The Catholic school system here
The Diocese of Tucson stretches across six southern Arizona counties and, in its superintendent's January 2025 count, runs 23 schools serving about 6,700 students from preschool through 12th grade. In Pima County that includes parish elementary schools such as St. Ambrose, Sts. Peter & Paul, St. Cyril, Our Mother of Sorrows, Santa Cruz and St. John the Evangelist, the historic San Xavier Mission School on the Tohono O'odham Nation's San Xavier District, and the high schools: Salpointe, St. Augustine, San Miguel and Immaculate Heart.
CTSO: the diocese's own STO
Arizona's Catholic Tuition Support Organization has provided need-based tax-credit scholarships since 1999 and reports more than 55,000 awards at over 40 schools. Our STO match did not include CTSO's school list, so the Catholic school pages on this site may not mention it. Ask your school's office for CTSO's current application window; it is the first place most Tucson Catholic families look for aid.
Choosing between the ESA and CTSO
The ESA contract forbids taking an STO scholarship, including one from CTSO, for the same child in the same year. For a parish K-8 whose tuition falls inside or under the ESA range, the ESA usually covers more and leaves money in the account for books and uniforms. At a Catholic high school, compare a likely CTSO award plus other STO awards against the ESA before committing.
Parish rates and other help
Most Catholic schools price tuition differently for registered, active parishioners, and each pastor or school sets its own rates. Ask about sibling discounts and whether the school has its own aid fund. These school discounts lower the bill directly, so they can sit alongside whichever main path you choose.
A note on Salpointe and the high schools
Salpointe Catholic received more original-credit STO scholarships than any other Arizona school in fiscal 2025, 918 of them, which tells you how widely Tucson Catholic families rely on tax-credit aid at the high-school level. Ask each high school, including San Miguel on the south side and Immaculate Heart near Oracle Road, how it combines STO awards, its own aid and the ESA.
Catholic schools in Pima County (15)
| School | Type | Community | Grades | STO lists | Students* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immaculate Heart Academy 410 E Magee Rd, Oro Valley 85704 | Catholic Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | PK-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 136 |
| Immaculate Heart High School 625 E Magee Rd, Tucson 85704 | Catholic Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | 9-12 | 1 APSTO | 50 |
| Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic School 1800 S Kolb Rd, Tucson 85710 | Catholic Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | PK-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 213 |
| Saints Peter & Paul School 1436 N Campbell Ave, Tucson 85719 | Catholic Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | K-8 | 2 APSTO, IBE | 344 |
| Salpointe Catholic High School 1545 E Copper St., Tucson 85719 | Catholic Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | 9-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 1305 |
| San Miguel High School 6601 S San Fernando Rd, Tucson 85756 | Catholic Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | 9-12 | 2 APSTO, IBE | 293 |
| San Xavier Mission School 1980 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson 85746 | Catholic Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | K-8 | 1 IBE | 84 |
| Santa Cruz Catholic School 29 W 22nd St., Tucson 85713 | Catholic Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | K-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 152 |
| St. Ambrose School 300 S Tucson Blvd, Tucson 85716 | Catholic Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | PK-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 218 |
| St. Augustine Catholic High School 8800 E 22nd St., Tucson 85710 | Catholic Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 9-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 276 |
| St. Cyril Elementary School 4725 E Pima St., Tucson 85712 | Catholic Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | K-8 | 2 IBE, School Choice Arizona | 359 |
| St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School 8650 N Shannon Rd, Tucson 85742 | Catholic Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | PK-8 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 298 |
| St. John the Evangelist Catholic School 600 W Ajo Way, Tucson 85713 | Catholic Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | K-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 392 |
| St. Joseph Catholic School 215 S Craycroft Rd, Tucson 85711 | Catholic Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | K | 2 IBE, School Choice Arizona | 22 |
| St. Thomas the Apostle Pre & K Tucson · from STO lists only | Catholic Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
* Enrollment reported to the NCES Private School Survey (2023-24 or 2021-22). "STO lists" counts the School Tuition Organizations whose published school list included the school (Oct 2026). Arizona has no state list of ESA schools; ask each school whether it accepts ESA payments through ClassWallet.
Next step
Ready to see your own numbers? The funding check takes about two minutes, and a School Funding Advisor will go over each Tucson source you qualify for and the next deadline that applies.