This Pittsburgh Family’s $34K Education Bill Reveals a Shocking Lesson in Privilege and Ambition—What They’re Investing in Could Change Everything

Ever thought private school was a luxury you’d never splurge on—until the world flipped upside down? That’s exactly where this Pittsburgh mom of two found herself. With a hefty tuition bill of about $22,000 and another $12,000 sinking into activities like golf and horseback riding, she never imagined back-to-school shopping would look like this. From one kid who hunts for color-coordinated notebooks with precision, to another who couldn’t care less about the shopping frenzy, this family’s back-to-school haul reveals just how much parenting costs in today’s world. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the unexpected expenses aren’t just about supplies—but about securing the right environment for your kids in uncertain times. So, how do you balance the books when education and extracurriculars come with price tags that could make even seasoned pros blink? Dive into the details of a real family’s back-to-school budget and see how it all stacks up. LEARN MORE

“We never intended to send our kids to private school,” says the Pittsburgh mom of two revealing her back-to-school receipts in this installment for Bank of Mom and Dad, Yahoo’s series on the costs of parenting. Then the pandemic happened, and her school district was slow to reopen. “We weren’t sure that remote education would be the best fit for our family, and we had the resources to make that decision,” she tells guest editor Lindsey Stanberry of The Purse. Now she and her husband are paying about $22,000 for tuition, plus another $12,000 or so for their kids’ activities, including golf and horseback riding. Here’s how it all adds up.

I live in Pittsburgh, and my husband and I are both attorneys. We have two kids, one of whom loves back-to-school shopping and one who couldn’t care less. I’m realizing that my back-to-school days with both of my kids home are quickly dwindling.

Age: 46

Location: Pittsburgh

About our kids: I have a 16-year-old son who is going into 11th grade, and I have a 13-year-old daughter entering eighth grade.

Type of school: Both kids attend private Catholic schools

Family income range: Approximately $200,000 to $300,000; it fluctuates with our jobs

Back-to-school receipts

Where did you do most of your shopping? My mom and daughter shopped in person for her supplies. I ordered everything else online.

For my son:

• Uniforms: $132 for a new uniform blazer (his pants and shirts still fit)

• School supplies: $13 for some notebooks and pens. We’ll probably spend another $30 to $50 once we have his syllabi.

For my daughter:

• Uniforms: $180 for all new uniforms because my daughter is switching schools this year. This includes three skirts, five polo shirts and a pullover, plus sweatpants, shorts and a T-shirt for gym. We were also given a few uniform pieces from a former student who had moved on to high school.

• School supplies: $122. My daughter likes her notebooks, pens and school accessories to be color-coordinated. This included her pens, pencils, five notebooks, a binder, a set of markers, graph paper, USB drive, loose-leaf paper and some locker decorations/organizers. My mom took her shopping for these and purchased them. [Note: Not included in total sum since they were purchased by someone else.]

• Backpack: $55

Total: $380

• Various sports: Approximately $12,000. My daughter rides horses, runs track and plays basketball. My son plays golf and baseball, but I think he’ll be taking this year off from baseball to focus on school and golf. He also plays in a rec basketball league. We have a half lease on a horse, and we also pay for riding lessons, horse shows and fees for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (which offers the opportunity to compete against other teams in our region). We pay for golf lessons and golf course fees, as well. The track and basketball fees we pay for school and the rec leagues are nominal. And then, of course, we have to purchase all the associated equipment as they grow or things wear out.

Total: Approximately $12,000

Other school-related expenses

• School tuition and fees: Approximately $22,000 for tuition for both kids

Total: Approximately $22,000

Total back-to-school spend: Approximately $34,380

Tell us more

How do you approach back-to-school shopping? Do you set a budget?

I would like to say we do, but we don’t. I anticipate what they are going to need based on past years so I have a rough number in mind. This year the new uniforms were an unexpected expense, as switching schools was not in our long-term plan

How do your kids feel about back-to-school shopping? What are they asking for this year?

My daughter loves it. She loves coming up with a color scheme and picking out just the right supplies. It’s also nice that she gets to have a special outing with my mom to go shopping.

My son could not care less. He just wants to make sure that he has what he needs and that the colors aren’t obnoxious.

It’s nice that, for the most part, we are past the point of needing the right kind of pencil box, etc., because they are older.

How do you manage your kids’ back-to-school shopping expectations?

With my daughter, we talked through things and explained we weren’t paying double the price for things because they fit her “vision.”

What is the biggest stressor of back-to-school shopping?

Making sure my oldest has what he needs without nagging him. I need to remember that he’s old enough to be responsible for making sure he has what he needs

Have you ever regretted a back-to-school purchase?

I think it’s relative, but I don’t think that we have gone over the top for supplies/clothes based on our community and expectations. So no regrets over back-to-school purchases. Purchases I make to try to keep myself organized are a whole other story.

How does your back-to-school shopping experience compare with what you grew up with?

It’s similar. My parents always made sure we had the peer-approved backpacks and clothes. There was more pressure over clothes because I went to public school and didn’t have a uniform.

We want to know: Are you a parent who is feeling the pinch too? Tell us about your own back-to-school expenses (and how you feel about it) using this form, and your responses may be used in a future article. Submissions close on Thursday, Aug. 28.