can be saved for building projects, research, and other uses the university may find for it.
Like private elementary and high schools, private colleges typically are founded with a specific intent in mind. Unlike public universities, which rely on taxes and grants from the government to provide for their expenses, private universities rely on tuition and donations from outside groups. Because of this, private colleges rely on their reputation to market themselves to prospective students.
Some private colleges focus on academics or their network of alumni as a selling point to prospective students. Others are focused on a religious-based experience, or place a particular focus on one area of academia.
A private university can also be several of these at once. Some of the top private colleges in the country like Harvard and Yale originally started as religious universities, but are now more commonly known for their academic standards and research.
In terms of North Carolina, here is some specific information about their private colleges. The average tuition to attend a private university in North Carolina is slightly more expensive than the national average.
According to On to College, the average tuition in North Carolina is $33,990 a year, while the U.S. average is $31,875 a year. The average cost of tuition likely is driven by Duke Univesity with a yearly tuition of over $60,000 a year, almost double the national average cost.
For those of you who are more cost-oriented, there are several private school options under $10,000 a year, including the Apex School of Theology, which costs only $5,100 a year.
Most Expensive Private School In North Carolina
While it can be helpful to look at costs while considering private schools, we should also consider what you are going to get out of your investment. The most expensive private high school in North Carolina is the Asheville School, costing a whopping $57,650 a year in tuition. From their profile on Private School Review, we can see the appeal of this school.
Founded in 1900, the Asheville School has the largest student body in the state. Despite having a large student body, the student-to-teacher ratio is 6:1.
They offer the most AP courses, sports, extracurricular activities, and have the largest endowment in the state. They also have the lowest acceptance rate. The majority of their students end up attending colleges that are quite hard to get into. This school is truly the cream of the crop.
Cheapest Private School In North Carolina
On the other hand, what does the cheapest private primary school in North Carolina offer? The cheapest private school is Trinity Baptist Acadamy at $1,850 a year. As the name implies, this is a Baptist-centered school offering instruction to students in the K to 12 grades. It is a small school in Mocksville, NC, and only has about 80 students.
However, they only offer 3 sports, basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading. This school would be a great choice for a family who is looking for a small, quiet private school for their children to attend.