Tuition & Financial Aid
Education is an investment. At Sandy Spring Friends School, the returns are clear: we equip and empower our students to let their lives speak.
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.
Did you know?
Now you know the numbers, but what you may not know is that the average cost of educating an SSFS student is far greater than tuition.
Thankfully, our parents/guardians, grandparents, alums, and other donors continue investing in the School's future to close the gap through philanthropic efforts like donating to the Springers Fund.
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 RatioFostering supportive and trusting relationships between students and teachers, who are leading and learning together
16
Average Class
SizeEach employing a dynamic, rigorous curriculum centered on real world questions
81%
Teaching Faculty with Advanced DegreesAnd 100% of our faculty are supported with continuing education and professional mentoring to remain at the top of their craft
140+
Acre
CampusIncluding 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 CertifiedThe 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 studentsThe 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 & CommitteesEvidence of the rich, co-curricular experiences available outside the classroom
12
Student Affinity GroupsAffinity groups help create a place of belonging by providing students a space for affirmation, emotional comfort, and community
6
Quaker
SPICESEvery 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 yearsEach of these placements is the result of the highly-personalized and expert guidance of our College Counseling Department.
Accessing 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
33%
Percentage of Student Body That Receives Financial Aid
How do I apply for financial aid?
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Submit Admission Application to SSFS
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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
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Submit required tax documents
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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.
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.
"We see SSFS tuition as an invaluable investment in our child’s future. If anything is worth the investment, it’s our kids!"
"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."
“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.'”
"At SSFS, students learn how to think, engage in civil discourse, and solve problems independently. They learn to speak with teachers with respect and maturity. They learn how to learn. They learn who they are, where they want to go, and how to get there. "
“As an early childhood educator, I know that the elementary years are incredibly formative. Certain skills and habits are easier to establish when you’re younger. In the Lower School at SSFS, they intentionally teach kindness and stewardship of people and the environment. You want to make sure you get it right in the early years—here at SSFS, they get it so right.”
"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."
"My experience at SSFS was truly transformative. The academic rigor pushed me intellectually, and the environment encouraged curiosity, critical thinking, and independence. By the time I graduated, I felt more than prepared for college—not just academically, but as a self-advocate and someone confident navigating new spaces. SSFS gave me the tools, mindset, and heart that continue to guide me well beyond graduation."