Georgia’s boarding schools include Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and Tallulah Falls School in the Blue Ridge foothills, Darlington School in Rome, and Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville. Boarding tuition runs $35,000–$58,000 per year in 2026 — among the lowest in the country for comparable college-preparatory programs.
Key facts about Georgia boarding schools
- Boarding tuition runs $35,000–$58,000 per year — roughly $20,000 below Northeastern equivalents.
- Tallulah Falls School is owned and subsidized by the Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs.
- Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville is the state’s main military boarding option.
- Most Georgia boarding schools sit in the northern mountains rather than metropolitan Atlanta.
- Atlanta itself is a day school market — its strongest private schools do not board.
Which are the boarding schools in Georgia?
| School | Town | Type | Boarding tuition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School | Rabun Gap | Coed, 6–12 | ~$58,000 | Mountain campus; strong international enrollment |
| Darlington School | Rome | Coed, PreK–12, PG | ~$52,000 | Large campus; competitive athletics |
| Tallulah Falls School | Tallulah Falls | Coed, 6–12 | Subsidized; varies | Owned by GA Federation of Women’s Clubs |
| Riverside Military Academy | Gainesville | Boys, 7–12 | ~$40,000 | JROTC structure; no service obligation |
| Brandon Hall School | Atlanta | Coed, 6–12 | ~$48,000 | Small classes; academic support focus |
Georgia’s cost advantage
Rabun Gap and Darlington deliver full college-preparatory boarding — dorms, faculty in residence, competitive athletics, college counseling — for $50,000–$58,000, roughly $15,000–$20,000 less than New England equivalents. Over four years that is a $60,000–$80,000 difference.
The honest counterweight is endowment: Georgia schools hold far less, so financial aid budgets are thinner. Families needing large aid packages may pay less at a wealthy Northeastern school than at a cheaper Southern one. Run both scenarios using boarding school financial aid. The same pattern holds in Tennessee and North Carolina.
The Tallulah Falls exception
Tallulah Falls School is unusual in American education: it is owned by the Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs, whose fundraising subsidizes tuition well below operating cost, particularly for Georgia residents. For in-state families it can be one of the most affordable private boarding options in the Southeast.
Other subsidized and tuition-free models are covered in free boarding schools, and military options in military boarding schools. All states: best boarding schools by state.
Georgia boarding school FAQ
What is the best boarding school in Georgia?
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in the Blue Ridge foothills and Darlington School in Rome are Georgia's leading boarding schools, both coed with boarding tuition in the $45,000–$58,000 range — well below Northeastern equivalents while offering full college-preparatory programs.
How much do Georgia boarding schools cost?
Georgia boarding schools charge $35,000–$58,000 per year in 2025–26. Darlington and Rabun Gap run $50,000–$58,000, Riverside Military Academy approximately $40,000, and Tallulah Falls School — subsidized by the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs — charges some students well below cost.
Are there military boarding schools in Georgia?
Yes. Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville is Georgia's main military boarding school, enrolling boys in grades 7–12 with JROTC structure at approximately $40,000 per year. As with military schools generally, there is no service obligation and applicants with serious behavioral issues are screened out.
Is Tallulah Falls School affordable?
Yes, unusually so. Tallulah Falls School is owned by the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs, which subsidizes tuition substantially — particularly for Georgia residents. Costs for in-state families can fall well below typical private boarding rates, though admission is competitive.
Sources
- Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and Darlington School: published tuition and admission data.
- Georgia Independent School Association (GISA): state school directory.