Over $94,000 for High School? This NYC Private School Is Among America’s Most Expensive

Would you pay nearly $100,000 per year just to see your child survive high school? If the number made you blink, calm down. While we’d like to think of astronomical tuition as being at Ivy League universities, there are high schools actually charging families amounts close to the size of a house down payment, particularly in New York.

A recent Alot Education report highlighted the hefty price tag of private school across the country. And for high school tuition, New York State also had some record-breaking news to report. One such institution, THINK Global School, located in Manhattan, ranked as the third most expensive high school in the entire nation. The cost? A whopping $94,050 per year.

Yes, that’s right – $94k. For high school.

Why THINK Global School Is So Costly

The cost appears outrageous at first glance. But THINK Global School isn’t any ordinary high school. It offers what might best be described as an experience of a lifetime – a four-year, world-submersion education. Students don’t simply show up for in-classrooms. Instead, they go to and study in four nations throughout their high school years.

Imagine studying ancient Greek history or ecology by being in the rainforests of Costa Rica actually doing it. It’s definitely a dream of any student who has a wanderlust soul – and a dream for families who are willing and capable of paying that kind of money.

But at close to $100,000 a year, others can’t help but ask themselves what they might do with it otherwise maybe buy a starter house or fund world vacations for the whole family in twos. But to families who value experiential education and can afford it, this high school offers an alternative educational model.

The Only Two That Cost More

If you’re wondering which schools outprice THINK Global, let’s take a look. Coming in at No. 1 is Valley View School in Massachusetts with an eye-popping tuition of $125,000 a year. Right behind it is The Pinnacle School in Connecticut, charging $107,000.

Interestingly enough, both of those schools and many of the others on this list who were serious players provide special education and therapeutic boarding options, many tailored to students who require that little extra. That says a lot about why some schools cost so much smaller class sizes, specially trained instructors, and supervision around the clock do come at a price.

New York’s Other High-End High Schools

So other than THINK Global School, what are some other expensive New York high schools?

Here’s a list of the five most expensive private New York high schools based on recent figures:

1. Millbrook School – Millbrook, NY

• Day Student Tuition: $59,750
• Boarding Tuition: $78,500

Millbrook provides the traditional boarding school experience with state-of-the-art facilities, green 800-acre campus, and environmental sustainability initiatives.

2. EF Academy New York – NYC

• Chapter Day Student Tuition: $42,000
• Boarding Tuition: $69,500

With its global focus, EF Academy brings together students from over 75 countries and prepares them to enter universities all over the world.

3. Northwood School – Lake Placid, NY

• Chapter Day Student Tuition: $47,350
• Boarding Tuition: $68,300

Northwood provides a college-preparatory experience in the Adirondack Mountains, with an emphasis on athletics and leadership.

4. Darrow School – New Lebanon, NY

• Chapter Day Student Tuition: $42,850
• Boarding Tuition: $68,190

This institution has a strong project-based education and family-style community atmosphere.

5. The Winchendon School – NYC Campus

• Day Student Tuition: $46,350
• Tuition with Learning Strategies Program: $60,000

Winchendon has strong support programs, especially for those students who do well with customized learning plans.

A Worthwhile Investment or Over-the-Top Excess?

When the average person considers private high school, they consider it in terms of prep schools for the wealthy with hard work, an elite social network, and maybe a better opportunity to get into prestige colleges. But when the price tag exceeds six figures, controversy is sure to follow.

Is it worth the price? For some parents, it is an investment in a child’s future, as it may be, whenever a school provides international travel, one-on-one mentorship, or specialty courses simply unavailable in the public system. For others, it seems not to be worth the price a reflection of how less and less available to ordinary students the machinery of schooling becomes.

And there is a deeper issue here: equity and access. When school costs as much or more than college (and in some locations, even more than that), it highlights in bold relief the growing gap of educational opportunity. Even with loans and scholarships, the average middle-class family will not be able to afford these expenses.

No question, THINK Global School offers a hybrid of education and access to the global world. But at $94,050 per year, it is one of the most expensive for high school students in New York and the nation.

As the prices continue to climb not just for university, but even secondary school parents find themselves in a dilemma of balancing the cost against the potential benefit. And while to some, as precious as an elite education is, to others, the question lingers: At what point does education become a luxury only afforded to the privileged few?

One thing is for sure at prices like these, the education debate in America is only going to get louder.