Lindsey Desmet
Short Answer — Montessori school costs are set by the individual school. Public and charter Montessori schools don’t charge tuition; at private Montessori schools, you can expect to pay anywhere from around $4,500 to $37,000 per year, depending on your child’s age, where you live, and the class schedule.
Montessori School Costs Explained
Montessori is an educational methodology, not a single nationwide chain of schools. As such, Montessori schools and day care centers operate independently, setting their own tuition policies and prices.[1][2]
We gathered quotes from 40 private Montessori schools across the U.S. to give you an idea of what you might expect to pay for your child’s tuition, depending on your region.
Montessori schools may be public, charter, or private. The majority of Montessori schools are private and charge tuition.[1]
However, if you’re unable to find a private school within your price range, public and charter schools are tuition-free.[1][3]
In the table below, we provide private school tuition ranges for each age group based on quotes gathered within each region of the U.S. (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West).
| Age Group | Northeast | Midwest | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant and Toddler (Half Day) | $6,300 to $14,700 | $8,300 to $10,800 | $5,300 to $11,500 | $10,300 to $21,600 |
| Infant and Toddler (Full Day) | $14,200 to $24,400 | $7,400 to $16,700 | $6,300 to $15,400 | $12,000 to $31,000 |
| Primary (Half Day) | $4,500 to $13,200 | $5,000 to $8,800 | $5,300 to $14,000 | $10,000 to $21,000 |
| Primary (Full Day) | $6,100 to $17,300 | $5,900 to $13,600 | $6,300 to $16,200 | $10,100 to $36,400 |
| Kindergarten | $7,800 to $18,100 | $8,100 to $13,500 | $10,200 to $16,200 | $15,000 to $26,000 |
| Lower Elementary | $7,800 to $18,500 | $8,300 to $13,800 | $9,700 to $17,600 | $13,800 to $26,000 |
| Upper Elementary | $7,800 to $8,800 | $8,300 to $13,800 | $10,200 to $18,500 | $12,500 to $20,300 |
| Middle School | $9,300 to $16,300 | $13,700 to $14,600 | $13,000 to $14,500 | $17,000 to $22,000 |
Note that the infant and toddler row of the table above includes all programs up to age three.
Additionally, “Primary” is the Montessori preschool program for children between three and six years old.
Additional Fees
At all but one of the Montessori schools and day care centers we investigated, parents are responsible for paying additional fees alongside tuition.
The following table outlines the various fees your local Montessori school may charge, along with price ranges based on the 40 schools we contacted.
| Fee Type | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Application | $35 to $150 (one-time payment) |
| Registration | $100 to $400 per year |
| Snacks or meal plans | $100 to $300 per semester or year |
| Supplies (all age groups) | $75 to $400 per year |
| Learning materials (elementary and middle school) | $200 to $600 per year |
| Field trips | $50 to $100 per year |
| Overnight travel | $500 to $1,500 per year |
| Late pickup | Varies; schools may charge per minute, per ten minutes, per hour, or a flat fee |
Cost Factors
As noted above, Montessori schools and day care centers set their own tuition prices.
Costs generally vary based on the following factors:[1][4]
- Child’s age:
Montessori schools may offer programs for infants to teens, depending on the school. Classrooms are separated by age, and all of the schools we contacted charge varied tuition rates for each age group. - Class schedule:
Most Montessori centers — including all but one of the 40 we contacted — offer half-day or full-day schedules. Many also offer extended schedules with earlier start times and later end times to accommodate working parents (at an additional cost). The more time your child spends at school, the more expensive their tuition will be. - Geographic location:
In locations with an overall higher cost of living, such as major cities and metropolitan areas, tuition costs tend to be higher than average. - Inclusions:
It’s a good idea to make note of what tuition covers when comparing several school options. Many schools charge separate fees for things like snacks and classroom materials, but some include those fees in their tuition rate.
For examples of cost breakdowns for particular Montessori programs, see our research on the tuition costs at The Gardner School and Bright Horizons.
William Lipovsky
