Number of private primary schools in France 2005-2023

Between 2005 and 2023, the number of private primary schools – including kindergarten and elementary schools – has been relatively stable in France. As of 2023, there were about 5,749 private primary school registered. On the other hand, the number of public primary school has been continuously decreasing over the years from more than 50 thousand schools in 2005 to just about 43,163 in 2023.   

Private secondary education in France

Regarding the French secondary schools, in 2023 the Ministry of National Education counted more than 2,053 private secondary school (education from 11 to 14 years old), while the public education sector accounted for over 5,320 secondary school, a figure staying relatively stable since 2010.

The choice between private and public school in France

A survey conducted in the summer of 2017 reports that French people would generally prefer to enroll their child in a public rather than in a private school, although almost 40 percent of French said preferring private schools. In addition to this, according to more than a third of parents having a child in a private school, the average tuition costs for a student in a private school in France was between 501 and 1,500 euros a year as of 2019.