Avenues: The World School, a 14-year-old school in Chelsea, is the most expensive, with 2026-2027 tuition set at $75,300 for full-time nursery (age two) through grade 12, up about 4% from the current school year. That's $456 per day. It's not alone. Next year, tuition at eight New York City private schools will top $70,000, Bloomberg reported. By comparison, the average tuition of the National Association of Independent Schools' member schools is $33,361 this year. Public school is, of course, free.
One of the emails that parents dread most during summer months is the list of school supplies that will be required for their children's classes. Sometimes, it coincides with having to buy a new computer, clothes and shoes, in addition to tuition payments and monthly preschool fees. All this makes back-to-school the second-largest annual expense for families. The annual ritual is further complicated this year by a combination of cumulative price increases over the last few years and expected price hikes due to tariffs.