CostGuide

Family & Education

SAT / ACT Prep cost in the US

Nationally, SAT / ACT Prep runs about $800 per course. In the lowest-cost cities in this guide it is closer to $624, and in the highest-cost cities about $904.

Typical cost

Most people pay about

$800

per course

Fair price range: $200 to $2,200

On the low end
$200
On the high end
$2,200

Estimated from national price data. Not a quote.

How prices have moved

Up 1.9%past year

Up 22.8%over five years

How prices for fees for lessons or instructions have moved nationally, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (Fees for lessons or instructions, CUUR0000SERF03), through August 2026. It tracks price change, not the dollar prices on this page.

What moves the price

  1. Group vs private
  2. Hours
  3. Brand
  4. Materials
  5. Score guarantee

Ways to pay less

  1. Start with a book and practice tests
  2. Use group classes
  3. Ask about score guarantees
  4. Avoid huge hour packages
  5. Retake strategically

Lowest-cost cities for SAT / ACT Prep

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$800
$200 to $2,200
Brownsville, TX$624
$156 to $1,715
Jackson, MS$800
$200 to $2,200
Laredo, TX$640
$160 to $1,760
McAllen, TX$640
$160 to $1,760
Shreveport, LA$640
$160 to $1,760
Amarillo, TX$656
$164 to $1,805
El Paso, TX$656
$164 to $1,805
Lubbock, TX$668
$167 to $1,835

Highest-cost cities for SAT / ACT Prep

PlaceTypicalRange
National typical$800
$200 to $2,200
Honolulu, HI$904
$226 to $2,485
San Francisco, CA$1,010
$252 to $2,770
New York, NY$988
$247 to $2,715
San Jose, CA$1,015
$254 to $2,795
Sunnyvale, CA$1,010
$252 to $2,770
Santa Barbara, CA$896
$224 to $2,465
Cambridge, MA$1,130
$283 to $3,115
Fremont, CA$976
$244 to $2,685

SAT / ACT Prep in every city

Typical estimate for each city. Open one for the full range.

District of Columbia
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota

Questions people ask

SAT / ACT Prep: what does it cost?

Across the US, SAT / ACT Prep typically costs about $800 per course, with most prices between $200 and $2,200.

Where is SAT / ACT Prep cheapest?

Among the 250 cities in this guide, the lowest estimates are in Brownsville, TX, Jackson, MS, Laredo, TX, at about $624.

Is this a quote?

No. These figures are estimates built from national price data and each city's cost of living. A local pro will price your actual job.