Tuition and Affording CWA

Making the CWA Experience Possible.

Tuition at Charles Wright Academy is designed to be competitive with peer independent schools while offering a truly comprehensive education, from morning care to international trips, all built right in.

We understand that an independent school education is a meaningful investment. Our financial aid program exists so that cost isn't what determines whether a student can be here. Last year, more than 30% of CWA students received financial aid.

2026-2027 CWA Tuition Pricing

Beginning School	$28,750
Lower School	$31,500
Middle School	$36,450
Upper School	$38,115

Payment plans available in 1, 3, or 9 installments throughout the academic year. Financial aid is available for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12.

What's Included

We believe in providing a seamless, enriching education that inspires students to thrive both in and out of the classroom. Our comprehensive tuition covers more than just classroom learning.

Books & Technology

Textbooks, classroom materials, and devices (Chromebooks or MacBooks, depending on division) are all included.

Experiential Education

For all CWA students, field, overnight, and international trips are covered, from Olympic National Park to Japan.

Athletics

Middle and Upper School athletics fees are included in tuition. No separate sports registration is required.

Morning Care

Before-school supervision from 7:30 a.m. is built into tuition across all divisions.

Beginning School Wrap-Around Care

Beginning School tuition covers 12 months of care, 5 days per week (excluding holidays, breaks, and school closures), including snacks and lunch.

Scholarship Opportunities

Most families who receive assistance at CWA do so through our need-based financial aid program, which supports more than a third of our students each year. Alongside that program, CWA's endowment holds nearly twenty named scholarship funds, established by alumni, parents, faculty families, and community foundations over the past fifty years, that recognize students for who they are and what they bring to this campus.

Together, these funds support roughly two dozen awards annually, from $1,000 recognitions to renewable full-tuition scholarships.

Yazi Scholars Program

Up to full tuition | Two new scholars each year | Renewable for up to five years

In partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound and through an endowment from the Milgard Family Foundation, the Yazi Scholars Program provides up to full-tuition scholarships to two students entering eighth or ninth grade each year. Awards renew annually through graduation, so long as the student maintains adequate academic progress and remains an active member of their Boys & Girls Club of South Puget Sound branch.

The program is named for Gary "Yazi" Yazwa, former CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, and reflects a shared commitment between two organizations that have long invested in the young people of this region.

LEARN MORE ABOUT YAZI SCHOLARS HERE

Financial Aid

A CWA education is within reach for more families than you think.

Last year, more than 30% of CWA families received financial aid. Our program is designed to meet demonstrated need, and we review every application with care.

Financial aid is available for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 (Beginning School tuition is already subsidized and not eligible for additional aid). Applying for financial aid does not affect your child's admission decision. Aid applications are reviewed separately from admission applications.

Prospective Families

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 mobile-friendly so that you can complete it 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, and you can share your application with additional schools that accept the Clarity Application for no additional charge. Use the dropdown menu in the application to select those schools.

Indicate your interest
Please note your financial aid interest on your CWA application for admission.
Create your Clarity account
Financial aid applications are submitted through Clarity, an online platform used by independent schools nationwide.
Submit your application
There is a $60 submission fee. Once submitted, you can share your application with any other Clarity-participating school at no additional cost.
Receive and review your award
The Financial Aid Committee reviews applications in February. Awards are sent alongside admission decisions to admitted families.

BEGIN FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION

Current Families

Complete your Clarity application for the upcoming year.
Receive and review your award with your re-enrollment agreement when the re-enrollment period opens.

BEGIN FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION

Need help with Clarity?

If you have questions, in-app support is available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, and email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752 in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.

Video help provided by Clarity can be found here.

Note: If you are divorced, separated, or never-married parents living apart, each household must submit a separate financial aid application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is financial aid determined?

How do I know if my family is eligible for financial aid at CWA?

We base our decision on the information you share in your Clarity application, including income, assets, expenses, and debts. Here is a baseline for determining if your family is eligible for financial aid:

If your family has one child and makes less than $250,000 annually, you are likely to receive financial aid at CWA.
If your family has more than one child and makes less than $350,000 annually, you are likely to receive financial aid at CWA.

Does applying for financial aid affect my child's chance of admission?

Do I have to re-apply for financial aid each year?

Are payment plans available?

Should we still apply if we think we earn too much to qualify?

Who can I contact if I have additional questions?

We invite all families to reach out to our Admissions Team via email at admissions@charleswright.org or via phone at (253) 620-8373. We are ready and willing to answer any questions you have about all aspects of the application process, including financial aid!

If you have questions about Clarity, in-app support is available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen, and email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752 in both English and Spanish. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.