The Cost of Education at The Benjamin School: A Comprehensive Overview
The Benjamin School, a premier PK3 through Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is known for its commitment to excellence, achievement, and strong values. This article delves into the tuition costs associated with attending The Benjamin School, exploring what the tuition covers, additional expenses, and financial assistance options available to families.
An Overview of The Benjamin School
Founded in 1960 by Marshall and Nancy Benjamin, The Benjamin School has grown from its humble beginnings in a three-car garage to a leading college-preparatory institution. The school's motto, "Nulli Secundus" ("Second to None"), reflects its dedication to providing a challenging academic environment. The Benjamin School's mission is to provide a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment. The School motivates students to master the skills of learning, communicating and evaluating choices, and encourages them to grow intellectually, socially, morally, aesthetically, and physically to their fullest individual potential.
The Benjamin community is rooted in a shared commitment to excellence, achievement, and a strong sense of values. A welcoming and accepting culture driven by our 12 Benjamin Values permeates the School community across each of our campuses. The 10-acre Lower/Middle School Campus, located across from the Intracoastal Waterway in North Palm Beach, Florida, serves students in grades PK3 through eight. We believe that to be extraordinary, students need to be inspired by many experiences. Every day our students find countless opportunities to fully immerse themselves in academics, art, athletics, performance, and the pursuit of challenge, creativity, healthy competition, and balance. Our graduates balance confidence with humility, competitiveness with a collaborative spirit, and critical thought with emotional intelligence. At Benjamin, students realize they can reach higher. As a result, they gain more than just knowledge. They gain the understanding that real gratification comes from putting their intelligence, skills, and talents to use.
The Benjamin School boasts famous students, Ivy-League acceptances and athletic accolades. The Benjamin School, located in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, educates students from pre-K through 12th grade. Notable students include Kai Trump, Charlie Woods, and Sam Alexis Woods, among other children of famous golfers. Its graduates have gone on to attend Ivy League universities and play major college sports, and its athletic teams regularly make headlines.
Tuition Costs for the Academic Year
Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year ranges from $17,350 to $37,200. Specifically, tuition ranges from $22,257 for pre-K to $38,595 for high school. For an Upper School student, without financial aid, tuition totals $38,595 per year. Assuming a student attends for all four years of high school, the amount adds up to almost $155,000. This price is reasonable compared to other private schools in South Florida, and considering the quality of education we offer.
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Additional Costs Beyond Tuition
While the base tuition covers the core educational program, several additional costs are not included. These costs can add up significantly and should be factored into a family's budget.
- Transportation: The Benjamin School does not include transportation to and from school in its tuition fees.
- Private Lessons: Private tutoring, music lessons, and dance lessons are additional expenses borne by the families.
- Uniforms: All students are required to wear uniforms, representing another cost for families.
- AP Exams: With AP exams costing $99 each, many Benjamin students face a bill for $400 or higher, before even opening a digital or paper test booklet.
- Miscellaneous Fees: There are a myriad of added fees that can pile up: textbooks, uniforms, laptops, general school supplies, ID replacements, the list goes on.
The Importance of AP Classes and Exams
Despite this high price, AP classes and exams are crucial elements of a high school education, offering opportunities for students to engage with rigorous learning, show colleges they are ready for advanced coursework, and even earn credits that may help fast-track their university experience. With many students taking various AP classes, the price of exams can add up very fast, and this expense is just an additional payment for families to make. We are one of the few schools in the area that requires students to take all of their AP exams in the spring. Students cannot enroll in an AP class without registering for the exam, and are held back from graduating if they fail to complete the assessment. While this raises standards and helps our community continue to have high test scores and college credit yield rates, it also makes the concept of students paying for these exams unfair. Aside from the educational benefits that AP classes offer to Benjamin students, the school also has the opportunity to thrive off of students’ success in these classes. Offering AP classes expands Benjamin’s portfolio and academic profile. 84% of students in the Upper School will sit for one of the national exams in May 2026. 427 out of 509 is no small percentage or feat. Covering the cost of AP exams is a smart decision for the Benjamin administration. This act would create consistency with public schools, allow for less anxiety over fees, and improve the school community overall. AP exams are so much more than just tests; they are essential for college success and allow Benjamin students to show their excellence. As a college preparatory school, it is Benjamin’s responsibility to ensure that these exams are not extra costs, but simply extra opportunities.
Financial Assistance Programs
The Benjamin School recognizes that the cost of an independent school education may be prohibitive for some families. For this reason, our need based financial assistance program exists to help qualified students attend our school. Students in grades 6-12 are eligible to apply for financial assistance with priority given to returning families. Awards typically range from 10-50% of the tuition amount with each family expected to contribute to the education of their child. The School partners with Blackbaud Financial Aid Management, a private financial needs assessment company, to determine the family’s estimated contribution. The School’s financial aid committee reviews all of the financial information provided by Blackbaud Financial Aid Management and makes a determination of the aid amount that we may offer the family for the next school year. We do not provide aid in excess of the amount identified on the Blackbaud Financial Aid Management needs assessment. Awards are based on financial need and availability of funds per grade without regard to race, color, religion, ethnic origin or disability. The Benjamin School strives to admit students with varied interests, talents, and ethnic backgrounds. We offer a financial aid program that helps students for which tuition is a burden. Approximately 19% of the current student body receives some level of financial assistance and all parents are eligible to apply for this need-based aid. All information pertaining to financial assistance is kept confidential and all families receiving financial assistance are expected to contribute to tuition expenses. Students who will be considered for a financial aid award must be free of academic or citizenship probationary status during that current school year. We do not provide athletic scholarships. Every effort is made to provide ongoing aid for a student until they graduate unless the family’s financial situation has changed. On average, each student is expected to contribute an additional 10% each year to cover the increased costs of tuition. All assistance is provided from the school so we reserve the right to limit assistance in the future. The Benjamin School expects that both parents will contribute to the educational expenses of their children regardless of legal or other agreements between them. If either parent has remarried we will also consider the income, expenses and assets of the stepparent bearing in mind the obligation that the stepparent has to his or her own natural children. It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to ask the non-custodial parent to provide the needed information to Blackbaud Financial Aid Management. For families with no children under the age of six, the school may impute a salary for the non-income producing family member. We require the prior year’s tax return, but the current year’s w-2 and 1099 information. We will require you to provide the current year tax return for verification of information once it is completed, but it will not hold up the financial assistance process.
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTCS) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) are programs that currently provide scholarships of up to $8,731 to individual students. The scholarships are administered by state approved nonprofit funding organizations called Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarships. Qualification is based upon family size and household income. These programs may be used in conjunction with financial assistance from The Benjamin School (TBS) for students in grades 6-12.. All families will be required to pay the difference between any money that is awarded to the student and the amount of tuition owed, as well as other school expenses. If assistance from these scholarships becomes available after TBS awards financial assistance, the TBS award can, and likely will, be reduced. Funding for these scholarships is limited, so you are encouraged to click HERE and sign-up to be notified when applications will be accepted. Apply as early as possible.
Admission Assessment
Yes. The admission assessment is important because scores are based on independent school norms and are a predictor of success in an independent school. However, the assessment is only one piece of the admission review. Equally important are teacher recommendations, report cards, the admission interview, and involvement in school activities. Teacher recommendations speak to a candidate’s progress in the classroom.
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