Sandy Spring Friends School

 

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Tuition & Value

Education is an investment. At Sandy Spring Friends School, the returns are clear: we equip and empower our students to let their lives speak.

Our annual tuition is not based on what other independent schools charge, or on the notion of “what the market can bear.” We base our cost on what it takes for Sandy Spring Friends School to deliver on our promise of a top-quality Quaker education. 

Why is our tuition what it is?

8:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
Fostering supportive and trusting relationships between students and teachers, who are leading and learning together

16
Average Class
Size
Each employing a dynamic, rigorous curriculum centered on real world questions

81%
Teaching Faculty with Advanced Degrees 
And 100% of our faculty are supported with continuing education and professional mentoring to remain at the top of their craft

140+
Acre
  Campus 
Including an educational farm, 2 gardens, 6 miles of cross-country trails, 3 athletic fields, and a swimming pond—all available for experience-based projects and programs

16
Miles from Washington D.C.
Providing ample academic and civic engagement opportunities 

1st
HS in the nation to be WELL Gold Certified 
The first high school in the nation to boast a WELL Building Certification Gold Status facility, for our gleaming Upper School Pen y Bryn Building, dedicated in 2022 

6
Months spent on a Senior Passion Project by selected students
The Senior Passion Project is a custom-designed project grounded in experiential and project-based learning which allows the senior to sample a potential career, serve the community, or explore a deep personal interest that culminates in a formal and reflective presentation

40
Student Clubs & Committees 
Evidence of the rich, co-curricular experiences available outside the classroom

12
Student Affinity Groups 
Affinity groups help create a place of belonging by providing students a space for affirmation, emotional comfort, and community

6
Quaker
SPICES 
Every aspect of our program is steeped in these guiding values: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, Stewardship; they are intentionally developed in students to empower them to create positive change in the world

227
Top-quality, four-year colleges and universities our students have matriculated to in the last 4 years
Each of these placements is the result of the highly-personalized and expert guidance of our College Counseling Department.

Affording a Transformative SSFS Education

At SSFS, our commitment to a supportive, inclusive learning environment guides the approach of our financial aid program. In keeping with the Quaker principles of equality and diversity, the School seeks a student body that represents varied economic backgrounds and strives to be affordable, culturally competent, and inclusive. Through our need-based financial aid program, we aim to support all families for whom the cost of an SSFS education would be a hardship.


 

$6.4M

Awarded annually in financial aid

 

K-12

Grade levels eligible for grants applying to tuition, bus transportation, aftercare, and Upper School Intersession

 

40%

Percentage of Student Body That Receives Financial Aid


How do I apply for financial aid?

  1. Submit Admission Application to SSFS

  2. Apply for need-based financial aid through Clarity, which will use an industry-standard formula to determine your family’s estimated need and share that number with the School

  3. Submit required tax documents

  4. Receive Admission and Financial Aid decisions, which are communicated simultaneously through the enrollment contract

For all the details on SSFS' need-based financial aid program, visit our financial aid page.
 

Learn More About Financial Aid

Our Community Speaks

A transformative SSFS education equips and empowers students to make a difference in the world. Hear directly from our alumni, faculty, students, and families about the value of an SSFS education.

Michele Ruiz-Fuentes '20

"SSFS taught me how to search for—and be in—community, and these are important skills for life. The culture of SSFS—its traditions and opportunities—helped me learn the value of unity and togetherness at a very young age. I learned a lot about connecting with people, which has helped me build relationships and foster spaces of belonging in college." 

Michel Ruiz-Fuentes, Class of 2020

Calvin and Kerry-Ann Farmer

"In the first meeting we had with Mary Anne and Erin [Lower School teachers], after just a few days of our daughter being in class, they knew so much about her learning style. And in the very first conference, it was clear she felt so comfortable in their class and they were in tune with her."

Calvin and Kerry-Ann Farmer P '27, '29

David Hickson

"Transformative—it’s the word that is reflective of what is most important about an SSFS education. Students get a great academic education here—they’re prepared to go on to any higher education institution in the country with what we provide them. But it’s not just academics. Students tap into something they’ve discovered about themselves while they're here and that we’ve helped them dig into, explore, and develop, that allows them to further their education and move forward in their lives in a way they wouldn’t otherwise."

David Hickson, Upper School Engineering and Woodworking Teacher, Former Assistant Head of School

Mecca McCain '20

"There’s more to discover in the world than the classes you take in high school. I appreciate SSFS encouraging the mindset that if you're really passionate about something, you should go after it, and providing me with the opportunity. I don’t know if I’d be as involved in college if I hadn’t done the Senior Passion Project at SSFS."

Mecca McCain, Class of 2020

Clara Shapiro '23

“Someone at my recent choir audition [at Northwestern University] said to me, “You carry yourself so comfortably. Where did you learn to communicate with adults like that?” I answered: “SSFS.”

Clara Shapiro, Class of 2023

Cody Xu '25

"I really found myself here. Sandy Spring Friends School let me learn to be myself, to speak up for what I need, and to share my concerns. And I’ve learned critical thinking here. I don’t think you could have this kind of experience anywhere else."

Cody Xu, Class of 2025

Pinki Shah

"Because my background is in human rights, I feel an obligation to encourage students to think about the world at a macro and a micro level—to think about their part in the world. I’m not the only teacher who thinks this way; as a school, we really strive to make sure our students leave not just thinking about college and getting a job, but how they can make change."

Pinki Shah P ‘34, Middle School Humanities Teacher

Chris Miller

"SSFS students want to live in community, have a sense of purpose, and find ways to contribute to the world. They care about the success of others as much as their own. These are all distinguishing qualities admission officers look for when selecting applicants from a sea of strong grades and test scores."

Chris Miller P ’28, Director of College Counseling

Christine Olsen '84

"The most important skill I learned at Sandy Spring Friends is something most people either never learn or are encouraged to learn only when they become overwhelmed in their working life: time management. At SSFS, I gained an understanding of how to organize not only my schoolwork but my day-to-day life.  I still employ these techniques today."

Christine Olsen, Class of 1984

Victoria Lyu '17

"When I arrived at Sandy Spring Friends, I wasn’t confident about who I was, but the boarding program pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, try new activities, and integrate into the domestic student population. It broadened my horizons and perspective. Those four years were some of the best of my life. Looking back, all my confidence comes from being in that environment—from being appreciated and valued. SSFS helped me to actualize my potential."

Victoria Lyu, Class of 2017

Kwame Darko '98

"I love interacting with and supporting the students…of all my different roles, this is paramount. What I teach in BC Calc is not necessarily what’s going to be remembered—but how I make my students feel is going to carry with them long after they leave. This place is my family. When I’m here, I’m home."

Kwame Darko ‘98 P ‘29, ‘31, Upper School Faculty

What does an SSFS education cost?

Know the numbers! But, also know that our robust financial aid program seeks to make a transformative SSFS education possible for every qualified applicant. Learn more about applying for need-based financial aid.

Now you know the numbers, but what you may not know is that the average cost of educating an SSFS student is greater than tuition. Thankfully, our parents/guardians, grandparents, alumni, and other donors continue investing in the School's future to close the gap through philanthropic efforts like donating to our Annual Fund.