The cost of homeschooling can vary widely depending on several factors, including the curriculum chosen, extracurricular activities, and miscellaneous expenses.

This blog covers all the potential costs associated with homeschooling and will help you formulate a budget before you get started with your Homeschooling Journey!

What is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling is an educational method where parents take on the role of the teacher.

Rather than sending children to a traditional public or private school, parents provide education to their children at home.

This approach allows for a customized curriculum that can be tailored to a child’s specific needs, interests, and learning styles.

Homeschooling can vary widely in terms of structure, from following a set curriculum to parents devising a curriculum of their own.

Some families choose homeschooling for its flexibility, while others may do so to inculcate family values in kids.

To know more about What is Homeschooling and How to start Homeschooling, check out our blogs!

Looking for private tutors for homeschooling? Book a Free Trial Lesson with Wiingy today and match with expert tutors to achieve your academic goals!

How much does it cost to Homeschool?

According to the National Education Association, 2023, US Taxpayers spend an average of $16,446 per pupil annually in public schools.

Roughly 3.2 million people were being homeschooled in 2021-22 which caused savings of over $51 billion.

Taxpayers do not fund the education of Homeschoolers. According to The NHERI, homeschooled families spend an average of $600 per child annually.

According to Time4Learning, the average cost of homeschooling falls within the range of $700 to $1800 per child every year.

The cost of Homeschooling varies based on the parents’ preferences. For parents who devise their own curriculum, homeschooling will be less expensive.

Parents who wish to cut down on these can use secondhand curriculum or free online resources.

Homeschooling Cost Breakdown

When calculating the cost of homeschooling, various factors like curriculum, school supplies, cost of tutors, and extracurricular activities must be considered.

To understand the distribution of homeschooling expenses in detail, we have curated a list of 7 key areas where homeschool families typically spend money.

#1 Homeschool Curriculum Cost

The cost of a Homeschool Curriculum depends upon the student’s grade level, subjects, and the reputation of the curriculum supplier.

Most online educators provide a monthly or yearly subscription to their programs.

Due to the intricacy of subjects a high school curriculum will be typically more expensive than an elementary school curriculum.

For subjects like science, and math course providers typically charge more.

Listed below are some of the best online homeschools that offer full-time programs for elementary, middle, and high school students:

Education.com $5 per month (Annual); $8 per month (Monthly)
Khan Academy: Free
Calvert Academy: $160-$380 per year
Time4Learning: $19.95 per month, Grade 9-12: $30/m

For a comprehensive list of the Best Homeschool Curriculum be sure to check out our blog!

#2 Homeschool Supplies Prices

In addition to curriculum and tutors, homeschooling kids should be well-equipped with notebooks, stationery, and the right digital tools.

Different courses require different types of material. Science courses would require parents to spend on laboratory equipment, art classes require paints, brushes, and canvases.

Music may require instruments, sheet music, and accessories. Subjects with hands-on components tend to increase the overall cost of homeschooling.

The quality and brand of the supplies also play a role in determining the prices.

Homeschooling is typically online so tablets, educational software, and online subscriptions have to be integrated.

Basic supplies such as notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, and paper are fundamental to any homeschooling setup.

These come under inexpensive items but add up over time as recurrent expenses.

To save on cost parents can buy supplies in bulk or use online resources to avail of offers.

#3 Cost of Private Teacher for Homeschooling

The cost of hiring a private homeschooling teacher can vary based on the qualifications, specialization, frequency, and duration of sessions.

Homeschooling Tutors tailor their teaching methods to suit your child’s learning method and pace while addressing their strengths and weaknesses.

Tutors offer structured learning with the flexibility to schedule lessons which outweigh the financial burdens.

Hiring a tutor for specific subjects rather than a full-time private teacher can help manage expenses.

At Wiingy, we provide 1-on-1 homeschool tutoring at affordable prices starting at $28/hr.

We understand the importance of accessible, high-quality educational support. Our pricing ensures every student excels with our homeschool tutoring services.

Wiingy offers comprehensive support for homeschool tutoring across a wide range of subjects.

Wiingy does not require you to sign up for any packages or yearly subscriptions. Sign up your child for 1 lesson and renew whenever required.

Wiingy offers a zero-cost free trial lesson. Your child can attend the trial lesson to get a feel for the tutoring experience before committing to paid lessons.

In addition to expert answers and stepwise problem-solving, your tutor may offer study materials, notes, practice materials, and exam strategies to help accelerate your learning.

#4 Extracurricular Activities and Sports Prices

Art brings people together. Enrolling kids in a painting, music, or sports club would help them bond through their favorite sports, players, musicians, and instruments.

Establishing a budget for extracurricular activities is essential. Different activities come with varying costs.

Since extracurricular activities are vital for the overall development of the homeschooler, it is necessary to invest in them.

The cost associated with these activities can be significant.

However, through careful budgeting, utilizing community resources, seeking group discounts, and purchasing second-hand equipment the cost can be brought down.

Participating in a community football league may be less expensive than joining a private football club.

Urban areas tend to have higher fees for extracurricular activities as compared to rural areas.

The level and expertise of the trainers significantly impact the cost.

Professional coaches and instructors with extensive experience typically charge a higher price.

Private lessons are generally more expensive than group classes. Team sports like football and basketball are generally more expensive than solo sports like swimming, and gymnastics.

Extracurricular activities not only hone your child’s skills but also help them to grow socially.

To see a comprehensive list of 6 Ways to Keep Your Child Socially Connected while homeschooling be sure to check out our blog1

#5 Cost of Field Trips & Camps

Field trips and outings are as essential as extracurricular activities when homeschooling your child.

Homeschoolers should be taken regularly for outings, to malls, museums, zoos, or cultural events to foster friendship.

The cost of field trips and summer camps can be broken down based on various factors.

The destination impacts the cost of the trip. Local trips to museums, zoos, or parks are typically less expensive.

If you are looking to cut down on expenses, a visit to a nearby playground, public pool, or library would help.

Out-of-city or out-of-state trips will naturally be more costly.

A visit to the planetarium, museum, or zoo will involve an entrance fee while out-of-city trips will involve staying, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.

Adventure camps which include activities like rock climbing, trekking, and horseriding require additional safety equipment and a specialized instructor which automatically increases the cost of the trip.

#6 Additional Costs to Homeschool Your Child

In addition to the cost of tutors, money spent on extracurriculars, trips, and outings there are miscellaneous expenses that parents need to consider.

These costs depend upon the resources accessed by the family.

For instance, if parents have subscribed to an online homeschooling program they have already paid for their child’s tests and assessments and need not pay again.

Otherwise, parents are required to pay for standardized tests and assessments to evaluate their child’s academic progress.

Since homeschooling is typically online, parents may need to buy new or upgrade existing computer hardware, software, and internet access.

Certain states require you to hire counsel or pay legal fees to abide by state or municipal laws governing homeschooling.

Health insurance and counseling services need to be covered by homeschooling parents.

#7 Online Homeschooling Cost

Online homeschooling covers the curriculum, helps parents track their child’s performance, and get some extra credits from accredited schools.

Online homeschools provide children with the opportunity to compete nationwide

In programs like Time4Learning parents have their own login where they can monitor their child’s progress. They provide automated grading and detailed reporting to make tracking progress easy.

Homeschools engage students in learning through a combination of live online instructions, offline activities, self-paced assignments, videos, quizzes, and games.

Students enrolled in homeschools get support from counselors for mental health wellness, planning and choosing courses, electives, and extracurricular activities.

Listed below are some of the best online homeschools that offer full-time programs for elementary, middle, and high school students:

K12: $260-$450 per class ($900 if teacher-led)
Connections Academy: Free
Bridgeway Academy: $700-$900 per year; $350+ for individual courses
The Keystone School: $1,800-$2,800 per year, $230+ per individual class
Oak Meadow: $745 for full curriculum, $120 for single courses

For a comprehensive list of the Best Online Homeschool Programs in 2024 be sure to check out our blog!

Looking for private tutors for homeschooling? Book a Free Trial Lesson with Wiingy today and match with expert tutors to achieve your academic goals!

FAQs on what is the cost of homeschooling

Is homeschooling legal in the USA?

Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states of the United States. As the constitution states “Parents have a fundamental right to establish a home and bring up children according to family values” Each state has its laws governing homeschooling and curriculum guidelines which must be followed stringently. In some states, parents need to hold a high school diploma or equivalent degree to homeschool their children. In some states, particular subjects are made mandatory to meet the state’s curriculum guidelines.

Are Homeschooled kids behind compared with public school kids?

The home-educated students score 15 to 25 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.
The National Home Education Research Institute found that homeschooled students score above average on the SAT and ACTs which are considered for college admissions. The level of education imparted in homeschooling is unrelated to whether the parents were certified teachers.
78% of homeschooled children are believed to score significantly better than those enrolled in institutions.

Can students receive diplomas or certificates from online homeschool programs?

Yes, students can receive diplomas or certificates from online homeschool programs.
Accredited online Homeschooling programs often issue high school diplomas after the completion of the required coursework. Forest Trail Academy offers two distinct diplomas: the College Prep Diploma and the General Ed Diploma to homeschooling kids.

Does the state fund any homeschool programs?

U.S. states spend an average of $13,201 to educate each pupil in the public system per year. There is no such thing as a state-approved or accredited homeschool curriculum. So if you choose to opt out of the conventional public school system you are also opting out from accessing public funds for your child’s education. However, programs like Education Savings Account (ESA), allow families to use public funds to pay for homeschool curriculum or online learning programs like Prisma.

What is the Cost of Homeschooling? [A Comprehensive Guide]