Which private schools have the most expensive tuition in TN? Here's the top 25

The great education debate: public or private?

In Tennessee, non-public schools including private, faith-based, and independent home schools, are not operated or funded by the government, unlike public and charter schools.

Families may have chosen one over another based on religious values, class size and extracurriculars, diversity and cost in the past, while other families may not have had a choice beyond their neighborhood school.

Many families now have a choice in their children’s education since Gov. Bill Lee established the state’s universal school choice program in Feb. 2025.

School vouchers allow parents to choose a school using all or part of public funds set aside for their education.

Education Freedom Scholarships allow students in grades

K-12 to use state funds toward education expenses such as tuition and fees at non-public schools in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Education. The scholarship amount for the 2026-27 school year is $7,530.

While the average private school tuition in Tennessee costs $13,515 each school year, many schools' tuition rates are more than double that amount.

Curious how much the priciest private schools in Middle Tennessee cost?

The Tennessean ranked private schools in Middle Tennessee serving students from infancy through high school based on tuition rates.

The list was compiled by reviewing tuition fees on Private School Review, an online platform helping families learn about private schools, the application process and access financial aid resources. Private School Review was founded in 2003, and schools are encouraged to update their information regularly. The rankings use the most recent tuition figures available on the website.

Here's the 25 Tennessee private schools with the highest tuition in 2026:

1. McCallie School
   • Tuition: $66,590
   • Grades: 6-12
   • Location: 500 Dodds Avenue in Chattanooga
2. Hermitage Hall
   • Tuition: $65,000
   • Grades: 3-12
   • Location: 1220 8th Avenue S in Nashville
3. Baylor School
   • Tuition: $62,370
   • Grades: 6-12
   • Location: 171 Baylor School Road in Chattanooga
4. Currey Ingram Academy
   • Tuition: $51,300
   • Grades: Preschool-12
   • Location: 6544 Murray Lane in Brentwood
5. Rivers Edge Christian Academy
   • Tuition: $45,000
   • Grades: K-12
   • Location: 5600 Western Avenue in Knoxville
6. Garden Montessori School
   • Tuition: $45,000
   • Grades: Preschool-8
   • Location: 3225 Garden Drive in Knoxville
7. Cedar View Christian School
   • Tuition: $45,000
   • Grades: Preschool-12
   • Location: 1900 Flanders Street in Kingsport
8. The Ensworth School
   • Tuition: $41,950
   • Grades: K-12
   • Location: 211 Ensworth Place in Nashville
9. Montgomery Bell Academy
   • Tuition: $39,069
   • Grades: 7-12
   • Location: 4001 Harding Road in Nashville
10. Harpeth Hall School
    • Tuition: $38,600
    • Grades: 5-12
    • Location: 3801 Hobbs Road in Nashville
11. Brentwood Academy
    • Tuition: $37,000
    • Grades: 6-12
    • Location: 219 Granny White Pike in Brentwood
12. Franklin Road Academy
    • Tuition: $34,380
    • Grades: PK-12
    • Location: 4700 Franklin Pike in Nashville
13. Battle Ground Academy
    • Tuition: $30,900
    • Grades: K-12
    • Location: 336 Ernest Rice Lane in Franklin
14. Girls Preparatory School
    • Tuition: $30,710
    • Grades: 6-12
    • Location: 205 Island Avenue in Chattanooga
15. Hutchison School
    • Tuition: $28,100
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 1740 Ridgeway Road in Memphis
16. Webb School of Knoxville
    • Tuition: $27,100
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 9800 Webb School Lane in Knoxville
17. The Webb School
    • Tuition: $27,000
    • Grades: 6-12
    • Location: 319 Webb Road East in Bell Buckle
18. Harding Academy
    • Tuition: $26,395
    • Grades: Preschool-8
    • Location: 170 Windsor Drive in Nashville
19. Lausanne Collegiate School
    • Tuition: $26,000
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 1381 West Massey Road in Memphis
20. St. George’s Independent School
    • Tuition: $25,900
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 1880 Wolf River Boulevard in Collierville
21. St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School
    • Tuition: $25,200
    • Grades: 6-12
    • Location: 290 Quintard Road in Sewanee
22. Wayne Academy
    • Tuition: $25,000
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 942 Andrew Jackson Drive in Waynesboro
23. South Shea KinderCare
    • Tuition: $25,000
    • Grades: Ages 6 weeks to 12 years
    • Location: 1649 South Shea Road in Collierville
24. Skyuka Hall
    • Tuition: $25,000
    • Grades: K-12
    • Location: 5600 Brainerd Road Suite A-24 in Chattanooga
25. Nashville Christian School
    • Tuition: $25,000
    • Grades: Preschool-12
    • Location: 7555 Sawyer Brown Road in Nashville

Katie Nixon can be reached at [e-mail].

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Which private schools have the most expensive tuition in TN? Here's the top 25