For most families, tuition is the question that sits underneath every other one. You can love a school's philosophy, its small classes, and its campus, but at some point you need to know what it actually costs and whether it's within reach. Too many private schools make that hard to find out, burying figures behind an inquiry form and leaving families to guess.
This guide is straightforward about both halves of the picture: what tuition at The Meadowbrook School actually is for the 2026-2027 year, grade by grade, and how our need-based financial aid works, so you can make an informed decision rather than a guess. If cost is a concern, read the financial aid section carefully, because the sticker price is not the whole story for many families.
2026-2027 tuition at Meadowbrook
Tuition covers the full academic program. It rises gradually as students move up through the grades, reflecting the increasing depth of the program. Here is the complete schedule for the 2026-2027 school year:
| Grade Level | Tuition |
|---|---|
| Preschool | $20,880 |
| Pre-Kindergarten | $21,000 |
| Kindergarten | $21,500 |
| First Grade | $23,000 |
| Second Grade | $26,000 |
| Third Grade | $26,000 |
| Fourth Grade | $27,000 |
| Fifth Grade | $27,000 |
| Sixth Grade | $27,000 + $500 graduation fee |
| Soccer Pathways | $32,000 |
In short, standard tuition ranges from $20,880 for Preschool up to $27,000 in the upper elementary grades, with Sixth Grade carrying an additional one-time $500 graduation fee in a student's final year. Soccer Pathways, a specialized program, is priced separately at $32,000.
A few things worth knowing about what is and isn't included:
- Tuition covers the full academic program for the grade.
- Lunch is required and billed separately. The lunch program is an additional annual cost not included in the tuition figures above.
- The graduation fee applies only to Sixth Grade, the culminating year, and is a one-time addition.
How to think about the cost
A private education is a significant investment, and it's a decision families weigh carefully. It helps to think about what the tuition actually buys at this age: small classes where your child is genuinely known, a whole-child program that grows character alongside academics, and a school built entirely around the preschool-through-sixth-grade years, the years that shape a child most. For families who value those things during this specific window of childhood, the investment is in a foundation that everything later builds on.
If you're weighing the value question broadly, our related guides can help you think it through: what a small class size actually changes for a child, and how character and academics grow together. But the most important thing to understand before you rule anything out on cost is this: the published tuition is not what every family pays. That's what financial aid is for.
How financial aid works at Meadowbrook
Meadowbrook uses a need-based tuition assistance model designed to make a Meadowbrook education more accessible. The core idea is simple: after a student is accepted, families who feel they may not be able to pay full tuition can submit their financial information for review, and the school determines a personalized tuition level based on demonstrated need.
Two principles sit at the heart of how this works, and they're worth stating plainly because they ease the two biggest worries families have:
- Applying for assistance does not affect admission or re-enrollment. Admission and tuition assistance are evaluated completely separately. Asking for help will not count against your child.
- Every family makes a financial investment in their child's education. Tuition assistance lowers the cost based on need; it isn't a free ride, and families remain partners in the investment.
The financial review is handled through SSS (School and Student Services), a widely used third-party service that assesses a family's financial situation using the school's criteria. Based on that review, Meadowbrook's Finance Committee determines the personalized tuition level for the family.
Who should apply for financial aid
A common question is whether every family should apply. The honest answer is no: only families who feel they may not be able to pay full tuition should apply. If full tuition is comfortably within reach, there's no need. But if the published figures give you pause, applying is exactly what the program is there for, and you should not rule out Meadowbrook before finding out what your actual, personalized tuition might be.
It's also worth understanding a few realities of how the program works:
- You apply every year. A new application is required annually. Tuition assistance is not automatically guaranteed in future years, so families reapply each year they need it.
- Qualifying isn't a guarantee of an award. Assistance depends on available resources. Some students may be admitted but waitlisted for tuition assistance if resources are limited in a given year.
- You can reapply. If a family doesn't qualify one year, they're welcome to reapply the following year, since circumstances change.
How to apply, step by step
The financial aid process runs alongside admissions and has a clear sequence:
- Apply for admission, or complete re-enrollment. Families begin with the school application or re-enrollment process. (Our guide on the application process walks through admissions itself.)
- Submit a separate application through SSS. SSS reviews your family's financial information using Meadowbrook's criteria. This is a separate step from the admissions application.
- Provide supporting tax documentation. Submit your federal and state tax returns plus W-2 earnings summaries for the tax year to the Business Office.
- Pay the application fee. A Visa or MasterCard is required for the SSS application fee.
- Receive the school's tuition decision. Meadowbrook's Admissions Office notifies families of the financial assistance award offered.
Because the aid process depends on documentation and a separate application, it's wise to start early and not leave it to the last minute, particularly gathering your tax documents.
Frequently asked questions
Should every new family apply for financial assistance? No. Only families who feel they may not be able to pay full tuition should apply.
Do families need to apply every year? Yes. A new application is required annually, and tuition assistance is not automatically guaranteed in future years.
Does applying for assistance affect admission? No. Admission and tuition assistance are evaluated separately.
Can a family reapply if they did not qualify this year? Yes. Families may reapply the following year.
Are all admitted students who qualify guaranteed assistance? No. Assistance depends on available resources, so some students may be admitted but waitlisted for tuition assistance.
Who should families contact with questions? Email admission@themeadowbrookschool.org.
The bottom line
Meadowbrook's 2026-2027 tuition runs from $20,880 for Preschool to $27,000 in the upper grades, with lunch billed separately and a one-time graduation fee in Sixth Grade. But the published figure is only the starting point. Through a need-based tuition assistance model, families who may not be able to pay full tuition can apply, separately from admissions and without any effect on their child's acceptance, and receive a personalized tuition level based on demonstrated need. If cost is a concern, the worst thing you can do is rule Meadowbrook out before you've found out what your family would actually pay. The best next step is to reach out, take a tour, and start the conversation.
For the full financial and admissions picture, see our related guides on the private school application process and how to choose a private elementary school. Questions about tuition or aid? Email admission@themeadowbrookschool.org or schedule a tour to talk it through in person.