A California Post review of 20 of the county’s priciest private schools found that 16 charge more than $53,000 annually for their upper grades, often before additional fees for technology, security and transportation.

At Webb, tuition covers meals, boarding and most school expenses, the school told The Post. The school also houses the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, which it describes as the only accredited paleontology museum on a high school campus.

Admission is fiercely competitive: Webb accepts just 14% of applicants and enrolls 405 students.

About 28% of families receive financial aid, supported by an annual budget of roughly $7 million, a spokesperson said.

Westmark School in Encino charges $69,928 a year for grades 2 through 12, plus a $4,200 deposit and a one-time $2,125 fee.

The school specializes in educating students with learning differences. Its net-zero-carbon lower-school campus features rooftop gardens, an amphitheater and quiet spaces designed to reduce cognitive overload.

Westmark also provides every student with an iPad, while fifth graders produce their own television program. Classes average eight students, and reading groups have five or fewer.
Buses, hot lunches and international trips cost extra.

Milken Community School charges $57,450 annually, plus a $2,700 security fee and a $2,500 first-year fee.

Its finance program puts teenagers in charge of managing an investment portfolio, with mentorship from industry professionals, according to the school’s brochure. Students also travel to Israel in eighth, 10th and 12th grades, at additional cost.

This year, Hollywood director Jon Avnet is mentoring students in its writing and film program, which even offers a class called “Art of Comedy.”

Other schools charge similarly eye-watering sums.

New Roads School in Santa Monica charges $55,014 for grades 6 through 12, with its specialized Spectrum Program costing $69,400. Families also face a one-time $3,000 enrollment fee and annual activity fees ranging from $3,490 to $3,898.

The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks charges $58,788 for grades 6 through 12.

Its sample financial-aid chart shows that a family of five earning $678,000 annually would receive no assistance.

At the Archer School for Girls in Brentwood, tuition is $54,800, but required laptop, technology and transportation charges push the total to $59,600.

For context, a year at UCLA costs a California student living on campus about $45,500, including tuition, housing and food.

And for some families, the appeal goes beyond academics.

Several of the schools have long been associated with Hollywood’s wealthiest and most famous families.

Buckley’s alumni include Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Paris Jackson, while Crossroads School in Santa Monica counts Kate Hudson, Jonah Hill, Jack Black, Gwyneth Paltrow and Maya Rudolph among its former students.

Crossroads, which charges $58,541 annually, has even been described by Vanity Fair as a top choice for wealthy Hollywood families.

LeBron James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, attended Crossroads before transferring to Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth in 2019, according to ESPN.

Sierra Canyon, where Bronny later played alongside Dwyane Wade’s son Zaire on a nationally televised basketball team, charges $48,600 for grades 7 through 12. Bronny now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Harvard-Westlake, which charges $54,900, counts astronaut Sally Ride and actress Carrie Fisher among its alumni. NBA star Jrue Holiday graduated from Campbell Hall, where tuition is $57,080.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and developer Rick Caruso have also sent their children to Brentwood School, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The school charges $58,207 annually.

The hefty tuition bills do not mean every family pays the full amount. Several schools offer substantial financial assistance.

Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, for example, says 23% of its students receive financial aid, with an average award of $35,800. Milken says nearly 40% of its students receive tuition assistance.

Still, for families paying full price, the cost of a private education in Los Angeles can rival — and in some cases far exceed — the price of a college degree.

The 20 most expensive private schools:

1. The Webb Schools (Claremont): $87,430 for boarding students; $62,180 for day students. Home to the only accredited paleontology museum on a high school campus.
2. Westmark School (Encino): $69,928. Its lower-school campus features rooftop gardens and net-zero-carbon design.
3. New Roads School (Santa Monica): $69,400 for the Spectrum Program; $55,014 for grades 6–12.
4. The Buckley School (Sherman Oaks): $58,788. Alumni include Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian.
5. Crossroads School (Santa Monica): $58,541. Alumni include Kate Hudson, Jonah Hill and Gwyneth Paltrow.
6. Brentwood School: $58,207. Its former students include children of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rick Caruso.
7. Oakwood School (North Hollywood): $57,550.
8. Milken Community School: $57,450, plus a $2,700 annual security fee. Students manage an investment portfolio.
9. Campbell Hall (Studio City): $57,080. NBA star Jrue Holiday is an alumnus.
10. Harvard-Westlake: $54,900. Alumni include astronaut Sally Ride and actress Carrie Fisher.
11. The Archer School for Girls (Brentwood): $54,800 in tuition; $59,600 including required technology and transportation charges.
12. Westridge School (Pasadena): $54,350.
13. Chadwick School (Palos Verdes): $53,760. Tuition includes a three-week senior outdoor education course.
14. Flintridge Preparatory School (La Cañada Flintridge): $53,750.
15. Windward School: $53,718, plus $1,881 in fees (2025–26).
16. Wildwood School: $53,385 (2025–26).
17. Viewpoint School (Calabasas): $51,925 (2024–25).
18. Marlborough School: $49,950 (2023–24).
19. Polytechnic School (Pasadena): $48,900 (2025–26).
20. Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth): $48,600. Former student Bronny James went on to play basketball for the Lakers.