Private school tuition in Maryland varies widely from school to school, and the published number is rarely what a family ends up paying. At Kent School in Chestertown, tuition ranges from $10,100 for PreK to $21,500 for Middle School, but more than 39% of our families receive tuition assistance, and the average award this year is about $8,681, up from $7,907 last year. Every year, the school awards around $350,000 to help families make a Kent School education work for them.
If you've been wondering whether private school is within reach for your family, the answer depends less on the tuition chart than you might think.
Tuition that covers what it says it covers
When families compare private schools, the published tuition figure is usually where they start, but it's often not where the costs end. Many schools add books, technology fees, field trips, and activity fees on top of tuition, and those extras can add well over a thousand dollars a year.
Kent School's tuition is inclusive. It covers academic fees, books, supplies, learning materials, most school-sponsored field trips, and student-use technology, so there are no surprise bills in October and no nickel-and-diming through the year. The number you see is very close to the number you pay.
The few things billed separately are optional or depend on your family's needs: transportation, interscholastic athletics, after-school clubs, and extended-day care.
Kent School tuition for 2026-27
Kent School is a PreK through 8 independent day school in Chestertown, serving families across Maryland's Eastern Shore.
| Grade Level | Program | Annual Tuition, 2026-2027 |
| PreK, ages 3 to 5 | Little School, 4 days a week | $10,100 |
| PreK, ages 3 to 5 | Little School, 5 days a week | $11,100 |
| Kindergarten | Lower School | $15,500 |
| Grades 1 to 4 | Lower School | $20,000 |
| Grades 5 to 8 | Middle School | $21,500 |
Tuition covers academic fees, books, supplies, learning materials, most school-sponsored field trips, and student-use technology. Transportation, interscholastic athletics, after-school clubs, and extended-day care are billed separately.
Because so many families receive assistance, these figures are a starting point. This year, families receiving assistance in Kindergarten through Grade 4 paid roughly $8,100 to $17,300, and families in Grades 5 through 8 paid roughly $8,690 to $18,500.
How tuition assistance works
Tuition assistance at Kent School is need-based, which means it's calculated from your family's financial picture rather than offered as a flat discount. Two families with the same income can receive different awards depending on their circumstances, like the number of children in school or other expenses the family is carrying.
This year, awards ranged from $2,000 to $17,500, and 60% of them went to families with household incomes below $125,000. Assistance isn't reserved for a narrow group of families. It's a regular part of how Kent School works, and it's there so that a wide range of Eastern Shore families can choose the school that's right for their child.
Applying is simpler than most families expect
Kent School uses Clarity, a third-party service, to assess financial need. You create an account, complete one application, and the school receives an assessment of what your family can reasonably contribute. Your information stays confidential, and families are often pleasantly surprised by the result. You'll find deadlines and next steps on our tuition and affordability page.
Five questions to ask any private school about cost
If you're comparing private schools in Maryland, these questions will tell you more than any published figure:
- What is included in tuition, and what is billed separately over the year?
- What share of families receive tuition assistance?
- What does the aid application involve, and when is the deadline?
- Are payment plans available, and is there a fee for using one?
- How much has tuition risen in each of the last three years?
The answers will tell you whether a school that looks expensive is actually out of reach, and whether one that looks affordable stays that way.
Let's talk it through
No chart can tell you exactly what Kent School would cost your family. The only way to know is to ask, and asking costs nothing. If you're weighing whether Kent School is possible, we would much rather have that conversation with you than have you rule us out based on a number on a page.
See our full tuition and affordability information →
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