The cost of building a school website can vary depending on the size and complexity of the site, as well as the desired features. Some of the most simplest school websites can be anywhere from $500 to $5,000, while more complex websites can cost up to $20,000 or more.
There are three main factors that determine the cost of a school website: who the site developers are, what features you need on your website, and how soon you need the site to be up and running. Let’s take a closer look at each three of these.
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Determining Who Will Develop Your School Website
The first factor that determines the cost of a school website is who will develop it. You have three main options:
-Hiring an outside web development firm
-Assigning the project to your in-house IT staff
-Using a do-it-yourself (DIY) website builder tool
Generally speaking, hiring an outside school website development firm will be the most expensive option, while using a DIY website builder will be the least expensive. That being said, it’s not always that simple – it all depends on your needs.
For example, let’s say you have a large budget and you need a highly customized website with complex features. In this case, it would actually be more cost-effective to hire an outside firm because they would be able to get the job done more quickly and efficiently than your in-house staff (who may not have the necessary expertise).
On the other hand, if you have a smaller budget and you’re looking for a fairly simple website with just a few basic features, then using a DIY website builder would be the best option since you wouldn’t need to pay for professional development services. But do keep in mind that you may be heavily sacrificing on the quality and ease of use of your website, which can be very risky.
Deciding on the Features You Need
The next factor that affects the cost of a school website is the features you need. Some features are more complex than others and will therefore require more time (and money) to develop. Here are some common features that school websites typically have:
-Homepage
-About Us page
-Contact Us page
-Calendar
-News section
-Staff directory
-Student portal login
-Online forms
-Photo gallery
Of course, this is just a basic list – there are many other features that school websites can (and often do) have. The more features you need, the more expensive your website will be.
Setting a Timeline
The last factor that affects the cost of a school website is how soon you need it to be up and running. If you’re in a rush to get your site live, then you’ll likely have to pay a premium for expedited services. On the other hand, if you’re not in a hurry, then you may be able to save some money by working with a development team that has a longer timeline.
In general, the cost of a school website can range anywhere from $500 to $20,000 or more. The three main factors that determine the price are who develops the site, what features you need, and how soon you need the site to be live.
Keep these factors in mind as you begin planning your school website project – they will help you better understand what to expect in terms of cost.
Zara Raza is the Head of Marketing at SchoolCues, an all-in-one SaaS platform for schools to manage their admissions, payments, grades, student information, and more. She graduated from University of California in 2019, and has written several blogs on topics such as technology and education.
