Preschool today looks very different from decades past.
Some of the nation’s most expensive preschools offer multilingual instruction, provide iPad Minis for each child, and serve catered organic meals. These programs aim to broaden young learners’ perspectives with global curricula, rooftop playgrounds, ergonomic furniture and even specialty classes like fencing.
Early childhood education originally expanded in the 1960s with public programs designed to prepare children from low-income families for school. Today, some parents view elite preschool as a stepping stone to selective colleges, while others prefer a simpler, play-based approach—children are often happiest with mud and sticks.
Below is a curated list of many of the most costly private preschools in the United States. Each entry summarizes tuition, location and the school’s distinctive approach so you can judge what matters most for your child.
The Center for Early Education
The Center for Early Education in West Hollywood, Calif., was founded in 1939. Center for Early Education
Tuition: $25,890
Location: West Hollywood, Calif.
Contact: centerforearlyeducation.org
Founded in 1939 by parents who wanted to honor each child’s natural pace of development, The Center for Early Education emphasizes responsibility, honesty, inclusion and caring. The school employs a sizeable faculty, including master classroom teachers and specialists, and serves hundreds of students across multiple rooftop and ground-level play areas.
Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley
The Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley is a bilingual program that teaches students from preschool to 8th grade Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley
Tuition: $26,995
Location: Berkeley, Calif.
Contact: www.eb.org
Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley offers daily instruction in English and French, with additional Spanish and Mandarin exposure. The school emphasizes French as a tool for global readiness and highlights alumni who have attended notable universities. Organic, grass-fed and free-range lunch options are prepared fresh by a private caterer.
GEMS World Academy Chicago
GEMS World Academy Chicago focuses on preparing its students for the global community. GEMS World Academy
Tuition: $27,800
Location: Chicago
Contact: www.gemsworldacademy-chicago.com
GEMS World Academy prepares students for global citizenship with multilingual daily instruction, International Baccalaureate frameworks and cultural exchanges with schools abroad. The expansive campus supports technology-rich learning—individual iPad Minis, coding and robotics labs—and offers ample family amenities and after-school programs.
Aidan Montessori School
Aidan is located in the Woodley Park neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aidan
Tuition: $28,091
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contact: www.aidanschool.org
Aidan, accredited by regional and international Montessori organizations, follows Dr. Maria Montessori’s principles of independence and self-paced learning. In primary classrooms children choose work and progress with teacher guidance, developing confidence, practical skills and autonomy.
Calhoun
Calhoun on the Upper West Side in New York City. Calhoun
Tuition: $28,200
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.calhoun.org
Calhoun’s “learning by doing” curriculum encourages inquiry and interdisciplinary study. Located on the Upper West Side, the school integrates thematic learning with special initiatives—like sustainability and performing arts—to engage students’ curiosity and civic awareness. Notable alumni include filmmaker Jordan Peele.
Rodeph Sholom School
Rodeph Sholom is the only nursery-8th grade Jewish Independent School in New York City. Rodeph Sholom
Tuition: $29,325
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.rodephsholomschool.org
As New York City’s only nursery-through-8th-grade Jewish independent school, Rodeph Sholom eases young children into school life with home visits and gradual introductions. Classrooms include distinct learning centers for cognitive development, Judaic and language learning, social-emotional growth and physical skills. Small class sizes support individualized attention and the curriculum integrates Judaics and Hebrew throughout the day.
Kingsley Montessori School
Kingsley Montessori in Boston’s Back Bay. Kingsley Montessori
Tuition: $29,455
Location: Boston
Contact: www.kingsley.org
Kingsley Montessori, located in Back Bay, serves children ages 2 through 12 and emphasizes what Montessori calls the “Foundational Decade of Learning.” The school focuses on respect, independence, and self-directed, self-paced learning, while offering co-curricular programs in arts, language and physical education.
Presidio Knolls
Presidio Knolls School in San Francisco is based on Reggio Emilia-inspired teaching methods. Presidio Knolls
Tuition: $29,490
Location: San Francisco
Contact: www.presidioknolls.org
Presidio Knolls blends Reggio Emilia-inspired pedagogy with Mandarin immersion. The school has grown rapidly and plans campus expansion to include a library, art and music studios, science labs, a teaching kitchen and enlarged outdoor play areas to better support a full preK–8 program.
Packer Collegiate Institute
Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York. Packer Collegiate Institute
Tuition: $29,700
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Contact: www.packer.edu
Founded in 1845 and rebuilt after an early fire, Packer Collegiate Institute supports academic growth alongside social and emotional development. Practices like Morning Meetings foster community, respect and communication while supporting intellectual curiosity across grades.
City and Country
City and Country in New York’s Greenwich Village neighborhood. City and Country
Tuition: $31,100
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.cityandcountry.org
City and Country, founded in 1914 by Caroline Pratt, is rooted in play-based learning. Pratt developed unit blocks—now a staple in preschool classrooms—and the school’s environments are rich with open-ended materials that encourage exploration, construction and imaginative play. The school has produced several notable artistic alumni.
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
The Laboratory Schools are part of the University of Chicago. Laboratory Schools
Tuition: $31,218
Location: Chicago
Contact: www.ucls.uchicago.edu
The Laboratory Schools center learning on the child’s interests and encourage independent movement and exploration in classrooms arranged to promote choice and competence. Daily activities vary from cooking projects to library story times, and students benefit from programming in language, science, art and media.
Bank Street School for Children
Bank Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan near Columbia University. Bank Street
Tuition: $32,000
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.bankstreet.edu/school-children
Bank Street operates as both a School for Children and a Graduate School of education. This model creates a dynamic environment where teacher training and child-centered curriculum intersect. The school’s programs emphasize social, emotional and intellectual development across subjects including literacy, science, Spanish, music and the arts.
John Winthrop School for Young Children
The John Winthrop School for Young Children in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. John Winthrop School
Tuition: $32,100
Location: Boston
Contact: www.johnwinthropschool.org
Serving children from 15 months to 5 years, John Winthrop School emphasizes self-directed play and social-emotional learning. Founded in 1966 and accredited by NAEYC, the school focuses on nurturing the whole child through play, structured activities and developmentally appropriate lessons.
National Child Research Center
The National Child Research Center is the oldest operating preschool in Washington, D.C. National Child Research Center
Tuition: $32,295
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contact: www.ncrcpreschool.org
Founded in 1928, the National Child Research Center is Washington, D.C.’s oldest continuously operating preschool. With a small community of teachers and students, the school balances open play and structured learning through activities like Circle Time, small groups, free choice and outdoor play, and offers enrichment options such as yoga, music and Spanish immersion.
Children’s Day School
The Children’s Day School in San Francisco. Children’s Day School
Tuition: $32,930
Location: San Francisco
Contact: www.cds-sf.org
Children’s Day School follows constructivist principles—learning by doing—to challenge students intellectually while cultivating emotional intelligence and civic awareness. The school emphasizes community involvement and celebrates diversity through events and participation in local cultural activities.
92 Street Y
The 92 Street Y has a nursery school for children ages 2.6 to 5 years old. 92 Street Y
Tuition: $36,000
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.92y.org
The historic 92nd Street Y is a multicultural community center on the Upper East Side that also operates a nursery school for children ages roughly 2.6 to 5. Its curriculum supports social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth while offering expressive arts, movement and outdoor play across several classrooms and terraces.
Saint Ann’s
Saint Ann’s in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Saint Ann’s
Tuition: $38,330
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Contact: saintannsny.org
Saint Ann’s is a progressive independent school that blends academics and the arts. The preschool environment is tailored to each child’s interests and talents rather than strict age-based benchmarks. The school emphasizes creativity and individualized learning and counts several well-known artists and creators among its alumni.
British International School
The British International School on the Upper East Side in New York City. British International School
Tuition: $47,600
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.bis-ny.org
The British International School in New York offers British-style education from nursery through middle school, with plans to expand to an upper school. Bright classrooms, language immersion, specialist lessons in music and PE, and after-school clubs like fencing and robotics create a balanced program focused on academics, play and cultural exposure.
Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School’s Nursery Division is housed in a historic brownstone in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Horace Mann
Tuition: $48,600
Location: Bronx, N.Y.
Contact: www.horacemann.org
Horace Mann’s Nursery Division, located in a historic Manhattan brownstone, serves young children with a hands-on, child-centered curriculum that encourages exploration and inquiry. The program values parental involvement and provides resources such as a library, studio and rooftop play space for early learners.
Avenues: The World School in New York City
Avenues’ campus opened in 2012 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood. Avenues
Tuition: $54,000
Location: Manhattan, N.Y.
Contact: www.avenues.org
Avenues opened its flagship campus in Chelsea in 2012. The Early Learning Center focuses on social-emotional development, motor skills, introductory science and language immersion in Chinese and Spanish. Avenues’ global curriculum includes a World Course that introduces students to international perspectives. Facilities are designed for young children, with furniture and fixtures sized for safety and comfort.