Elementary School Cost

• Public schools are funded through federal, state and local government sources. They do not charge tuition, but many school districts now have fees of $10-$100 or more for school supplies, field trips, special programs or other "extras." For example, Mary Munford Elementary, a public school in Richmond, VA, charges $45 for kindergarten ($15 activity fee, $30 fieldtrip fee), $53 for first grade, $70 for second, $60 for third, $80 for fourth and $70 for fifth grade ($15 activity fee, $25 school supply fee, $5 reading program fee, $25 field trip fee).
• Because most states only fund a half-day of kindergarten (typically three hours), there is usually no charge for students attending half-day programs, but parents might have to pay $200 -$350 or more a month for full-day kindergarten (about six hours), or $2,000 -$3,500 for the school year. For example, the fee for full-day kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year in Seattle Public Schools is $2,720, or 10 monthly installments of $272.
• Private school tuition for elementary students can be $2,000 -$50,000 or more a year, depending on the focus and teaching style of the school, whether it is religious or nonsectarian, the ratio of teachers to pupils, the location and demand. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates the average private school tuition for elementary students in 2007-2008 was $6,733 for all private schools; $4,944 at Catholic schools; $6,576 at other religious institutions; and $15,945 for nonsectarian schools.
• The National Catholic Education Association estimates the average parish elementary school tuition at $3,673, with about 93.9% of schools offering some form of tuition assistance. In Cincinnati, the average tuition at nine inner-city Catholic schools is $4,600, with subsidies provided by donations to a nonprofit foundation.
• The National Association of Independent Schools reports its members charge an average median tuition for first or third grade of $17,669 a year for day students and $43,680 for residential (boarding school) elementary students. However, costs can be considerably higher, particularly for specialized programs. For example, at Landmark School in Massachusetts, 2012-13 tuition was $48,200 for day pupils and $64,200 for residential students with learning disabilities.

• Many public schools have fee-based before- or after-school programs, typically on a sliding scale based on household income. For example, Arlington Public Schools in Virginia charges $4 -$7 a month for these programs for families earning less than $6,000 a year, and $82 -$344 a month for families with incomes of $75,000 or more.
• Private schools and some public schools may require students to wear a uniform. These can cost $100 -$300 or more, and pupils may need more than one; according to StatisticBrain.com, the average annual cost to parents for school uniforms is $249.
• Private schools and some public schools have specific fundraising or parent-volunteer-hours requirements.

• Many schools discount tuition or extra fees for multiple children from the same family. Some offer full or partial scholarships or waive fees for students from low-income families.
• BabyCenter.com offers tips on finding financial aid for private school tuition.

• The National Center for Education Statistics has a searchable list of locate public schools by state or zip code.
• The National Catholic Educational Association has a searchable directory of schools and dioceses.
• Or search for members of the National Association of Independent Schools; the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America; or the American Montessori Society.

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