Admissions

Tuition and Financial Aid

Annie Wright Schools' small class sizes, world class faculty, excellent facilities and innovative programming require a significant investment by parents, and we honor the sacrifices of many of our families to make education a priority. 
To offset expenses, opportunities such as year-round Preschool programming, school travel and other special programming are included in tuition. Families are also supported by thousands of alumni, friends and community members who continue to contribute through annual giving, which helps offset tuition.
 

Preschool - Grade 8 Tuition Rates for 2024-25

All field trips, class trips, and Middle School Journeys (Bay Area, California for Grade 6; Southwest for Grade 7; and Costa Rica for Grade 8) travel expenses are included in tuition. Also included in tuition is the cost of one yearbook per student. Options for personalization are available for an extra charge.

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  • Preschool

    5 mornings: $21,375
    5 full-days:  $25,250

    Half-day Preschool includes optional before-care and half-day coverage during school breaks at no additional charge. Half-day summer programming is also included the summer after their first full year of enrollment for Preschool. Half-day programming begins at 8:00 am and ends at 12:00 pm.

    Full-day Preschool includes optional before- and after-care and coverage during school breaks at no additional charge! Full day summer programming is also included the summer after their first full year of enrollment for Preschool. Full-day hours are 8:00 am - 3:10 pm.

    Learn more.

  • Kindergarten-Grade 5

    $28,625

  • Grades 6-8

    $33,025

Grades 9 - 12 Tuition Rates for 2024-25

All field trips and class trips are included in tuition. 2022-2023 (s)Elective trips included Atlanta, NY, DC, LA, England, and Japan. 2023-2024 trips included LA, Vancouver, WA, Vancouver and Victoria, Canada, Germany and Rwanda. Also included in tuition is the cost of one yearbook per student. Options for personalization are available for an extra charge.

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Additional Estimated Fees and Expenses

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  • Due at Enrollment

    Deposit | A non-refundable tuition deposit is required to complete the enrollment and re-enrollment process. The deposit amount varies depending on the type of enrollment (Day, 5-, 7-Day Boarding) and is specified on the contract. 
     
    Textbooks | One-time fee, varies by grade.
    Preschool
      $45
    Kindergarten
    $100
    Grades 1 - 3
    $165
    Grades 4 - 5
    $190
    Grades 6 – 8
    $310
    Grades 9 - 12
    $465
     
    Technology Package | Middle School: Included | Grades 9-12: $1,600 One-time fee | Mac laptop, 4-year AppleCare+ warranty coverage, software, ongoing in-house technical support, and loaner laptops when repairs are in progress. 
     
    International Students Only: Health Insurance | $850 per student in grades K – 12.

  • Uniform | School Supplies

    Uniforms | $110 - $260 | Daily uniforms are required at all levels. Dress uniform is required at the Upper School level. The expense varies by grade level and personal choice.
     
    School Supplies | Costs Vary
    • Lower School students will be provided with all necessary, common-use classroom school supplies (pencils, markers, etc.).
    • Lists of individualized supplies (backpacks, binders, swimsuits (LS), etc.) for Lower and Middle School students will be available in late Spring.
    • Upper School students have one required item: a Texas Instruments TI-84 (Plus or Plus CE) graphing calculator, which should be purchased prior to the start of school as this is the only approved graphing calculator for math and science courses. During the first week of school, each student will receive an Annie Wright Schools planner, and teachers will inform students about any additional needed supplies. 

  • Transportation | Lunch | Extended Day | Music Lessons

    Bus service | $1,550 - $3,100 | Annie Wright Schools provide reliable, safe transportation for over 100 students every day. Round-trip and one-way passes are available, as well as sibling discounts. For more information visit our Programs & Services page.
     
    Lunch (day students only)* | Costs vary | Annie Wright has partnered with FLIK Independent School Dining to offer a variety of homemade meals each day, and since many students bring lunch from home, costs vary significantly for families, though, on average, families in Grades 2 - 12 spend ~$50/month on lunch.

    Daily offerings include soup, hot entrée, side dishes, salad bar, composed salads and sandwich of the day, along with sandwiches made to order. Younger students can pre-order box lunches (at a lower rate), while students in Grades 2 and above may go through the lunch line. For more information visit our Programs & Services page.

    *Meals are included in Boarding tuition.
     
    Extended Day Care | Costs Vary | We offer ED to students in Preschool at no charge from 7:30 am - 5:30 pm. For Grades K through 8, we offer ED before school starting at 7:00 am, at no charge. After-school programming is available until 6:00 pm for K - 8. In grades K – 8, families sign up by season (3 per year) which coincide with arts and athletics offerings - options vary by age. Unlimited ED per season is $600 and can include up to 2 arts/athletics options. Alternatively, ED is included on activity days for arts and/or athletics options at $200 per season/per option. A $35/day drop-in option is also available.
     
    Private Music Lessons | Local instructors lease our spaces before and after-school to offer lessons to AWS students for parent & student convenience. Costs would be determined by individual student choice. Contact Annie Green, Director of Arts, for more information.

Financial Aid

Annie Wright Schools are committed to making our programs as accessible as possible. In addition to flexible payment plans, we offer need-based financial aid to families in our community who would not otherwise be able to access an Annie Wright education. Need-based financial aid is available for tuition, fees, and some of the school-related expenses listed above. 
 
Need-based financial aid and scholarships are intended to supplement a family’s financial commitment to their student’s education and are based on demonstrated need. The difference between what a family can reasonably be expected to pay and the cost of tuition constitutes the family’s demonstrated need. Close to 40% of Annie Wright families currently receive some form of financial aid. Annie Wright Schools do not offer athletic scholarships.
 
While need-based financial aid and scholarships do not need to be repaid, it is required that recipients reapply for need-based financial aid annually through Clarity. See details for submitting that application under “How to Apply for Financial Aid.”  In most cases, student awards remain at similar levels, adjusting for tuition increases. Only in cases where there are considerable changes in financial circumstance, do aid amounts significantly change year-over-year.
 
Families who apply for financial aid should know that the admissions and financial aid committees make decisions independently of each other. For many families, applying for financial aid is just another step in the process of applying to independent schools.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

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  • 1. Check important financial aid deadlines

    Clarity is now open for 2025-2026 financial aid applications.

    Financial aid applications for new families applying for the 2025-2026 school year are due with the admissions application (January 25, 2025) and no later than February 1, 2025 to be considered. Financial aid applications are reviewed on a rolling basis after February 1 if funding is still available.

    For returning families, Financial aid applications are due by November 1, 2024.

  • 2. Apply through Clarity

    Financial Aid applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open.

    The Annie Wright financial aid program is designed to make an Annie Wright education possible for all families based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds. Annie Wright is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

    To get started, please go to the Clarity Application and create an account. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete. The Clarity Application is also mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time. At the end of the application, there is a $60 fee to submit.

    If you are applying for the 2024-2025 school year, please do not submit an application until you reach out to your Divisional Admissions Director as there are very few spots available at this time.

  • 3. Get your questions answered

    Questions about your Clarity Application?  There is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the application screen, as well as email and phone support at support@claritytuition.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

  • 4. View award with acceptance letter

    Based on the financial aid application, Clarity will send a report to Annie Wright Schools. The school will communicate the amount of aid with acceptance and enrollment packages.

TACOMA SCHOLARS

The goal of the Tacoma Scholars program is to not only provide an Annie Wright Schools education to Tacoma students who come from historically under-resourced communities, but also to provide support and mentorship throughout college and into the Scholar’s first post-college job. Access to AWS’ vast professional network, in addition to our world-class education, creates opportunities for economic advancement and begins to effect real, lasting change. 

Grade 9 Day Student Merit Scholarships - NOW OPEN FOR 2025-2026

At Annie Wright Schools, we strive to foster a dynamic and engaging learning environment, and we do this in part by assembling a class of students who each bring distinct curiosities and interests. To achieve this goal, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, we offer merit scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $10,000* to deserving local students entering Grade 9. 
 
Our merit scholarship program, then, is not just about recognizing academic prowess–though we do expect our winners to be strong students–or a laundry list of extracurricular activities; it is about discovering the unique qualities, perspectives, and interests that a student will bring to our community. We want a class where each individual adds their distinctive thread to the rich tapestry of our community–in short, rather than searching only for "well-rounded" students, we seek out lopsided students who are deeply curious about, and invested in, something.  And so we ask: “What is Your Thing?” 

Interested in learning more? Click here for more information about the eligibility criteria and application process. Applications should be submitted by January 25, 2025 for priority consideration.

*These scholarships are renewable for four years contingent on a student maintaining good social standing and at least a 3.0 GPA. While merit scholarships are currently only available for day students, we offer need-based aid at all grade levels, boarding and day, to help provide access to families.

¤As members of the WIAA we do not provide merit-based scholarships based on athletics.

Please contact Chelsea Thompson for Preschool to Grade 5, Sahara Jones for Grades 6-8 and Tacoma Scholars, Cassandra Kopriva for Grades 9-12 (day & domestic boarding - West), Abby Drivdahl for Grades 9-12 (international boarding - Asia) and Grace Franco, Grades 9-12 (domestic boarding - East, international boarding - EMEA/LatAm) if you would like more information on tuition and financial aid options.
Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all student applicants. Annie Wright Schools shall recruit, admit, and teach students without regard to race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, political ideology, or any other basis prohibited by law.
827 North Tacoma Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98403
253.272.2216

    • #1 Boarding School in WA State

    • #1 Private K-12 School in WA State