Private School Vs. Public School: Facts, Benefits & Statistics

The differences and benefits between public school vs private school are myriad. Private school vs public school is an age-old debate for parents who can afford to take their kids into the world of private education.

Parents leaning in the direction of private education have to ask themselves if the benefits of private school are worth the high cost. Calculating the true cost of education, however, was further complicated by tax rules laid out by the DeVos-led Department of Education, which we can expect to soon change under Biden’s administration, under Miguel Cardona, Biden’s new Education Secretary.

There are also personal priorities related to faith and culture. For some parents, the cost of public school vs private school is secondary to the perceived advantages of faith-based education.

These questions have arguably never been harder to answer. When it comes to the old public vs. private school conundrum, there are abundant practical considerations, that go far beyond cost.

“Instead of just looking at the raw data, parents should instead ask themselves what type of schooling are they looking for, for their child,” says Mark Dynarski of the Center on Children and Families at the Brookings Institute. “What type of environment would best be suited to your child?”

Here’s a quick side-by-side look at public school vs. private school.

Public School vs. Private School: Teachers

According to data found in 2018, the percentage of new teachers (less than four years of teaching experience) is higher in private schools at 16%, compared with public schools at 11%. “Due to higher salaries and better benefits packages, teachers gravitate toward public schools,” says Dynarski. “A common complaint you hear from private schools is they feel like a feeder system for the public schools.”

The public school teachers also have a higher percentage of master’s degrees — 48% compared to 36% in private schools. Also, more public school teachers participate in some form of professional development every year than private school teachers do, and public school teachers are paid more, on average, than private school teachers.

Public School vs. Private School: Class Sizes

The disparity between class sizes is a huge consideration for parents debating between public and private schools. The average class size is 25 kids, compared to 19 kids per class in private schools according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Correspondingly, private schools have a better student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2 students, compared to 16.1 students per class.

Public School vs. Private School: Cost

Well, this isn’t new information: private schools are expensive. While public schools are paid for by local taxes and, except for some small fees, are free, private schools cost on average $11,004 a year but can range anywhere from $7,000 to $25,180, according to a report from the NCES. Cost varies depending on the type of school children attend, with Catholic schools offering the best cost at $6,890 a year on average. Nonsectarian schools, however, can reach the hefty price of $21,510 per year.

Public School vs. Private School: Diversity

The nation’s 34,576 private schools offer parents the ability to be more selective about the students with which their child will spend their days. “Numerous studies have shown that private schools, on the whole, offer a more positive peer environment,” says Dynarski. Part of the reason for this phenomenon is the fact that private schools can screen who they allow in, and can tailor their offerings to the type of child they want coming through their doors. Plus, because parents are paying, students tend to come from a higher socio-economic class. Public schools, except some charter schools, are not allowed to pick and choose who attends.

Public School vs. Private School: Classes

Since they are not under state supervision, private schools can offer a curriculum that suits their focus. “If you have a child that wants to study the arts, theater, music, or other such subjects a private school will be a better fit,” says Dynarski. “Due to ever-changing budgets and mandated testing, public schools are more focused on the core classes, often at the expense of more peripheral subjects.”

At the high school level, many private schools focus on preparing kids for college. They tend to offer a wider array of extracurricular offerings, advanced placement courses, International Baccalaureate programs, and gifted studies classes.

Public School vs. Private School: Test Scores

A recent recap of high school graduates showed private school students scoring 4 points higher on the ACT. The same disparity is found between primary and middle schools, according to the NCES. A comparison of mathematics tests showed private schools scored 18 points higher for eighth-graders and 8 points higher for fourth graders. Reading had the same results, with the private schools outscoring their public counterparts by 18 points in eighth grade and 15 points in fourth grade.

Public School vs. Private School: Religion

The separation of church and state is guaranteed by the Constitution and that means local public schools can’t introduce religion into the classroom. A vast majority of private school students (79%) attend some form of a religiously affiliated school. A full 1.9 million kids are enrolled in Catholic institutions, making it the largest component of the private school universe. But, it’s a system that is changing. According to the National Catholic Educational Association, 18.4% of all the students enrolled were non-Catholic, a number that has been steadily growing over the years.