Private K-12 Schools NAICS 611110
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Industry Summary
The 30,000 private K-12 schools in the US provide basic preparatory education for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Elementary schools typically include grades kindergarten through six. Secondary schools typically include grade seven through twelve. Combined schools offer elementary and secondary education. The vast majority of K-12 private schools are non-profit organizations and about 66% of them are religion-based.
Dependence on Skilled Staff
Private school families expect high quality education from qualified, experienced teachers.
Competition from Alternative Education
In addition to standard public schools (which are free), private schools face competition from a variety of alternative sources, including charter schools, magnet schools, and home schooling.
Recent Developments
Oct 5, 2025 - States Still Evaluating Federal Tax-Credit Scholarship
- Most states have yet to make formal decisions on opting in on the first federal tax-credit scholarship, according to Education Week. The US Congress in July included a tax-credit scholarship in the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act, allowing taxpayers to claim tax credits in exchange for donations to organizations that grant private school scholarships. State officials are awaiting federal rules and guidance clarifying the provision before deciding on whether or not to participate. Republicans who have responded to Education Week’s inquiries have been supportive of the federal choice program. Democrats have been more skeptical, but a handful have said they’re looking into how the funding could help low-income students or support public schools.
- Participation in private school choice — the use of public funds toward private school tuition — has increased 25%, from just over 1 million students in 2024 to 1.3 million this year, according to school choice advocacy organization EdChoice. It is the largest year-to-year increase since EdChoice began tracking this data in 2000. It took about 24 years for private school choice participation to reach 1 million students and only one year to reach 1.3 million, according to Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice.
- The portion of US students in private school has flattened after decreasing for several decades, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The share of students in private schools was between 11.4% and 11.7% of all US students from 1995 to 2001. The share began decreasing in the early 2000s and in recent years the percentage has flattened out at around 10%. Private schools enroll the largest share of students in the northeast (13%) and the lowest in the west (8.3%)
- Private K-12 school industry employment has rebounded from pandemic-era lows and remained above pre-pandemic levels in mid-2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Private K-12 school revenue is forecast to grow at a 3.86% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Sources of revenue for private schools include tuition, private grants, donations, fundraisers, and income from endowments.
Industry Revenue
Private K-12 Schools
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average private K-12 school operates out of a single location, employs 10-26 workers and generates over $1 million in annual revenue.
- The private K-12 school industry consists of over 30,000 schools that educate over 4.7 million students and employ about 481,000 teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics Private School Universe Survey.
- Although tuition can vary significantly, average tuition is about $9,200 for elementary schools, $15,420 for secondary schools, and $15,550 for combined schools.
- The vast majority of K-12 private schools are nonprofit organizations.
- Most private schools are small institutions. About 61% of private schools have less than 150 students; 21% have between 150 and 299 students; 10% have between 300 and 499 students; and 8% have 500 students or more.
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Private K-12 Schools Industry Growth
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