Some New York City private schools now charge over $70,000 a year for tuition, surpassing the cost of top US colleges. The average tuition at 15 of the city's private schools rose 4.7% between the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, outpacing inflation, according to a Bloomberg report.
Poly Prep Country Day School will charge $71,852 for the 2026-2027 school year, while Avenues The World School, one of the most expensive, will cost $75,300. The increases are blamed on the rising cost of living in New York, which pushes up teacher salaries, and in some cases include learning supplies, meals and extracurriculars.
Barbara Scott, executive director of the Parents League of New York, said: “Each time you cross into a new $10,000 increment, it feels like a milestone.” Sharon Decker, a consultant who helps families apply to private schools, noted: “There is definite sticker shock for some families… but there’s also acceptance.”
The city’s most elite preschools can cost $70,000 a year, before a child enters kindergarten. This compares with an average of $58,628 per academic year for students at private, nonprofit universities, according to the Education Data Initiative.
The high costs come as a majority of Americans question the value of a four-year degree. A November NBC News survey found 63% of respondents agreed a college degree is “not worth the cost”, a dramatic shift from 2017 when opinions were evenly split.
