How Much Does School Uniform Cost?

$ $ Standardized-Clothing Uniforms: $25-$200 per outfit

$ $ $ School-Specific Uniforms: $100-$500 per outfit

Most private schools and a lot of public schools in the US (approx. 19% in 2009-2010) require school uniforms.

Many private schools, in fact, mandate specific uniform purchased from an official source.

For example, a school may require an exact top, blazer, pants or skirt offered by one or two retailers only.

Some of the private schools and a great deal of the public schools follow certain general rules with acceptable colours and styles of standardized clothing available at any retail outlet.

The standardized uniform outfit, for example, could be any brand or style of khaki pants along with a collared shirt in white or the colors pointed by the school.

Typical Costs

The standardized clothing uniform can be as much as $25-$200 per outfit or approx. $100-$600 for a school wardrobe including 4-5 mix-and-match outfits.

The price depends on the retailer, the quality and the number of outfit pieces, as well as the location.

The pants, for example, could be $5-$50 each, the skirts can be approx. $5-$35 each and the tops could be $3-$35 each.

In case the shoes are included as part of the uniform, they can add $15-$70 to the total sum.

Classroom School Uniforms, for example, come with the average price of $156 for four girls’ outfits and $140 for four boys’ outfits.

According to a blogger at UniformMom.com, the actual price is $234 for a standardized-uniform wardrobe for kindergarten.

In North Brunswick Township Schools in North Brunswick, NJ the typical girls’ uniform school wardrobe consisting of three pairs of pants, two skirts, five long-sleeve shirts, five short-sleeve shirts, one sweater, one pair of shoes, and five pairs of socks costs $283 a year.

At the same time, the average boys’ uniform school wardrobe comprising of five pairs of pants, five long-sleeve shirts, five short-sleeve shirts, one sweater, one pair of shoes, five pairs of socks costs $315.

The specific school uniform offered by the official providers can cost $100-$500 or more per outfit, based on the retailer and school requirements.

Prices vary significantly since some uniform pieces may cost approximately the same as similar quality non-uniform clothing, and at other schools, it can cost $100-$300 for just a blazer with the school insignia.

Detroit Country Day School in Michigan, for example, estimates that in the first student year, parents can expect to pay $200-$500 for uniforms that include the DCDS crest.

What Is Included

The schools provide detailed information about their school uniforms.

Akron Public Schools in Ohio, for example, provide a chart of what is allowed and a list of the retail on the online store that offers them.

Marymount School in New York City,  being another example, specifies the uniform requirements for its lower school, middle school and upper school students.

The official uniform outfitter is The Corey Company, and the winter uniforms can be found at Land’s End.

FamilyEducation.com gives a detailed list of the pros and cons of school uniforms.

Discounts

• Most of the schools hold used-uniform swaps or sales.
• The St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Orlando, FL opens its Swap Shop on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, while Marymount School in New York City collects donations of “gently used” uniforms and organizes a used uniform sale each spring and fall.
• Before heading to the store, try the local consignment stores for used uniforms for local schools.

School Uniform Shopping

• The standardized clothing which meets typical school uniform requirements is available from a variety of retailers such as Kmart, Land’s End, Old Navy, Sears, Target and Walmart.
• Most private schools provide a list of retailers stocking their uniforms.
• Some of the main school uniform suppliers include Dennis Uniform; Flynn & O’Hara; French Toast; Classroom Uniforms; Cookie’s; Parker School Uniforms and the subsidiary Charter School Uniforms.