Private School Tuition Gap Calculator

Determine whether your private school tuition budget is fully covered by savings, financial aid, and monthly cash flow. Enter per-student tuition, the number of students, and available funds to see the annual gap, additional monthly amount required, and any surplus you can roll into future years.

Published tuition including required fees for one student.
Children you plan to enroll for the upcoming academic year.
Cash savings, 529 withdrawals, confirmed scholarships, or tuition credits you can apply immediately.
Defaults to $0.00 when blank. Enter the amount you can pay from income each month for tuition.

Outputs are estimates only. Confirm tuition, fees, and aid directly with your school’s finance office before committing funds.

Examples

  • Example 1 — $32,500.00 tuition, 2 students, $40,000.00 funds, $1,500.00 monthly budget ⇒ Total annual tuition: $65,000.00 | Resources available: $58,000.00 | Funding gap: $7,000.00 | Additional monthly amount needed: $583.33 | Potential surplus: $0.00 | Coverage ratio: 89.23%
  • Example 2 — $18,200.00 tuition, 1 student, $10,000.00 funds, $900.00 monthly budget ⇒ Total annual tuition: $18,200.00 | Resources available: $20,800.00 | Funding gap: $0.00 | Additional monthly amount needed: $0.00 | Potential surplus: $2,600.00 | Coverage ratio: 114.29%

FAQ

Should I include optional fees?

Yes—add technology, activities, and lunch fees into the tuition amount so the calculator reflects the full cost of attendance.

How do I account for multi-child discounts?

Divide the discounted total tuition quote by the number of students to get an average per-student amount before entering it.

Can I compare schools?

Run the numbers for each school using their tuition and aid offers, then compare the funding gap outputs to see which option fits your budget.

What if aid is not guaranteed next year?

Model a second scenario without aid to understand the risk exposure and the savings you may need to set aside as a buffer.

Additional Information

  • Annual tuition multiplies per-student tuition by the student count so families can model multiple enrollments.
  • Monthly budget input is annualized automatically; leave blank to test a savings-only scenario.
  • Coverage ratio reveals how fully your plan funds tuition without tapping loans or retirement accounts.
  • Additional monthly amount highlights the incremental payment plan needed after applying savings and aid.
  • Surplus figures help decide whether to prepay next year’s deposit or boost 529 contributions.

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