How Much Does It Cost for Homeschooling?

Imagine two families starting homeschool this fall. One pays about $40 a month for an online program and borrows most books from the library.

The other buys a boxed kindergarten package that costs more than $1,000, then adds co-op classes and piano lessons.

Both are homeschooling, yet their yearly bills could end up thousands of dollars apart. This guide breaks down what homeschooling really costs in 2026, from curriculum and co-ops to lost income and state funding.

Some states also offer credits or deductions for qualifying home education costs. See our homeschool tax credit guide for state-specific details.

How Many Students Are Homeschooled in the US?

About 3.4 million U.S. children, or roughly 6% of school-age kids, were homeschooled in 2024-25. The exact count depends on who does the counting, because each source measures homeschooling in a different way.

• The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) estimates 3.408 million K-12 homeschool students in 2024-25, within a range of 3.067 million to 3.749 million.
• That NHERI count equals about 6.26% of the school-age population.
• Federal survey data from NCES show 3.4% of K-12 students were homeschooled in 2022-23, compared with 2.8% in 2018-19.
• Johns Hopkins researchers, using Census data, put homeschoolers at 5.92% of school-age students in 2023-24, compared with 9.92% in private schools and 84.16% in public schools.
• During the pandemic, the share of households with school-age kids that homeschooled jumped from 5.4% in spring 2020 to 11.1% that fall.
• Homeschooling grew at an average rate of 4.9% in 2024-25, more than twice the pre-pandemic pace of about 2%.
• In 2024-25, 36% of reporting states hit their highest homeschool enrollment ever.
• Growth slowed in 2025-26. Of 22 reporting states, 17 (77%) still grew, but their combined growth rate fell from 6.3% to 1.5%, or from about 38,000 new students to about 9,000.
• Montana posted the biggest jump in 2025-26 at 27.7%, after the state made homeschooling easier in 2025.
• The federal count runs lower partly because it leaves out the 1.8% of students who attended virtual schools full time in 2022-23 but whose parents did not call it homeschooling.

Average Annual Cost of Homeschooling per Child

Most families spend between $600 and $1,800 per child each year on homeschooling. That range covers curriculum, supplies and some activities, but it leaves out the income a teaching parent may give up.

• NHERI estimates homeschool families spend an average of $600 per student each year.
• NHERI’s figure mostly reflects direct curriculum and materials, so it does not capture a parent’s lost income.
• Cost guides in 2026 place most families between $700 and $1,800 per child per year.
• Tutoring marketplaces use a wider range of $500 to $2,500 per child, including books, supplies, field trips and extracurriculars.
• Some families stay under $500 a year by leaning on the library, while others pass $3,000 once sports, co-ops and paid classes enter the budget.
• In summer 2024, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) surveyed more than 4,000 homeschool families across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
• HSLDA asked families to count curriculum, supplies, co-op fees, online class tuition, transportation, music, art, sports and tutoring.
• Rural families reported lower costs, but average spending per student stayed below $2,000 in rural, suburban and urban areas alike.
• Money still worries many parents: nearly half in a 2021 survey called the financial burden of homeschooling moderately to extremely problematic.

Homeschooling Costs by Grade Level

Homeschooling a high schooler costs about $340 more per year than homeschooling an elementary student. Lab sciences, advanced math and test prep push the price up in the teen years.

• HSLDA’s 2024 survey found families spent an average of $1,295 a year per elementary student.
• The same survey put the average for a middle or high school student at $1,636 a year.
• Cost guides link that gap to lab sciences, test prep and college prep activities.
• Of the students in HSLDA’s survey, 60% were in elementary school and 40% were in middle or high school.
• Homeschool preschool materials cost about $200 to $600 a year.
• As of August 2026, tutoring runs about $23 to $75 an hour for elementary math, $25 to $88 for middle school and $30 to $100 for high school math.
• In high school, lab sciences, advanced math and foreign languages often call for special textbooks, online courses or outside tutors.
• A 2021 survey by a New Hampshire homeschool group found average costs under $500 per child, and members noted that costs rise in high school.
• Parent time grows with grade level too. Sonlight estimates 1 to 1.5 hours a day of parent time for first grade and 2 to 3.5 hours for eighth grade.

Cost per Family and Multi-Child Households

A typical homeschool family spends about $3,104 a year to teach two children. Each extra child usually costs less, since books and guides can pass down to younger siblings.

• HSLDA’s survey families averaged two homeschooled students each, for an estimated total of about $3,104 per family per year.
• In one cost guide’s example, a curriculum that cost $800 for the first child needed only $200 in workbooks for the second.
• Families must buy consumable workbooks again for each child, but they can hand down hardcover textbooks.
• Passing curriculum to younger siblings and sharing with other families both lower the yearly cost per student.
• IXL charges $4 more per month, or $40 more per year, for each additional child.
• Sonlight lets siblings of different ages share one core program, and its books hold their value on the used market.
• A budget approach of $300 to $600 a year relies on library books, free sites like Khan Academy and used curriculum from swap groups.
• Payment plans can ease the upfront cost. Abeka spreads orders of $350 or more over 10 months, and Sonlight offers plans on orders of $799 or more.

Homeschool Curriculum Costs

Homeschool curriculum usually costs $200 to $800 per student per year. Free options exist, while complete boxed packages can pass $1,000. Families comparing structured, hands-on options can review typical package prices in our Montessori homeschool curriculum guide.

• Curriculum costs range from about $200 to $800 per student per year, depending on what each program includes.
• Tutoring marketplaces give a slightly tighter range of $200 to $700 per student.
• Boxed programs that need little prep cost $600 to $800 for a full set of subjects.
• As of July 2026, Sonlight’s complete kindergarten package costs $1,019.90, which is 20% off its $1,274.87 retail price.
• Abeka’s Grade 1 Parent Kit, with lesson plans and answer keys, costs $390.60 to $665.65 depending on the version.
• The Good and the Beautiful offers its K-8 language arts courses as free PDF downloads, and its printed Level 3 set costs $72.97.
• Math from the same publisher is not free. It runs from $49.98 for Math K to $89.95 for Pre-Algebra.
• A DIY curriculum built from free resources costs $100 to $300 a year, while buying individual subject curricula runs $400 to $800 per child depending on grade.

Online Homeschool Program and Tutoring Costs

Online homeschool programs cost $400 to $6,000 per child each year. Private tutoring adds about $25 to $80 an hour.

• Online homeschool programs cost $400 to $6,000 per child per year, depending on whether a live teacher leads or the student works at their own pace.
• On a monthly basis, online programs typically cost $35 to $500 per child.
• Time4Learning costs $39.95 a month as of August 2026. That covers up to seven courses, extra courses cost $5 a month, and families can cancel anytime.
• Power Homeschool charges $25 a month, or $250 a year, for six video courses.
• Abeka Academy’s video program starts at $1,271 for a full elementary year, including books and tuition.
• On Abeka’s 10-month plan, a full year for grades 1 through 6 costs $148.40 a month accredited or $143.40 a month unaccredited.
• Recent reviews put K12’s online private school tuition between about $4,000 and $10,000 a year.
• Private tutors charge an average of $25 to $80 an hour in 2026, and online sessions often cost 10% to 20% less than in-person ones.
• Typical online K-12 tutors charge $30 to $45 an hour, compared with $35 to $50 for in-person tutors.
• A Johns Hopkins survey found 88% of homeschool parents use outside supports, compared with 44% of all parents. Among homeschool parents, 27% take online classes, 24% enroll in online schools and about 10% hire tutors.

Co-op, Enrichment, and Extracurricular Costs

Most families spend a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year on co-ops and activities. A parent-run co-op can cost less than $100 a term, while co-ops with paid teachers can top $3,000 a year.

• Cost guides put homeschool co-op tuition at $500 to more than $3,000 a year, depending on how the co-op works and where it meets.
• A typical co-op charges a registration fee of $25 to $150 per family, semester fees of $70 to $140, and sometimes a building fee of $125 to $350.
• Budget co-ops exist too. One co-op charges $25 per family per term for 2026-27, with class material fees of $0 to about $10.
• Classical Conversations’ 2024 price sheet listed a Foundations total of $646 for the first student and $410 for each additional student.
• Classical Conversations materials add about $100 to $250 a year for Foundations and $400 to $700 or more for Challenge.
• Enrichment spending on things like field trips and classes often runs $100 to $1,000 a year.
• Music lessons cost $30 to $60 a session, sports leagues $100 to $500 a season and art classes $20 to $50 each.
• Science or coding camps cost $150 to $400 a week.
• The Johns Hopkins survey found 29% of homeschool parents belong to a co-op.
• Most states with ESA programs let families use those funds to pay co-op fees.

Supplies, Technology, and Compliance Costs

Plan on at least $100 a year per child for supplies, plus more if your child needs a laptop. Compliance costs nothing in about half of states and can reach a few hundred dollars where evaluations are required.

• Cost guides put basic school supplies at a minimum of about $100 per child, and a laptop adds much more.
• For comparison, families with K-12 students planned to spend $863.86 on back-to-school items in 2026, up slightly from $858.07 in 2025.
• That 2026 back-to-school budget included $293.11 for electronics and $146.45 for school supplies.
• Electronics make up about a third of all K-12 back-to-school spending.
• Twenty-five states require no homeschool assessment at all: no test, no portfolio and no evaluation.
• About five states require a standardized test with no alternative: Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
• In Florida, a portfolio evaluation typically costs $50 to $60, group testing costs about $50 and private proctoring can top $100.
• In Pennsylvania, an annual evaluator review typically costs $150 to $400.
• HSLDA membership is optional and costs about $130 a year.
• Test prep materials add $50 to $200 for families who buy them.

Monthly Homeschooling Costs

Homeschooling one child usually costs about $40 to $200 a month. Spread over 12 months, most yearly averages land between $50 and $150 per child.

• Cost guides estimate homeschooling at $40 to $200 per child per month, based on curriculum, supplies and activities.
• NHERI’s $600 yearly average works out to $50 a month per student.
• HSLDA’s elementary average comes to about $108 a month over 12 months.
• For a middle or high school student, HSLDA’s average equals about $136 a month.
• A two-child homeschool family averages about $259 a month, based on HSLDA’s family estimate.
• The common $700 to $1,800 yearly range equals roughly $58 to $150 a month per child.
• The wider $500 to $2,500 range equals about $42 to $208 a month.
• One hour of tutoring a week at $25 to $80 an hour adds roughly $100 to $320 a month.

Opportunity Cost and Lost Parental Income

The biggest homeschool expense is often a parent’s lost paycheck. For a typical full-time worker, that means giving up about $65,000 a year.

• Median weekly earnings for full-time U.S. workers were $1,251 in the second quarter of 2026, or about $65,052 a year.
• Women working full time earned a median of $1,131 a week, about $58,812 a year, which is 82% of men’s median.
• Workers with at least a bachelor’s degree earned a median of $1,768 a week, about $91,936 a year.
• High school graduates with no college earned a median of $994 a week, about $51,688 a year.
• Homeschool guides estimate lost income at $30,000 to more than $100,000 a year, depending on the parent’s career.
• A 2016 Center for American Progress estimate found a five-year career break starting at age 26 costs the average woman $467,000 in lost pay, wage growth and retirement savings.
• Parents also spend time outside lessons. Expect 5 to 10 hours a week finding resources, organizing materials and planning.

Homeschooling vs. Public School Cost

Public schools spend about $17,600 to $17,800 per student each year, paid by taxpayers. Homeschool families pay their own costs, which average less than a tenth of that amount.

• U.S. Census Bureau data show public schools spent $17,619 per pupil in fiscal 2024, up 6.6% from $16,526 in fiscal 2023.
• The National Education Association (NEA) puts 2024-25 spending at $17,840 per student, up 3.4% from $17,250. The two figures come from different methods, so they don’t match exactly.
• EdChoice found total K-12 revenue averaged $21,065 per pupil, while current spending averaged $17,644.
• New York spent the most in fiscal 2024 at $31,918 per pupil, followed by Washington, D.C., at $31,529.
• Idaho spent the least at $11,060 per pupil, followed by Utah at $11,347.
• HSLDA’s homeschool averages equal roughly 7% to 9% of the fiscal 2024 national public school figure.
• Federal funding covered an average of $2,508 per public school pupil in fiscal 2023.
• Public school revenue rose an estimated 47.7% from 2016-17 to 2025-26.
• NHERI notes that taxpayers spend nothing on most homeschool students, since families pay their own way.

Homeschooling vs. Private School Cost

Private school tuition averages about $15,000 a year, roughly 11 times what homeschool families spend per child at the same grade level. Elite day schools can charge more than $49,000.

• Average U.S. private school tuition was $14,999 for 2025-26.
• Private elementary schools averaged $14,018 in 2025-26, while private high schools averaged $17,954.
• For 2026-27, the national average is $14,943, with state averages ranging from $6,467 to $28,702 in Connecticut.
• In 2025, elite day schools averaged $49,284 a year, and boarding schools averaged $73,080.
• Independent day schools in major cities often charge $30,000 to $50,000.
• About 4.7 million K-12 students, roughly 9% of the total, attended private schools in 2021-22, according to NCES.
• HSLDA’s homeschool averages equal about 9% of average private tuition at both the elementary and high school levels.
• At about $15,000 a year, 13 years of private school from kindergarten through 12th grade adds up to roughly $195,000 per child before fees and books.

Homeschooling vs. Daycare and Childcare Cost

Child care averaged $13,184 a year in 2025, far more than homeschooling a young child. That comparison only holds, though, if a parent can stay home.

• Child Care Aware of America reports the national average price of child care hit $13,184 in 2025, up from $13,128 in 2024.
• Child care prices rose 23% from 2021 to 2025.
• The 2025 average equals 10% of median income for two-parent households and 33% for single-parent households.
• Center care for an infant and a 4-year-old costs more than median rent in all 47 states with data, and more than the median mortgage in 39 states.
• Infant care at a center costs more than in-state public college tuition in 38 states.
• The number of licensed child care centers fell 1% from 2024 to 2025, the first drop after several years of growth.
• Families who homeschool young children avoid child care bills of about $750 to $1,900 a month.
• Tax breaks work differently, though. The child care tax credit doesn’t apply when a parent stays home, and Dependent Care FSA money can’t pay for homeschool costs.

Homeschool Household Income Statistics

Homeschool families earn about as much as other U.S. families with children, but most rely on one main paycheck. Federal data show homeschooling is most common in two-parent homes where one parent works.

• NHERI’s 2025 achievement study found the median income of its homeschool families was close to the U.S. median for households with children, which was $96,000 in 2023.
• In 2019, NCES found the highest homeschool rate, 6.6%, among students in two-parent homes where one parent was in the labor force.
• Only 1.6% of students with two working parents were homeschooled.
• For single-parent homes where the parent worked, the rate was 1.2%.
• Among students with no parent in the labor force, 3.1% were homeschooled.
• A study of 2019 NCES survey data found higher family income lowered the odds of homeschooling by 6% compared with public school and by 21% compared with private school.
• In a smaller 2016 survey of 228 homeschool parents, the most common household income band was $70,001 to $100,000, reported by 28.3%.

ESA and State Funding for Homeschoolers

Homeschool families in fewer than a dozen states can get state money, usually $2,000 to about $8,000 per child a year. Parents often ask which states pay you to homeschool. The answer depends heavily on where you live and how your state defines homeschooling. See our ESA homeschool eligible expenses guide for examples of program purchase rules.

• EdChoice counts 21 education savings account (ESA) programs across 18 states, and 6 of those states offer universal eligibility.
• More than 30 states run ESA or school choice programs in 2026, but homeschoolers can use the money in fewer than a dozen.
• About 65% of Arizona ESA students without special needs receive $7,000 to $8,000 a year.
• Utah’s program can pay up to $8,000, while Florida’s award varies by county and can approach $12,000.
• In Arkansas, homeschool students receive the full value of the state’s universal ESA.
• West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship projects $5,435.62 per student for 2026-27, and families who applied after June 15 receive 75% or less.
• North Carolina’s ESA+ funding rises from $9,000 to more than $17,000 for students with an IEP or documented disability.
• Iowa pays $8,148 per student in 2026-27, the highest ESA amount in the country, but traditional homeschoolers can’t use it.
• Alaska correspondence programs give about $2,700 per student, and California charter programs give about $2,200 to $3,800. Both require public school enrollment.
• Johns Hopkins found 22% of homeschool parents have access to public funds. Of those, 63% use the money, and 71% of parents without access say they would use it.

Homeschool Tax Credits and Deductions

No federal tax credit covers homeschool costs, but expanded 529 plan rules and state tax breaks in nine states can help. The biggest change is that 529 plans now cover many homeschool expenses.

• As of August 2026, no federal tax credit or deduction exists for homeschool expenses.
• Homeschool parents can’t claim the educator expense deduction, which rises to $350 for 2026.
• Since July 2025, federal 529 rules cover homeschool curriculum, books, online programs, qualified tutoring, test fees and educational therapies.
• The yearly 529 limit for K-12 costs doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 per student starting in 2026.
• State rules still matter. California doesn’t follow the expanded 529 rules, and tutoring only qualifies when a licensed teacher or subject expert outside the family provides it.
• Starting Jan. 1, 2027, a new federal credit gives donors up to $1,700 for gifts to scholarship groups. Those scholarships can go to families earning under 300% of their area’s median income.
• Homeschool students are likely eligible for those scholarships in 22 states where state law treats homeschools as private schools.
• Nine states offer a credit or deduction that homeschool families can claim in 2026, from $250 per student in Ohio to a refundable $5,000 in Idaho.
• Indiana allows a $1,000 deduction per child with no income limit. Illinois gives a credit of 25% of costs above $250, up to $750.
• Louisiana lets families deduct half of their costs, up to $6,000 per child. Its flat 3% tax rate, however, makes the full deduction worth only about $180.

Homeschooling Market Size and Spending

The homeschooling market is worth several billion dollars a year, though estimates vary widely. Market reports disagree, so treat any single number as a rough guide.

• One report values the global homeschooling market at $8.65 billion in 2025 and projects $22.11 billion by 2034, a 6.48% yearly growth rate.
• Another report puts the global market at $4.8 billion in 2025, reaching $11.2 billion by 2034.
• The U.S. homeschooling market alone was valued at $7.35 billion in 2025, with a forecast of $12.63 billion by 2033 at 7.0% yearly growth.
• One estimate puts the global homeschool curriculum market at $2.15 billion in 2025, rising to $4.36 billion by 2034 at 7.33% yearly growth.
• A second curriculum estimate is higher: $3.8 billion in 2025, reaching $8.2 billion by 2034 at 9.2% yearly growth.
• A third puts curriculum at $2.64 billion in 2025, reaching $5 billion by 2035 at 6.6% yearly growth.
• Simple math: 3.408 million students times NHERI’s $600 average comes to about $2 billion a year in direct family spending.
• Using HSLDA’s per-student averages instead, U.S. family spending lands between about $4.4 billion and $5.6 billion a year.
• Arkansas’ ESA program alone totaled $93.8 million in 2024-25, and a state audit flagged $60,417 in unusual payments.

Recent Developments

The past year brought new state funding, a federal scholarship program set to start in 2027 and more states choosing whether to take part. Here’s what changed for homeschool budgets.

• Texas launched its Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) for 2026-27. The program pays homeschoolers $2,000 per child, compared with $10,474 for private school students.
• TEFA drew more than 250,000 applications in its first cycle, and the first funds became available July 1, 2026.
• West Virginia opened its Hope Scholarship to all school-age children, including families who have always homeschooled, on July 1, 2026.
• Arizona’s ESA passed 100,000 students on Jan. 20, 2026, the first universal ESA to reach that mark.
• In May 2026, the Wyoming Supreme Court cleared the way for the state’s $7,000-per-student Steamboat Legacy Scholarship.
• Virginia became the first state to opt into the federal scholarship tax credit in January 2026.
• On June 8, 2026, the IRS announced that 27 states had elected to join the federal program.
• By July 2026, 31 states had opted in or announced plans to. Those states are home to 30.9 million eligible children, or 59.8% of the national total.
• Not every state joined. Arizona’s governor vetoed a bill that would have required participation, and Oregon’s governor declined to opt in.
• Treasury’s June 2026 guidance preview lets scholarship groups verify income through pay stubs, tax returns or a family’s enrollment in needs-based programs.

Editor’s Choice

These are the numbers most worth knowing before you build a homeschool budget.

• Most families spend $600 to $1,800 per child a year, a small fraction of the roughly $17,600 public schools spend or the roughly $15,000 private schools charge.
• A two-child homeschool averages about $3,104 a year, which is close to $259 a month.
• Expect high school to cost around $340 more per year than elementary school.
• Lost income is the real price tag, since a median full-time job pays about $65,000 a year.
• Child care averaged $13,184 in 2025, so homeschooling a young child can save money only when one parent is already home.
• Starting in 2026, families can withdraw up to $20,000 per student each year from a 529 plan, free of federal tax, for qualified homeschool costs.
• State ESA awards for homeschoolers range from $2,000 in Texas to about $8,000 in Arizona and Utah.
• Nearly 9 in 10 homeschool parents pay for or use outside help such as co-ops, online classes or tutors.

Frequently Asked Question

Conclusion

Homeschooling usually costs $600 to $1,800 per child a year in direct expenses, but the full price depends on your family.

Curriculum choices, grade level and activities drive the direct bill. The larger question for most families is whether they can live on one income. Funding helps in some places, since 529 plans, state tax breaks and ESAs can cover a large share of costs.

Start by listing your fixed costs, check what your state offers, and then choose the curriculum that fits the budget you have left.