In Los Angeles, the cost of a private-school education can exceed the price of an entire year at UCLA — and the amenities can be just as extraordinary.
A California Post review found that the five most expensive private schools in the city charge more than $57,000 a year for upper-grade students. That is significantly more than the approximately $45,500 a California resident pays for a year at UCLA, including tuition, housing and meals.
Westmark School in Encino ranks as the most expensive, charging $69,928 annually for students in grades 2 through 12. The school serves children with learning differences. New families must also pay a $4,200 deposit and a one-time fee of $2,125.
Westmark says it is the only school in the greater Los Angeles area serving students with these specific learning needs through senior year. Classes average about eight students, while reading groups typically have five or fewer.
The school’s award-winning lower-school campus features a net-zero-carbon building, rooftop gardens, an amphitheater, a black-box theater and “quiet corners designed to reduce cognitive overload,” the school told The Post.
Interactive displays show how much energy the campus’s solar panels save. Fifth graders create their own television show, while older students have access to a film and broadcasting lab as well as a ceramics kiln.
The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks ranks second, with annual tuition of $58,788 for grades 6 through 12. According to an example provided by the school, a family of five earning $678,000 a year would not qualify for financial aid.
Buckley occupies 18 acres in a canyon near the gated Mulholland Estates. Its campus includes a four-acre outdoor field and stadium, and its student body represents more than 70 ZIP codes. Trustees emeriti include Guess co-founder Maurice Marciano and former Yahoo CEO Terry Semel.
The school’s notable alumni include Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Paris Jackson and Rashida Jones. When Michael Jackson’s children attended Buckley, two bodyguards reportedly waited outside their classrooms and accompanied them around campus.
Brentwood School is third on the list, charging $58,207 annually for grades 6 through 12. The Hollywood Reporter has described it as the go-to school for the Westside’s power brokers. The children of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver attended Brentwood, as did the children of developer Rick Caruso.
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Brentwood’s classrooms were the first zero-net-energy classrooms in Los Angeles County.
Its alumni include Olympic gymnast Peter Vidmar, who won a gold medal in 1984, Casey Wasserman, who leads the LA28 Olympic organizing committee, and journalist Katy Tur.
Oakwood School in North Hollywood ranks fourth, with tuition of $57,550 for grades 7 through 12. New families also pay a $2,500 new-student fee and a $2,000 building assessment.
Oakwood has deep roots in Hollywood. Actor Robert Ryan was among its founders, and his backyard served as the school’s campus during its first three years. Alumni include Chris Pine, director Todd Haynes, Lily-Rose Depp and the children of Danny DeVito.
The school is also known for an intensive two-week program in which students tackle real-world challenges. One parent told The Hollywood Reporter that their son took a course devoted entirely to roller coasters.
Milken Community School rounds out the top five, charging $57,450 in tuition, plus a $2,700 annual security fee and a one-time $2,500 new-student fee.
Through Milken’s finance program, students manage an investment portfolio with guidance from professional mentors, according to the school’s brochure. This year, Hollywood director Jon Avnet is mentoring young screenwriters and filmmakers, while emergency medicine physician Dr. Sam Torbati is advising student science researchers.
Students also take three additional-cost trips to Israel during eighth, 10th and 12th grades. They produce their own film festival and morning show, and the curriculum includes middle-school fashion design and a course titled “Art of Comedy.”
Tuition includes books, overnight retreats and service-learning day trips, the school said. Laptops, required school clothing and the Israel trips are charged separately.
