Private High Schools That Cost More Than Most Colleges

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Private high schools that cost more than most colleges

Perhaps one of the greatest epidemics plaguing the nation is the student loan crisis, as approximately 4 in 10 adults under the age of 30 face some degree of debt upon college graduation. This is a staggering figure, especially if one considers the fact that the overwhelming, ever-rising majority of high school students attend a free public high school, indicating that their financial burden stemming from academia is likely the cost of college.

The regularity with which loans are taken out speaks to the difficulty of paying for university, and also highlights the immense wealth held by families who can afford to pay for college in full—and who send their children to private high schools before that. Families who ultimately decide to invest in a private education for their teenagers justify doing so by arguing that the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term costs, and in many cases they do, but those short-term costs are staggering nonetheless.

In seeking to find out just how much these elite preparatory academies cost, Stacker referenced data from Niche and Chronicle to compile a list of private high schools whose annual tuitions exceed that of many colleges and universities. The schools listed are included along with their annual tuition, as well the exact number of institutions of higher learning whose tuitions are exceeded by that of the particular private school. Read on to discover where the richest of the rich send their children to high school.

Note: When pictures of the school were not available, pictured is the neighboring area or comparable college listed.

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#50. Newark Academy

Newark Academy 2018 Tuition: $39,350
Tuition is more than 2,421 colleges.
Comparable college: Austin College, where tuition is $38,825.
Location: Livingston, NJ

#49. Sidwell Friends School

Sidwell Friends School 2018 Tuition: $39,360
Tuition is more than 2,421 colleges.
Comparable college: Millsaps College, where tuition is $38,930.
Location: Washington, DC

#48. The Pingry School

The Pingry School 2018 Tuition: $39,523
Tuition is more than 2,427 colleges.
Comparable college: University of Tulsa, where tuition is $39,502.
Location: Basking Ridge, NJ

#47. Holton-Arms School

Holton-Arms School 2018 Tuition: $40,150
Tuition is more than 2,446 colleges.
Comparable college: Rochester Institute of Technology, where tuition is $40,068.
Location: Bethesda, MA

#46. Head-Royce School

Head-Royce School 2018 Tuition: $40,950
Tuition is more than 2,486 colleges.
Comparable college: St. Mary's College, where tuition is $40,800.
Location: Oakland, CA

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#45. The Thacher School

The Thacher School 2018 Tuition: $40,970
Tuition is more than 2,487 colleges.
Comparable college: Cornell College, where tuition is $40,880.
Location: Ojai, CA

#44. Dwight-Englewood School

Dwight-Englewood School 2018 Tuition: $41,780
Tuition is more than 2,513 colleges.
Comparable college: Luther College, where tuition is $41,020.
Location: Englewood, NJ

#43. Greenwich Academy

Greenwich Academy 2018 Tuition: $41,890
Tuition is more than 2,515 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Los Angeles, where tuition is 41,270 (out-of-state).
Location: Greenwich, CT

#42. Rye Country Day School

Rye Country Day School 2018 Tuition: $41,900
Tuition is more than 2,516 colleges.
Comparable college: Stonehill College, where tuition is $41,300.
Location: Rye, NY

#41. National Cathedral School

National Cathedral School 2018 Tuition: $41,975
Tuition is more than 2,518 colleges.
Comparable college: Linfield College, where tuition is $41,612.
Location: Washington, DC

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#40. The College Preparatory School

The College Preparatory School 2018 Tuition: $42,020
Tuition is more than 2,521 colleges.
Comparable college: Ripon College, where tuition is $41,835.
Location: Oakland, CA

#39. Hopkins School

Hopkins School 2018 Tuition: $42,200
Tuition is more than 2,528 colleges.
Comparable college: Wofford College, where tuition is $41,955.
Location: New Haven, CT

#38. The Branson School

The Branson School 2018 Tuition: $42,285
Tuition is more than 2,531 colleges.
Comparable college: Yeshiva University, where tuition is $42,000.
Location: Ross, CA

#37. Crystal Springs Uplands School

Crystal Springs Uplands School 2018 Tuition: $42,430
Tuition is more than 2,538 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Santa Cruz, where tuition is 42,042 (out-of-state).
Location: Hillsborough, CA

#36. St. Albans School

St. Albans School 2018 Tuition: $42,484
Tuition is more than 2,538 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Berkeley, where tuition is 42,112 (out-of-state).
Location: Washington, DC

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#35. Riverdale Country School

Riverdale Country School 2018 Tuition: $42,805
Tuition is more than 2,547 colleges.
Comparable college: Saint Louis University, where tuition is $42,166.
Location: Bronx, NY

#34. Menlo School

Menlo School 2018 Tuition: $42,830
Tuition is more than 2,546 colleges.
Comparable college: Wabash College, where tuition is $42,250.
Location: Atherton, CA

#33. Poly Preparatory Country Day School

Poly Preparatory Country Day School 2018 Tuition: $42,850
Tuition is more than 2,546 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Davis, where tuition is 42,396 (out-of-state).
Location: Brooklyn, NY

#32. The Chapin School

The Chapin School 2018 Tuition: $43,000
Tuition is more than 2,549 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Santa Barbara, where tuition is 42,423 (out-of-state).
Location: New York, NY

#31. Lake Forest Academy

Lake Forest Academy 2018 Tuition: $43,150
Tuition is more than 2,555 colleges.
Comparable college: Albion College, where tuition is $43,050.
Location: Lake Forest, IL

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#30. Phillips Academy

Phillips Academy 2018 Tuition: $43,300
Tuition is more than 2,564 colleges.
Comparable college: College of William and Mary, where tuition is 43,099 (out-of-state).
Location: Andover, MA

#29. Groton School

Groton School 2018 Tuition: $43,400
Tuition is more than 2,564 colleges.
Comparable college: St. John's University, where tuition is $43,356.
Location: Groton, MA

#28. Choate Rosemary Hall

Choate Rosemary Hall 2018 Tuition: $43,580
Tuition is more than 2,569 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–Irvine, where tuition is 43,530 (out-of-state).
Location: Wallingford, CT

#27. Deerfield Academy

Deerfield Academy 2018 Tuition: $43,750
Tuition is more than 2,572 colleges.
Comparable college: College of St. Benedict, where tuition is $43,738.
Location: Deerfield, MA

#26. The Madeira School

The Madeira School 2018 Tuition: $43,947
Tuition is more than 2,578 colleges.
Comparable college: Juniata College, where tuition is $43,875.
Location: Mclean, VA

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#25. Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School 2018 Tuition: $43,970
Tuition is more than 2,579 colleges.
Comparable college: Virginia Military Institute, where tuition is 43,902 (out-of-state).
Location: Cambridge, MA

#24. The Taft School

The Taft School 2018 Tuition: $44,000
Tuition is more than 2,578 colleges.
Comparable college: Hampden-Sydney College, where tuition is $43,940.
Location: Basking Ridge, NJ

#23. Lick-Wilmerding High School

Lick-Wilmerding High School 2018 Tuition: $44,127
Tuition is more than 2,580 colleges.
Comparable college: Hendrix College, where tuition is $44,070.
Location: San Francisco, CA

#22. Hackley School

Hackley School 2018 Tuition: $44,225
Tuition is more than 2,581 colleges.
Comparable college: Gustavus Adolphus College, where tuition is $44,080.
Location: Tarrytown, NY

#21. Winsor School

Winsor School 2018 Tuition: $44,300
Tuition is more than 2,581 colleges.
Comparable college: Lake Forest College, where tuition is $44,116.
Location: Boston, MA

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#20. Castilleja School

Castilleja School 2018 Tuition: $44,580
Tuition is more than 2,587 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–San Diego, where tuition is 44,197 (out-of-state).
Location: Palo Alto, CA

#19. Dalton School

Dalton School 2018 Tuition: $44,640
Tuition is more than 2,587 colleges.
Comparable college: University of California–San Diego, where tuition is 44,197 (out-of-state).
Location: New York, NY

#18. San Francisco University High School

San Francisco University High School 2018 Tuition: $44,750
Tuition is more than 2,588 colleges.
Comparable college: Clark University, where tuition is $44,400.
Location: San Francisco, CA

#17. Belmont Hill School

Belmont Hill School 2018 Tuition: $44,800
Tuition is more than 2,590 colleges.
Comparable college: Ohio Wesleyan University, where tuition is $44,690.
Location: Belmont, MA

#16. The Loomis Chaffee School

The Loomis Chaffee School 2018 Tuition: $45,360
Tuition is more than 2,609 colleges.
Comparable college: Texas Christian University, where tuition is $44,760.
Location: Windsor, CT

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#15. The Harker School

The Harker School 2018 Tuition: $45,877
Tuition is more than 2,626 colleges.
Comparable college: Knox College, where tuition is $44,958.
Location: San Jose, CA

#14. Noble and Greenough School

Noble and Greenough School 2018 Tuition: $46,250
Tuition is more than 2,636 colleges.
Comparable college: Illinois Wesleyan University, where tuition is $45,856.
Location: Dedham, MA

#13. Cate School

Cate School 2018 Tuition: $46,280
Tuition is more than 2,638 colleges.
Comparable college: St. Olaf College, where tuition is $46,000.
Location: Carpinteria, CA

#12. Peddie School

Peddie School 2018 Tuition: $47,000
Tuition is more than 2,656 colleges.
Comparable college: Lawrence University, where tuition is $46,101.
Location: Hightstown, NJ

#11. Concord Academy

Concord Academy 2018 Tuition: $47,160
Tuition is more than 2,661 colleges.
Comparable college: Syracuse University, where tuition is $46,755.
Location: Concord, MA

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#10. Milton Academy

Milton Academy 2018 Tuition: $47,330
Tuition is more than 2,666 colleges.
Comparable college: Rice University, where tuition is $45,608.
Location: Milton, MA

#9. Collegiate School

Collegiate School 2018 Tuition: $47,500
Tuition is more than 2,670 colleges.
Comparable college: University of Virginia, where tuition is 46,975 (out-of-state).
Location: New York, NY

#8. Middlesex School

Middlesex School 2018 Tuition: $47,810
Tuition is more than 2,682 colleges.
Comparable college: Princeton University, where tuition is $47,140.
Location: Concord, MA

#7. Trinity School

Trinity School 2018 Tuition: $47,965
Tuition is more than 2,688 colleges.
Comparable college: Case Western Reserve University, where tuition is $47,500.
Location: New York, NY

#6. The Hotchkiss School

The Hotchkiss School 2018 Tuition: $48,080
Tuition is more than 2,689 colleges.
Comparable college: Vanderbilt University, where tuition is $47,664.
Location: Lakeville, CT

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#5. Horace Mann School

Horace Mann School 2018 Tuition: $48,600
Tuition is more than 2,702 colleges.
Comparable college: University of Miami, where tuition is $48,484.
Location: Bronx, NY

#4. The Lawrenceville School

The Lawrenceville School 2018 Tuition: $51,440
Tuition is more than 2,765 colleges.
Comparable college: Yale University, where tuition is $51,400.
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ

#3. St. Paul's School

St. Paul's School 2018 Tuition: $55,000
Tuition is more than 2,837 colleges.
Comparable college: Tufts University, where tuition is $54,318.
Location: Concord, NH

#2. St. Andrew's School

St. Andrew's School 2018 Tuition: $55,500
Tuition is more than 2,840 colleges.
Comparable college: University of Chicago, where tuition is $54,825.
Location: Middletown, DE

#1. Kent School

Kent School 2018 Tuition: $58,450
Tuition is more than 2,888 colleges.
Comparable college: Columbia University, where tuition is $57,208.
Location: Kent, CT

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