"I'm afraid the answer is, the marketplace rules," said Hudnut of Harvard-Westlake. "Until there are competitors among charter or public schools, people are going to feel obliged to find the best education for their children no matter the cost."
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Costly education
Tuition at several elite private schools in Los Angeles County will reach $25,000 or close to it next school year.
Tuition at selected Los Angeles private schools
*--* 2005-06 2006-07 Marlborough School $23,750 $25,250 Brentwood School 23,400 24,800 The Buckley School 23,250 24,775 Harvard-Westlake 22,700 23,850 Oakwood School 22,000 23,550 Campbell Hall 20,670 22,110 Chadwick School 20,375 21,554
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Tuition at selected Los Angeles universities
*--* 2005-06 USC $30,703 UCLA* (state resident) 7,062 UCLA (nonresident) 24,882 Cal State L.A.* (state resident) 3,035 Cal State L.A. (nonresident) 3,035 plus $225 per unit
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* UCLA and Cal State charge state residents fees only. Charges to nonresidents include fees and tuition.
Median private school tuition, selected cities
*--* 2005-06 New York City $27,200 San Francisco 24,940 Washington 24,367 Los Angeles 22,874 St. Louis 18,513 Nationwide 16,970
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All tuition figures are for one year. At the private schools, tuition shown is for 12th grade; at the universities, it is for undergraduates.
Sources: The schools, National Assn. of Independent Schools
