The 8 Cheapest Boarding Schools in the US

Boarding schools in the US have proven to help students stay focused due to their usual smaller class sizes and more individualized attention. It also helps to develop the character of students because they will live away from home, and also develop important life skills like time management and self-discipline.

Regardless of how interesting these are, most boarding schools always come with hefty price tags, and like Woodside Priory School in California, you should expect to pay more than $80,000.

But, what if we told you there are a handful of cheapest boarding schools in the US that provide top-notch education in a supportive and structured environment? We could also say there are very affordable dental schools in the country and even online law schools.

Moreover, if you are considering international boarding, Europe provides some very affordable boarding schools.

Before we list these affordable boarding schools in the USA, let’s first know the average cost of boarding schools in the country.

Average Cost of Boarding Schools in the US

The cost of boarding schools in the country varies depending on different factors like the type of boarding. Most boarding schools provide both a 5-day and 7-day boarding, with average annual tuition of $53,350 and $67,270 respectively.

Another factor is school type, a private school is more expensive than a religious and military boarding school.

  • Private Boarding Schools: $55,310
  • Religious Boarding Schools: $48,940
  • Military Boarding Schools: $47,620

Now you’ve seen the average cost of enrolling your kid(s) in a boarding school, let’s list some schools a lot cheaper than these.

cheapest boarding schools in the US

Cheapest Boarding Schools in the US

One of the most interesting things about these schools is that they are not just affordable, but they also provide academic excellence alongside.

1. Saint Bede Academy (Hinsdale, NH)

Location: 24 West U.S. Hwy. 6, St Bede Ln, Peru, IL 61354

Day Student Annual Cost$15,393
Total Boarding Student Cost$37,000

Saint Bede Academy is among the most affordable boarding schools in the United States that prepares its students to be both ready for post-secondary studies and lifetime continuous learning. As a Christian school, students will also build a firm ethic on Christian doctrine and Catholic teaching.

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2. Camden Military Academy

Location: 520 US-1, Camden, SC 29020, USA

Annual Tuition $28,995

This is among the cheapest boarding schools in the US for young men in grades 7 to 12. Camden Military Academy welcomes international students from around the globe. And they still offer them very affordable boarding fees. 

It’s worth noting that just because it’s a military school doesn’t mean they spend most of the time in military work, they basically help students who have not been working up to their potential academically. They also instill discipline in students to avoid laziness and some other bad habits.

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3. Massanutten Military Academy (Woodstock, VA)

Location: 614 S Main St, Woodstock, VA 22664

Day Student Annual Cost$20,000
7-Day Boarding Annual Cost$32,500
5-Day Boarding Annual Cost$28,000
International Boarding$45,000

This is another affordable military boarding school that has the advantages of consistency, discipline, and great STEM-based academics. 

As part of the MMA curriculum, all cadets are enrolled in the Army JROTC program. By participating in this program, students can grow their leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

Also, due to their excellence, 100% of their students are accepted to college, and each of their cadets earn an average of $130k in college scholarships.

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4. Excelsior School (Pasadena, CA)

Location: 41 W Santa Clara St. Arcadia, CA. 91007

Freshman Tuition $14,665
Sophomore Tuition$14,920
Junior Tuition$15,170
Senior Tuition$15,425
Five Day Residential$7,440

This is among the all-boys cheapest boarding schools in the US that provide a rigorous academic program to United States students and international students from 34 different countries. The school has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1, 85% of its faculty hold advanced degrees, and 98% of their graduates attended a four-year university in the last five years.

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5. Randolph-Macon Academy

Location: 200 Academy Dr, Front Royal, VA 22630

Upper School (Grades 9-12) Domestic Tuition$46,067 (Boarding)$24,378 (Day)
Middle School (Grades 6-8) Domestic Tuition$42,963 (Boarding)$20,930 (Day)$35,940 (5-day boarding)
Upper School (Grades 9-12) International Tuition$55,767 (Boarding)
Middle School (Grades 6-8) International Tuition$51,194 (Boarding)

Even though R-MA’s fees are a bit higher than the most affordable boarding schools in the United States we’ve listed, we added it here because they provide financial aid.

Moreover, each of their dorm floors is fully staffed with a Cadet Life Supervisor and meal options adhere to a food philosophy that promotes healthy, nutritious, and sustainable meals. Which makes their boarding lifestyle accommodating.

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6. Fishburne Military School

Location: 225 S Wayne Ave, Waynesboro, VA 22980, USA

Day Student Annual Tuition $17,500
Boarding Annual Tuition$36,900
International Annual Tuition$42,900

This is among the cheapest boarding schools in the United States that also provide financial aid options for eligible families. Fishburne accepts new students in grades 7 or 8, and they also admit transfer students into the upper grades if space is available.

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7. Valley Forge Military Academy & College

Location: 1001 Eagle Road, Wayne, PA 19087

Domestic Tuition $39,304
Day Tuition$23,779

Besides the fact that VFMA is among the cheapest boarding schools in the US, it also provides both merit and need-based aid to eligible candidates. In fact, last year, they awarded more than $4 million in scholarships and financial aid. VFMA is a middle and high school for boys.

They also provide a two-year college program exclusively for men and women which is also known as the Military College of Pennsylvania.

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8. Chinquapin Preparatory School

Location: 2615 E Wallisville Rd, Highlands, TX 77562

Cost: $23,000 annually

Chinquapin Prep offers free boarding to their students. Their program is for students in 6th-12th grades with a full weekly boarding program for students in grades 7-12. 

Chinquapin Prep is a private college-preparatory school that provides seven years of high-quality education through small class sizes and intense preparation. Even though they provide an affordable program most student’s tuition is paid for by the school’s contributors, but a small amount is charged per student for tuition, room, board, and transportation.

However, the school is very competitive to join as they carefully select their students, and they just have 125 students with a very small class size of a 7 to 1 student-teacher ratio.

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Key Takeaway

Even though the belief of boarding schools in the United States is one that comes with hefty price tags, you have seen from this list that there are still some very affordable ones, and even Chinquapin Preparatory School doesn’t charge boarding fees. You’ll still notice that these schools didn’t sacrifice quality for affordability.

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