In ND the private schools are cheaper tuition than what the state is paying per student. I would imagine that you can find quite a few prep schools that are more $, but those aren't private schools that normal people send their kids to.

The last two in my list are "normal" schools (not elite prep schools).

Also of note - PVI charges more for special ed students.

$30k is normal in your area? Wow. Public schools get more funding for special ed students. It sometimes makes for some dodgy classifications.

Yeah, my son went to public school. :)

Fairfax County, VA. It's one of the wealthiest counties in the US, so there's plenty of discretionary income for private school. But, I wouldn't have guessed other areas had tuition less than average spending per pupil at the local public schools.

Lot of church schools since a lot of the target market isn't rich.

I suppose there is always going to be a 'elite minimum' so that the precious child won't have to deal with the riff-raff. Very much like unpaid internships often become.